Field Trips

Principals and teachers must plan ahead to properly organize all field trips while carefully following Board Policy in place.

Note: All long distance field trips that require busing need to be scheduled prior to May 16, 2015. No long distance filed trips will be permitted after this cut off date. Field trips within the community and immediate area should be approved by Curt South prior to scheduling.
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Piqua Board Policy 2340 - FIELD AND OTHER DISTRICT-SPONSORED TRIPS

The Board of Education recognizes that field trips, when used for teaching and learning integral to the curriculum, are an educationally sound and important ingredient in the instructional program of the schools. Properly planned and executed field trips should supplement and enrich classroom procedures by providing learning experiences in an environment outside the schools.

For purposes of this policy, a field trip shall be defined as any planned journey by one or more students away from District premises, which is an integral part of a course of study and is under the direct supervision and control of a professional staff member or any advisor as designated by the Superintendent.

Other District-sponsored trips shall be defined as any planned, student-travel activity which is approved as part of the District's total educational program and is under the direct supervision and control of a professional staff member or any advisor as designated by the Superintendent.

School personnel shall not accept any form of compensation from vendors that might influence their recommendation on the eventual selection of a location for, or a vendor that will provide transportation to, a field or other district-sponsored trip. Furthermore, school personnel shall not accept any compensation from a vendor after a decision has been made regarding the location for, or a vendor that will provide transportation to, a field or other District-sponsored trip. In addition, school personnel who recommended the location for, or a vendor that will provide transportation to, a field or other district-sponsored trip shall not enter into a contractual arrangement whereby an individual staff member receives compensation in any form from the vendor that operates the venue for, or provides the transportation to, a field or other District-sponsored trip for services rendered.

Such compensation includes, but is not limited to, cash, checks, stocks, or any other form of securities, and gifts such as televisions, microwave ovens, computers, discount certificates, travel vouchers, tickets, passes, and other such things of value. In the event that a school staff member receives such compensation, albeit unsolicited, from a vendor, the staff member shall notify the Treasurer, in writing, that s/he received such compensation and shall thereafter promptly transmit said compensation to the Treasurer at his/her earliest opportunity.

The Board shall approve those field trips and other District-sponsored trips which are planned to keep students out of the District overnight or longer or out of the State, except that prior Board approval is not required for overnight trips related to athletic contests and other extracurricular competitions that arise at a time when no Board meetings are scheduled prior to the date of the trip.

The Superintendent shall approve all other such trips. The Superintendent may approve overnight trips related to athletic contests and other extracurricular competitions that arise at a time when no Board meetings are scheduled prior to the date of the trip.

Students will not be charged for the cost of transportation to and from educational field trips on school days. Students may be assessed the cost for transportation to and from educational field trips on non-school days.

The Board may assume all other costs of field trips, including, but not limited to, admission fees; no regularly-enrolled student shall be charged a fee for participation in field trips. Students may be charged such fees, however, for other
District-sponsored trips which are not part of a course of study.

Students may be charged fees, including, but not limited to, admission fees, for District-sponsored trips but no student shall be denied participation for financial inability, nor shall nonparticipation be penalized academically.

Students on all District-sponsored trips remain under the supervision of this Board and are subject to the District's administrative guidelines.

The Board does not endorse, support, or assume liability in any way for any staff member, volunteer, or parent of the District who takes students on trips not approved by the Board or Superintendent. No staff member may solicit students of this District for such trips within the facilities or on the school grounds of the District without permission from the Superintendent. Permission to solicit neither grants nor implies approval of the trip. Such approval must be obtained in accordance with the District's Administrative Guidelines for Extended Trips.

The Superintendent shall prepare administrative guidelines for the operation of both field and other District-sponsored trips, including athletic trips, which shall address:

	A.	the safety and well-being of students;
	B.	parental permission is sought and obtained before any student leaves the District on a trip;
	C.	each trip is properly planned, and if a field trip, is integrated with the curriculum, evaluated, and followed up by appropriate activities which enhance its usefulness;
	D.	the effectiveness of field trip activities is judged in terms of demonstrated learning outcomes;
	E.	each trip is properly monitored;
	F.	student behavior while on all field trips complies with the Student Code of Conduct and on all other trips complies with an approved code of conduct for the trip;
	G.	a copy of each student's Emergency Medical Authorization Form is in the possession of the staff member in charge;
	H.	provisions have been made for the administration of medication to those students for whom medications are administered routinely while at school;
	I.	provisions have been made at the trip destination and in transportation, if and when required to accommodate students and/or chaperones with disabilities.

A professional staff member shall not change a planned itinerary while the trip is in progress, except where the health, safety, or welfare of the students in his/her charge is imperiled or where changes or substitutions beyond his/her control have frustrated the purpose of the trip.

In any instance in which the itinerary of a trip is altered, the professional staff member in charge shall notify the administrative superior immediately.

School vehicles are not to be used if the entire distance traveled round trip from the point of exit and entry of the State is more than 240 miles.

R.C. 3327.15
A.C. 3301-83-12, 3301-83-16(A)(B)(E)
Auditor of State Bulletin 2000-006

Piqua Board Policy 2340C - OVERNIGHT TRIPS (District-Sponsored)

In compliance with Board of Education Policy 2340, Field and Other District-Sponsored Trips, the following guidelines are to be followed whenever a staff member seeks Board approval for a trip on which the students will be away from home for one (1) or more nights.

The Superintendent will not recommend approval by the Board unless a plan based on answers to the questions on the Proposal Form for Overnight/Extended Student Trip Form 2340 F5 has been prepared and approved by the principal(s) of the school(s) which the students attend. In addition, if the trip involves the use of a travel agent or tour provider to arrange for transportation, rooms, or any other aspect of the trip, the staff member submitting the proposal must confirm that the company is:

	*	licensed to operate in this State;

	*	bonded (i.e.., the company maintains a bond in the name of the Board in the amount of any funds paid by the Board to the company, which could be utilized to reimburse the Board if the company fails to fulfill the terms of its contract with the Board);

	*	properly insured for the proposed trip including a summary of the nature and extent of the coverage;

	*	in compliance with Federal laws regarding accessibility for and rights of those with disabilities.

This information must be confirmed, in writing, and attached to the trip proposal. No trip involving a travel agent or tour promoter will be approved without this confirmation and, therefore, will be considered a nonsponsored trip subject to AG 2340D.

It is essential that no discussion of a trip with students is to occur until the trip proposal has been submitted and a determination made as to whether it will be sponsored by the Board.

All such requests are to be submitted to the Superintendent twenty (20) school days prior to the Board meeting at which approval will be sought. The professional staff member who will be in charge of the trip is responsible for preparing the proposal, reviewing it with the relevant principals, and obtaining written approval from each.

The proposal will be reviewed by the Superintendent and submitted to the Board with his/her recommendation for or against approval. Pursuant to Policy 2340, prior Board approval is not required for overnight trips related to athletic contests and other extracurricular competitions that arise at a time when no Board meetings are scheduled prior to the date of the trip.

Once approved, the professional staff member in charge will be responsible for conducting the trip as planned (See AG 2340F - Chaperones). If changes in the plan are necessary, such changes are to be submitted to the principal(s) for approval and/or for subsequent approval by the Superintendent or Board.

Prior to the start of an approved overnight trip, the staff member in charge must comply with the procedures for any District-sponsored trip (AG 2340B). In addition, each participating student and his/her parent is to sign the Responsibility Contract Form 2340 F6 and submit it to the trip leader(s) prior to the trip.

Piqua Board Policy 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 a co-curricular or extra-curricular activity. The following guidelines are aimed at facilitating 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 Transportation Director.
	C.	Parental Consent Form 2340 F2 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.	The list of participating students will be e-mailed to staff prior to the trip.
	E.	A copy of AG 5771, Search and Seizure, is to be provided to the person in charge of the trip for his/her use if a search of a student's possession becomes necessary.
	F.	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.
	G.	A list of any students to whom medication will need to be administered while on the field trip is to be secured by the teacher in charge from the principal’s office.
	H.	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.	the students involved have generally been involved in other field trips or school activities that have kept them out of class in the weeks preceding or following the scheduled trip
		4.	excessive number of students taking trips on that particular day
		5.	lack of availability of transportation
		6.	inadequate arrangements for student safety and welfare

	I.	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.
	J.	For every field trip there must be a ratio of teachers and chaperones to students as determined by the principal.
	K.	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.

	L.	At no time are students to be left ON THEIR OWN during the course of the field trip, unless approved by the parents.
	M.	At least one (1) staff member is to remain at the school after the return trip until all students have been picked up.
	N.	Any disciplinary problems are to be reported to the principal immediately upon returning to the school for appropriate action.

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 environmental conditions at the site might make it difficult to gather important information?
	C.	What facilities or resources will be available for guiding the data gathering and answering questions?
	D.	What health and safety risks are involved?
	E.	Are there students to whom medication will need to be administered while on this trip?
	F.	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 selection of places to visit produce ill feeling in the community? (e.g., visit to chain store as against visit to corner store)
		6.	Will the trip have parental and community support?

Preparation for Field Trips (see Form 2340 F3)

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.
		3.	Plan transportation route, in detail, and arrange financing with the principal, if necessary.

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.	Work out with students the focus of their observations and questions for each category of information they are to gather on the trip.
		4.	Help students organize any materials or references they may be using during the trip.
		5.	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.
		3.	Arrange for questions to be asked periodically and be sure all students hear the responses to the questions.
		4.	Provide opportunities for all or selected students to properly record the observations and information for later use in the classroom.

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.	Have the students examine their data to correct any misinformation and to locate any gaps in the information that they will have to deal with through further research and data gathering.
		3.	Ask students to analyze the data and form relevant conclusions based on their analysis.
		4.	Provide a transition from these new learnings to what they will be learning next.
		5.	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 (Form 2340 F7) and submit a copy of the completed form to his/her principal within five (5) days after the trip is completed.

Piqua Board Policy 2340E - TRIP LEADER RESPONSIBILITIES

Each chaperone of a field or other District-sponsored trip is to be provided with a copy of the following guidelines for fulfilling his/her responsibility.

	A.	Students are to be made aware that the regular bus rules will apply for the trip. Since some of the students may not be regular bus riders, the rules should be reviewed with the group prior to departure.
	B.	The trip leader or designated staff member is responsible for student behavior while on the bus.
	C.	The driver is responsible for the bus and has ultimate authority over routes and operations. If s/he deems that conditions constitute a safety hazard, the driver has the authority not to proceed.
	D.	If any discipline problems develop while on the trip, the problems are to be reported to the appropriate principal as soon as feasible.
	E.	The trip leader should report to the Transportation Supervisor any cases of poor judgement or improper behavior on the part of the driver.
	F.	The trip leader should:

		1.	review with the bus driver the destination and route;
			If there is any question about the route, it should be resolved prior to departure so there is no confusion in communication during the trip. The driver has the final decision on the route.
		2.	make sure the emergency medical forms are on the bus in the possession of a designated person;
		3.	assist the driver in enforcing the rules of the bus and the rules and directions for the trip;
		4.	when necessary or requested by the driver, place himself/herself and any chaperones strategically throughout the bus;
		5.	conduct a head-count each time there is an unloading and reloading of passengers to ensure no one is left behind;
		6.	when the bus returns to the District, make sure all students have proper rides home and have left the District before considering the trip to be completed.

Piqua Board Policy 8640 - TRANSPORTATION FOR FIELD AND OTHER DISTRICT-SPONSORED TRIPS

It shall be the policy of the Board of Education to use regular or special-purpose school vehicles for transportation on field and other District-sponsored trips.

The transportation for all field and other District-sponsored trips is to be by vehicles owned or approved by the District and driven by approved drivers. Exceptions must have the approval of the Superintendent.

The Board may assume transportation costs for varsity sports and a certain number of approved field trips as specified in the Superintendent's administrative guidelines.

Transportation may be limited by the availability of vehicles, drivers, and scheduling and will not be available when needed for general school purposes.

All field trips shall be supervised by members of the staff. All other District-sponsored trips shall be supervised by either staff members or adults from the sponsoring organization. Any time students are on the vehicle, at least one (1) sponsor, chaperone, or staff member is expected to ride in the vehicle as well as to supervise students upon return to the District and while they are waiting for rides home.

All students are expected to ride the approved vehicle to and from each activity. A special request must be made to the staff member or sponsor by the parent, in writing or in person, to allow an exception.

District students not affiliated with the trip activity, nondistrict students, and/or children of preschool age shall not be permitted to ride on the trip vehicle without prior approval of the principal.

No student is allowed to drive on any trip. An exception may be made by the principal on an individual basis provided the student’s parent(s) provides written authorization and release from liability using Form 5515 F2 – Parental Authorization and Release From Liability Form and does not transport any other student.

The Superintendent shall prepare administrative guidelines consistent with this policy.

R.C. 3327.08, 3327.13, 3327.14, 3327.013
A.C. 3301-83-16

Note: Extra-Curricular trip requests:

We will continue to use the bid system with bus drivers in an effort to equally distribute trips. It is important to have trip request forms to Curt South a minimum of 2 weeks in advance. As a rule, do not plan for buses to leave before 9:00 a.m.in the morning or before 4:00 p.m.in the afternoon. This allows drivers to return from their regular routes before starting a new trip. This includes athletic trips. Information must include the departure time and estimated return time. Thank you for your assistance with this!

Who pays for the field trips?

Students will be asked to pay a minimum of $1.00 for each trip and a maximum of 25% of the total cost of the field trip (not including transportation costs). Therefore, if a trip costs $1.00 total, the student will pay $1.00 rather than 25 cents (25%). If the trip costs $4.00, the student will pay 25% of that cost which will equal $1.00. All money collected from students should be turned in to the school office on a daily basis for proper accounting/depositing into the principal’s 018 account. The principal will work with teachers to generate a purchase order from the 018 account to pay for all field trips. No students will be denied the trip due to non –payment of student costs. The principal’s 018 account will be used to make up the difference of non- paid fees by students.

Who pays for adults?

In most cases museums and other locations visited by school groups allow teachers and a certain number of parent chaperones in free with student paid admissions. In rare occasions, however, adults may need to pay. Teachers should work with building principals to develop a school policy on how to handle teacher and chaperone expenses since this cost will come from the 018 account.

Who pays for the transportation costs of the field trip?

Students may not be asked to pay for any of the transportation costs of any field trip. The cost of the busing/transportation fee will be paid by the school’s 018 account account. When filling out the transportation request form, please indicate this on the form. The Miami County Parks District frequently offers transportation grants to school. Check out this opportunity on a yearly basis to assist with these costs if you're students are attending one of the Miami County Park District Programs.

Piqua K-3 Field Trip Out Line:

Grade K: Miami County Park District

· I Am A Tree (fall)

· Roots, Stems, and Leaves (spring)

Grade 1: Miami County Park District

· Ohio Habitats (fall)

· Animal food finders/Animal Adaptations (spring)

Grade 2: Willowbrook

· The Wetlands Program (spring)

Grade 3: Miami County Parks District

· Soil and Rocks (Fall)

Grade 4: Johnston Farm