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File IJOA: Field Trips

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File IJOA: Field Trips

File IJOA
Monomoy Regional School District
Field Trips

Field trips are an extension of the school’s Standards-Based Curriculum and are considered a regular school activity during the week within Massachusetts or outside of Massachusetts. 

All field trips within Massachusetts and under two hours will be approved by the Principal or designee and do not require school committee approval. Field trips are defined as an observation for education, or to provide students with experiences outside their everyday activities away from the school facility and may require transportation

All field trips outside of Massachusetts and over two hours will be approved by the Principal or designee and require school committee approval. Field trips are defined as an observation for education, to provide students with experiences outside their everyday activities away from the school facility and may require transportation

The Superintendent will establish procedures to assure that minimally (this list is not exhaustive):

  1. Students have parent/guardian permission for trips.
  2. All appropriate medical forms are completed
  3. Authorization and Acknowledgement of risks AND Medical Authorization
  4. All required consents are completed
  5. All trips are properly supervised.
  6. All safety precautions are observed.
  7. All trips contribute substantially to the educational program.
  8. The Field Trip Request Form is submitted at least 30-days in advance
  9. The school Nurse must approve prior to submitting the Field Trip Request Form
  10. The Field Trip Checklist form is completed
  11. Fiscal accountability
  12.  All field trip applications contain a section specifically for approval/waiver for swimming and water activities.
  13. Authorization and Acknowledgement of risks AND Medical Authorization (one form for parent/guardian and one for students over 18) for all trips (day, overnight and international)

 Scheduling 

  1. Whenever possible, trip schedulers should avoid planning student travel between the hours of midnight and 6:00 a.m.
  2. Non-academic field trips are considered “optional school programs” and do not count toward meeting structured learning time requirements. (Refer to the Massachusetts Department of Education publication Student Learning Time Regulations Guide). 
  3. Trip itineraries must leave enough time for drivers to rest in conformity with federal hour-of-service requirements and common sense. 
  4. Trip scheduling should take into account the likelihood of delays due to weather, traffic, stragglers, and other unanticipated factors. 
  5. If substantially all members of a class are participating in a trip, the school will provide appropriate substitute activities for any students not participating

 Chaperone Disclosures

  1. As required by State Law, all chaperones who are municipal employees shall comply with the disclosure requirements established under the Conflict of Interest law and regulations of the Ethics Commission.

Emergency Provisions

  1. Trips are planned with careful consideration of student safety which includes, without limitation, an appropriate number of adult chaperones and confirmation that all chaperones have approved Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) checks on file with the Superintendent;
  2. Provisions are made for medical emergencies, including attending medical personnel, when necessary;
  3. Should an emergency situation occur, the supervising faculty member is responsible for notifying the Principal as soon as possible but no later than twenty-four (24) hours after the emergency situation occurs. The supervising faculty member is also responsible for notifying the parent/guardian/caregiver of record by telephone, text, or email once the emergency situation stabilizes but no later than twenty-four (24) hours after the emergency situation occurs

Conduct

  1. Students and parents are required to sign an MRSD Student Traveler & Family Agreement Form regarding student conduct while participating in an MRSD-sponsored field trip.
  2. Following an investigation that violates the Code of Conduct, if Coordinator, in consult with the Principal and Central Office staff, determines that a student's conduct while on a field trip, poses a risk to themselves, or the safety of the group, or is no longer manageable by MRSD staff on the field trip, the district reserves the right to request, and make arrangements for that student to return home. 
  3. The district also reserves the right to request that families assume responsibility for all or a portion of the costs associated with their child's return.              
  4. Students may be subject to further disciplinary action and will be provided the opportunity to have a formal hearing at the school level upon return. The School Must document the Parent/Guardian’s consent to this policy prior to the trip.  

Access & Inclusion 

  1. Students with English Language Learner status, 504 Plans, and/or IEPs cannot be denied access to field trips due to their disability. 
  2.  It is the responsibility of the school to ensure that all accommodations normally provided to the student as indicated in their educational plans, are made available during field trips, including medication. 
  3. Participating students’ IEP or 504 Plan shall be available to any staff coordinating and/or participating in the field trip. 

Student Health

  1. In order to plan a field trip that is safe for every student, the following guidelines must be followed.  Safe and equal access must be provided for all students.  For all-day trips, the school nurse must be notified 4 weeks in advance of the trip.  Additional trained chaperones for behavior support or specialized transportation may be required. 
  2. If any student has medical or allergy needs, staff must consult with the school nurse regarding allergy management, daily and emergency medications, and, if applicable, to ensure that a staff member trained to administer the medication attends the field trip.
  3. In some circumstances, a physician’s recommendation may be necessary to ensure that it is safe for a particular student to attend a field trip. This is based on the distance or time for an emergency response, severity of a medical or mental health need, and risk to student’s safety.  Please consult with the school nurse if there are any concerns regarding the appropriateness of a particular trip for a student. 
  4. Emergency contact phone numbers must be brought on the trip.  If a student on the trip may require emergency administration of epinephrine, a trained staff member must accompany the student at all times. 

Right to search a student's belongings

  1. Consent will be sought to search students' belongings prior to leaving by an administrator or designee.

Transportation

  1. The use of vans or private automobiles for trips planned to include late-night or overnight student travel is prohibited. 
  2. All efforts will be made for Late-night trips to use commercial motor coaches for trips over 150 miles.
  3. Trips planned to include late-night or overnight student travel will include a pre-trip check of companies, drivers, and vehicles. CORI checks will be conducted in accordance with Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 71, section 38R. 
  4. The Superintendent or designee will ensure that the selected carrier is licensed for passenger transportation by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The district will not contract with any carrier that has a safety rating of “conditional” or “unsatisfactory”.
  5. FMCSA ratings are available at http://www.safersys.org/.
  6. The contract with the carrier will prohibit the use of subcontractors unless sufficient notice is given to the district that allows verification of the subcontractor’s qualifications.

Additional Resources
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) - http://www.fmcsa.gov
United Motorcoach Association Student Motorcoach Travel Safety Guide (includes “Motorcoach Safety Checklist) - http://www.uma.org/consumerhelp/studentguide.asp
Department of Defense’s approved list or motor carriers - http://www.mtmc.army.mil/content/504/approvedlist.pdf

Final Approval

Final approval will not be granted until all preparations for the trip have been completed including, but not limited to, all logistical details involving transportation, accommodation arrangements and fundraising efforts. 

Cross references: JJH-R - Student Travel Regulations; ADDA Background Checks

Legal references: Chapter 346 of the Acts of 2002 (et al) approved on October 9, 2002; M.G.L. 69:1B; 71:37N; 71:38R
603 CMR 27.00

Adopted: 3/27/2013

Revised: 5/12/2022; 4/11/2024; 11/7/2024

  • Section I: Instruction
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