It is the intent of the Board to broaden educational experiences by providing opportunities for certain field trips and extra-curricular activities. The school principal has the responsibility for authorizing field trips and extra-curricular trips.

Field trips are school-sponsored, off-campus group learning activities which supplement, extend, or enrich the regular instructional program in a manner not possible within the school setting.

Extra-curricular trips are trips related to school-sponsored extra-curricular activities sanctioned by the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) and/or the Board.

Trips shall be planned with consideration of the safety of students and chaperones. Field trips made during the school day must have sufficient educational potential to justify the time taken from the classroom instructional program. Trips which are strictly recreational in nature shall not be authorized during the regular student/teacher day.

A travel list of students and names of adult chaperones by vehicle and trip itinerary shall be available in the school office prior to departure.

An instructional 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 instructional staff member in charge shall notify the administrative superior immediately.

School staff members who officially supervise and chaperone students on trips shall know the location of every student in the group. Students participating in authorized school-sponsored trips shall remain subject to the control and direction of school staff members. The supervision of small groups of students may be entrusted to non-staff chaperones.

A minimum of one (1) adult chaperone per fifteen (15) students is required for all trips.

A chaperone shall:

At the elementary level, chaperones will not be permitted to bring siblings of participating students or other persons on a field trip.

At the middle and high school level, chaperones will not be permitted to bring siblings of participating students or other persons on a field trip without the prior approval of the principal.

A chaperone who has been convicted of a crime that would disqualify him/her for employment in the District, under the criteria of Policy 1121.01, Criminal Background and Employment, Policy 3121.01, Criminal Background and Employment, Policy 4121.01, Criminal Background and Employment, shall not be accepted as a chaperone.

The class, group of students, or team shall depart for the return trip at the earliest practical time following the planned field trip experience, game, contest, or event. Prior to departure for the return trip, students shall be checked against a master list. If any student is not present, an adult chaperone or school employee must remain behind until the missing student has been located and his/her safety and return assured. With prior approval from the principal, a student may be released from the trip to a chaperone designated by the enrolling parent (see Policy 5230.01, Granting Permission for Students to Leave the School Campus).

Requests for school buses for approved trips will be made through the on-line field trip system and must be submitted to the transportation department not less than ten (10) days prior to the date of the trip.

For athletic activities, buses will be assigned in the following order of priority:

Private vehicles may be used to transport students on certain field trips or extra-curricular activities, but only with principal approval and in accordance with Board Policy 8660, Transportation of Students in Private Vehicles.

School personnel shall not accept any form of personal 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 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 District-sponsored trip. In addition, school personnel who recommended the location for, or a vendor that will provide transportation to, a 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 District-sponsored trip for services rendered.

The Board does not assume liability in any way for any staff member, volunteer, or parent of the District who takes students on trips that are not sponsored, endorsed, or supported by the Board. No staff member may solicit students of this District for such trips within the facilities or on the school grounds of the District (see Policy 2340.01, Non-School Related Travel).

F.S. 1001.43

Adopted 7/17/07
Revised 5/3/11