2340A - FIELD TRIP GUIDELINES

Whitmore Lake Public Schools

Administrative Guidelines

2340A - FIELD TRIP GUIDELINES

Field trips as defined in Board of Education policy must be related to a course of study and therefore are a required part of instruction. If the trip cannot be directly related to a course of study, it should be considered an extra-curricular activity. The following guidelines have been provided to help ensure the effectiveness of all field trips.

General Procedures

	A.	All requests shall be submitted to the principal on the Field Trip Request Form (2340 F1) in advance of the scheduled trip with the names of all staff members and chaperones who will accompany the students.
	B.	Upon approval of a trip, the principal shall forward a copy of the pretrip proposal to the Superintendent.
	C.	Parental Consent Forms must be returned to the administration before the trip. A blanket authorization may be obtained for trips that will consist of a series of trips during the school year. If the student will be unsupervised during certain portions of the trip, Form 2340 F2A must be signed and returned prior to the trip. No student will be allowed to participate if the parental consent form is not received prior to the trip.
	D.	If a trip leader has individualized reasonable suspicion that a student(s) has violated a law, s/he is to contact the principal immediately. If the principal is unavailable, the trip leader is to contact the appropriate security or law enforcement personnel.
	E.	A copy of each student's Emergency Medical Authorization Form is to be in the possession of the staff member in charge for all trips that are not completed prior to the end of the school day.
	F.	For trips that can be completed before the end of the school day, the following procedure is to be used. If it becomes necessary to take a student to a hospital for emergency treatment, contact the nearest hospital or local law enforcement agency. Call the school office and request the secretary to fax the student’s Emergency Medical Authorization Form to the hospital right away. Be sure to provide the name and location of the hospital, and if possible, its telephone or fax number. The secretary is responsible for obtaining the hospital’s fax number, if not provided, and for ensuring that the EMA Form reaches the hospital immediately.
		The secretary should then contact the parents, if possible, and inform them of the situation.
	G.	Field trips may be denied for any one of the following reasons:

		1.	failure to comply satisfactorily with pretrip requirements
		2.	excessive cost or limited financial resources
		3.	excessive number of students taking trips on that particular day
		4.	lack of availability of transportation
		5.	inadequate arrangements for student safety and welfare

	H.	Problems with the field trip should be brought to the attention of the principal immediately upon return. The principal shall inform the Superintendent of any major problems.
	I.	For every field trip there must be a ratio of teachers and chaperones to students as determined by the principal.
	J.	Prior to arrival at the destination, students are to be made aware of:

		1.	how they are to conduct themselves;
		2.	what time the bus will leave for the return trip;
		3.	where the bus will be located for the departure;
		4.	any specific information that the students should know with reference to the area being visited.

	K.	At no time are students to be left ON THEIR OWN during the course of the field trip, unless approved by the parents.
	L.	At least one (1) staff member is to remain at the school after the return trip until all students have been picked up.

In the event of any emergency during a field trip, the bus driver should contact appropriate persons from his/her emergency list and the teacher in charge should contact the principal.

Because field trips are considered an integral part of a course of study and represent a significant cost to the District, it is essential that each trip be carefully planned, conducted according to the plan, and then evaluated in terms of how well the learning purpose was accomplished.

Planning for Field Trips

Will this proposed trip provide a valid learning experience and contribute directly to accomplishing an important learning objective within the course of study?

	B.	What facilities or resources will be available for guiding the data gathering and answering questions?
	C.	What health and safety risks are involved?
	D.	Will it be worth the time and expense? i.e.

		1.	Would another activity be just as effective?
		2.	Can the trip be made within the time available?
		3.	Will the experience provide a significantly new learning experience for a majority of the class?
		4.	Can the purpose be realized without undue inconvenience to students, parents, teachers, and places visited?
		5.	Will the trip have parental and community support?

Preparation for Field Trips

Teacher Preparation

		1.	Arrange through administration for consent to make trip prior to parental consent.
		2.	Make arrangements with authorities at the place of destination.

Student Preparation

		1.	Make clear to students the learning purposes of the trip and how it will contribute to their accomplishing particular learning objectives.
		2.	Provide a transition from what they have been learning to what they will be learning through the trip.
		3.	Set up with students the standards of behavior and safety and emphasize that the Code of Conduct applies to the trip.

Conduct of Field Trips

Gathering and Recording the Information

		1.	Provide the guide with a clear idea of the purpose of the trip (set of questions prepared by teacher and students).
		2.	Make sure all students are in a position to observe and to hear the guide's explanations.

Classroom Follow Through

		1.	Guide students in the preparation of what they remember and what they recorded and then organize the information into useful categories.
		2.	Provide a transition from these new learnings to what they will be learning next.
		3.	Make sure students send appropriate thank you letters to the people in charge of the site they visited and to the bus drivers and other adults who helped make the trip possible.

Evaluation of Field Trips

The staff member responsible for the field trip is to complete the Field Trip Evaluation (2340 F7) and submit a copy of the completed form to his/her principal within five (5) days after the trip is completed.