2320P Procedure - Field Trips, Excursions, and Outdoor Education

Field trips are defined as travel away from school premises, under the supervision of a teacher, with an approved course of study, for the purpose of affording students a direct learning experience not available in the classroom. The transportation costs for all such field trips conducted during school hours will be borne by the district. The following procedures will apply.

School Sponsored or Privately Sponsored

School Sponsored

A field trip is school sponsored if school or ASB funds pay for the activity; it is part of the educational process (grade/credit is provided for participation); school equipment is used during the trip; or it is supervised or staffed by school employees during their contract workday/hours. All school-sponsored field trips must be approved in writing by the district in accordance with this procedure.

Privately Sponsored

A field trip is privately sponsored if no school funds, equipment or materials are used; the field trip does not occur during school hours; and the school or district are not named in promotional materials. All materials should include clear and prominent notice that the trip is not sponsored by the school or the district. Planning or organizational meetings for privately sponsored field trips should be held off-site or, if at the school, consistent with the district’s facilities-use policies. Enrollment at the school should not be a requirement for participation in privately sponsored field trips.

No students and no staff members will be required to go on a privately sponsored trip. Any staff member who attends a privately sponsored field trip does so completely voluntarily. Staff will not, during their workday, promote or solicit a privately sponsored trip, or duplicate and distribute materials. All individuals attending a privately sponsored field trip are responsible for having or obtaining their own insurance coverage.

If a trip is privately sponsored, the individual organizing the trip will assume all responsibility for the safety of participants and may be personally liable for any incidents or injuries that occur.

Approval by the district is not required and the district will assume no liability for privately sponsored trips. None of the remaining guidelines in this procedure will be applied to privately sponsored trips.

approval

Local Field Trip (within Pierce County and not overnight)

The staff advisor will submit a completed local field trip application to the principal at least three weeks prior to the proposed field trip.
If approved by the principal, the staff advisor will contact the site to make specific arrangements for the field trip so the desired activity coordinates with classroom studies.
The staff advisor is responsible for securing additional adult supervision for the trip. There will be at least one adult for every ten students in grades K-8. Exceptions to this ratio for grades 9-12 will be at the principal’s discretion.
Each student participating in a field trip must return a completed local field trip permission form signed by their parent or guardian before the trip begins. A consent and agreement to participate including code of conduct, acknowledgement and assumption of risk, and medical authorization must be signed by the student and parent or guardian.
A list of students and adults participating in the field trip and their phone numbers must be filed with the school office and the principal or their designee prior to leaving on the trip. If there is an emergency or an excessive delay in returning from the field trip, the principal or their designee must be contacted by the staff advisor to determine what communication will be made to parents or guardians.

Extended Field Trip (outside of Pierce County and not overnight)

The staff advisor will submit a completed extended field trip application to the principal at least three weeks prior to the proposed trip.
If approved by the principal, the application will be forwarded to the deputy superintendent for approval. Deputy superintendent approval is required at least ten days prior to the field trip.
If approved by the deputy superintendent, the staff advisor will contact the site to make specific arrangements for the field trip so the desired activity coordinates with classroom studies.
The staff advisor is responsible for securing additional adult supervision for the extended trip. There will be at least one adult for every ten students in grades K-8. Exceptions to this ratio for grades 9-12 will be at the principal's discretion.
Each student participating in a field trip must return a completed extended permission form signed by their parent or guardian before the trip begins. A consent and agreement to participate including code of conduct, acknowledgement and assumption of risk, and medical authorization must be signed by the student and parent or guardian.
A list of students and adults participating in the field trip and their phone numbers must be filed with the school office and the principal or their designee prior to leaving on the trip. If there is an emergency or an excessive delay in returning from the field trip, the principal or their designee must be contacted by the staff advisor to determine what communication will be made to parents or guardians.

Overnight and/or Out-of-State Field Trip, but Limited to U.S. and Canada

Definition of "out-of-state": Beyond 30 miles of the Washington state border. Vancouver, B.C., is not considered "out-of-state."

The staff advisor will submit a completed overnight or out-of-state field trip application to the principal eight weeks prior to the proposed trip.
If approved by the principal, the application will be forwarded to the office of the superintendent for school board approval. This must occur prior to the proposed trip and at least two weeks before a school board meeting. School board approval must occur before any fundraising begins or deposits are placed for the trip. When a travel request for an overnight field trip with students requires expedited approval within the normal two-week timeline due to special circumstances or unanticipated events, the superintendent is authorized to approve such request on behalf of the board and will submit the travel request at the next board meeting. Such circumstances and events include student groups qualifying for state, regional, or national competitions; inclement weather that forces a cancellation of a board meeting; or other events deemed reasonable by the superintendent.
If approved by the school board, the staff advisor will contact the site to make specific travel and financial arrangements for the field trip and ensure the desired activity coordinates with classroom studies.
Each student participating in a field trip must return a completed overnight and/or out-of-state permission form signed by their parent or guardian before the trip begins. A consent and agreement to participate including code of conduct, acknowledgement and assumption of risk, and medical authorization must be signed by the student and parent or guardian.
The staff advisor is responsible for securing additional adult supervision for the overnight and/or out-of-state trip. There will be at least one adult for every ten students in grades K-8. Exceptions to this ratio for grades 9-12 will be at the principal or deputy superintendent’s discretion.
A list of students and adults participating in the field trip and their phone numbers must be filed with the school office and the principal or their designee prior to leaving on the trip. If there is an emergency or an excessive delay in returning from the field trip, the principal or their designee must be contacted by the staff advisor to determine what communication will be made to parents or guardians.

International Travel

Approval of international travel is subject to the United States Department of State travel warnings. Travel warnings are issued when the state department decides, based on all relevant information, to recommend that Americans avoid travel to a certain country. District travel to Canada and Mexico will be approved unless either country is identified through a travel warning. No district sponsored international travel will be approved to any other country as long as the worldwide caution is in effect.

The staff advisor will submit a completed overnight and/or out-of-state field trip application to the principal six months before the date of the trip.
If approved by the principal, the application will be forwarded to the office of the superintendent for school board approval. This must occur prior to the proposed trip and at least two weeks before a school board meeting. The staff advisor should attend the board meeting to answer any questions from the board. School board approval must occur before any fundraising begins or deposits are placed for the trip.
If approved by the school board, the staff advisor will contact the site to make specific travel and financial arrangements for the field trip and ensure the desired activity coordinates with classroom studies.
The staff advisor is responsible for securing additional adult supervision for the overnight and/or out-of-state trip. There will be at least one adult for every ten students in grades K-8. Exceptions to this ratio for grades 9-12 will be at the principal or deputy superintendent’s discretion.
A written description of the international field trip must be sent to the parent or guardian. Each student participating in a field trip must return a completed overnight and/or out-of-state permission form signed by their parent or guardian before the trip begins. A consent and agreement to participate including code of conduct, acknowledgement and assumption of risk, and medical authorization must be signed by the student and parent or guardian. All international trips are optional.

Staff advisors and school sponsors will obtain competitive pricing to ensure maximum student participation at the lowest possible cost.

Outdoor Education

The outdoor education plans will be presented to the school board for approval using the overnight and/or out-of-state field trip application and process.
All involved staff will be notified of plans after board approval.
The proposed curricula for the outdoor education school will be presented to teachers at least one month prior to the trip.
Information to parents regarding fees and waivers or reductions if offered, special clothing, dates, supervising proposed activities, and other duties will be sent to parents at least one month prior to the session.
Each student participating in a field trip must return a completed overnight and/or out-of-state permission form signed by their parent or guardian before the trip begins. A consent and agreement to participate including code of conduct, acknowledgement and assumption of risk, and medical authorization must be signed by the student and parent or guardian.
If feasible, parents may opt to have their child participate in daytime activities only.
Students who do not elect to attend will engage in meaningful learning experiences at school.
If the district can absorb the cost or has access to funds to cover waivers or reductions, students who are unable to pay the fee may be granted a waiver or reduction if they meet the USDA Child Nutrition Program guidelines.

Athletic Trips

Arrangements for athletic trips will be made by the appropriate coach, athletic director, or principal, and parents will be notified. The Franklin Pierce School District Athletic Code and Student Agreement will be followed.
Travel requests should be submitted when the trip is out of state or overnight and there will be a district expenditure, i.e., substitute, gas credit card, fees, etc.
Travel requests must be submitted to the office of the superintendent two weeks before a school board meeting prior to the proposed trip for board approval.
Travel request timelines for WIAA tournament participation will be waived. Arrangements should be made as soon as eligibility is known.

TRANSPORTATION

The following procedures are to be followed for acquiring transportation for field trips, excursions, and outdoor education:

Requesting the Use of District Vehicles

School staff requiring school buses or district vans for school trips must make arrangements and seek approval through the respective building principal.
The staff advisor responsible for the trip will complete the transportation request form. If the trip is approved, the principal will sign the form and forward it to the transportation office. Arrangements for the use of district vehicles must be made a minimum of twenty school days prior to the anticipated trip. Buses are scheduled by the transportation office in the order that properly completed transportation request forms are received.
No field trip buses will be scheduled to load before 9:00 a.m. or return to the district later than 1:45 p.m. unless a special approval is obtained in advance by the transportation supervisor.

Adult Drivers of Private Vehicles

Normally, private vehicles are not used to transport students on field trips. However, the principal may give approval for the use of private vehicles if district transportation is not available and the trip is within the greater Tacoma area.

If an adult non-staff member is asked to drive their private vehicle to transport students on a field trip, the adult driver of private vehicle form will be completed by the potential driver and submitted to the principal prior to the trip.

Passengers of a Private Vehicle

If a student agrees to ride in a private vehicle to participate in a field trip, the passenger of private vehicle permission form must be signed by the parent or guardian and submitted to the school office prior to the trip.

Student Drivers of Private Vehicles and Student Passengers

Under special circumstances, students may drive themselves to or from school events with the consent of the parent and principal.

No student driver under the age of 18 will transport other students in their vehicle.

Student drivers who are 18 years of age or older may transport other students in their vehicle to or from a school event only if:

The student driver has turned in a completed adult driver of private vehicle form to the school office prior to the trip.
The student passenger(s) have turned in the passenger of private vehicle permission form, signed by their parent or guardian, to the school office prior to the trip.

Failure to follow these procedures may result in disciplinary sanctions for both the student driver and passenger(s).

CODE OF CONDUCT, RELATED DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS, AND MEDICAL RELEASE

The following procedures are to be followed by teachers or advisors planning extended or overnight student field trips:

The certified staff advisor in charge of the field trip will review acceptable standards of conduct with students in advance of the trip.
The code of conduct, statement of disciplinary action, and medical release will be signed by all students who participate, their parent or guardian, and staff/advisor prior to participating in the trip.

Code of Conduct

All school rules and district policies are in effect on trips. For example:

Show courtesy and respect toward others at all times.
No possession or use of tobacco products.
No consumption or possession of alcohol, other drugs, or paraphernalia.
No use of vulgar or obscene language or acts of lewdness.
All rules, including schedules and curfew, will be strictly adhered to.

Statement of Disciplinary Action

The following are examples of disciplinary action which may be taken in the event that the code of conduct, school policies, or district policies are not followed:

Sent home immediately at personal expense.
Placed in the care of a chaperone.
Separated from the group.
Referred to school administration.
Students found in violation of the district’s policies will be subject to disciplinary action.

Medical Authorization

The parent/guardian must disclose any pertinent health concerns, medication information, or allergy information prior to the trip. Authorization is granted to the staff advisor to seek necessary emergency medical aid from the most convenient doctor, clinic, or hospital. The parent or guardian will be contacted prior to such action or as soon as possible.

ADVISOR / CHAPERONE RESPONSIBILITIES

All groups on field trips are to be under the direction of a staff advisor.
If a substitute is required for a staff member, arrangements will be made by the school. If the trip is out of state or overnight and a substitute is required, this will be requested on the standard district travel request form.
There will be at least one chaperone for each ten students. Any exceptions to this require approval of the building principal and the assistant superintendent. Chaperones must be at least 21 years old and approved by the principal.
Staff advisors and chaperones must complete a volunteer application form and undergo a background check prior to the field trip, as well as set a proper example by following all standards required of students.
Staff advisors’ and chaperones’ responsibilities on overnight field trips are as follows:
1. Conduct reasonable personal searches of students and/or their baggage, hotel rooms, etc., for tobacco, alcohol, other drugs, or paraphernalia at any time that a reasonable cause exists for suspecting that one or more of the students may have possession of such substances. Searches should be conducted by a staff advisor consistent with district expectations and policies.
2. Pre-establish a curfew time, generally no later than 12:00 a.m. (midnight), for students and adults accompanying the trip and conduct a room check/bed check at that time.
3. Before a personal search or room check/bed check is made, it is the responsibility of the staff advisor to make sure there is an adult present who is of the same gender as the student involved. If illegal activity is suspected, it is recommended that the staff advisor secure assistance from law enforcement.
4. Always have at least one staff advisor or chaperone with or accessible to the students at all times.
5. Know who other adult supervisors are at events and establish contact with these people should questions or problems develop.
6. Before departure, be sure that students are well aware of expectations of proper conduct, the consequences for improper behavior, and are comfortable with checks, curfews, etc. Students who are not willing to abide by these precautions or who do not have parental/guardian permission forms and medical releases will not go on or join the trip.
7. Chaperones/advisors have full authority to detain, question, and check students if there are reasonable grounds for taking such action. Students are expected to obey a reasonable request by staff advisors or chaperones at any time.

Date: 6/24/86

Revised: 8/7/91; 3/16/94; 7/8/08; 10/13/09; 2/9/10; 9/14/10; 10/12/10; 1/18/11; 5/8/12; 11/12/13; 10/13/15; 5/5/26

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