Board Policy 3465
Approval of Overnight Travel
1. Overnight travel for middle or elementary school students is not sponsored by the District.
2. Any student trip requiring overnight lodging must receive prior approval from the building principal, the superintendent/designee, and the Board of Trustees.
3. Overnight travel for in-state activities under the direction of the Idaho High School Activities Association or the Idaho Division of Career Technical Education may be submitted to the School Board as a group list on or before the regularly scheduled Board meeting in August.
4. All other overnight trip requests must be submitted at least one month prior to the proposed travel date.
5. Ensure transportation is provided by licensed, insured drivers or district-approved vendors.
6. Overnight trip requests must be in writing and include the following elements:
a. Identify the purpose of the trip and an outline of anticipated educational experiences and/or course of study to be followed.
b. Identify the names of students and chaperones attending the trip (if available when the request for approval is made to the School Board). The proposal must include the names and numbers of chaperones, including both male and female chaperones if the proposal is for a mixed group of students.
c. Identify and plan for any special medical needs of students and chaperones attending the trips.
d. Submit an itemized statement of costs, including transportation, meals, and accommodations.
No payments for travel may be made prior to receiving Board approval.
Trips should be primarily designed to further the education of the students, not to provide entertainment.
When possible, requests for trips shall be submitted to the Superintendent’s office no later than eight (8) weeks before the trip.
Trips should be scheduled as much as possible during non-school hours/days such as spring or summer break so that absences from other instructional programs are kept to a minimum. Students participating in the trip during school hours are permitted and expected to make up any schoolwork missed. The students’ absence shall be recorded as Activity Excused.
In developing the proposal for the extended trip, the trip organizer will perform the following duties.
1. Hold at least one (1) pre-trip meeting with students and parents/guardians.
2. Gather mandatory signed permission slips and liability waivers from students and parents/guardians.
3. Provide the superintendent, students, parents/guardian and chaperones with detailed written information about the trip and all activities.
4. Provide detailed information on the responsibilities and rules for the students and chaperones.
5. Discuss district policy regarding student conduct while on school-sponsored activities.
6. Establish a curfew and enforce strict compliance with this curfew. Chaperones will be required to perform periodic checks to ensure that students are following the curfew requirements.
7. Perform periodic checks to ensure strict compliance with all school rules and policies.
8. Refrain from using tobacco and consuming alcoholic beverages or drugs while on the extended trip.
Pre-Trip Meetings
Pre-trip meetings involving students and their parents, as appropriate, shall be scheduled to ensure that all plans are clearly understood. Pre-trip meetings shall not occur until approval from the Board has been received.
Chaperones
Trip chaperones must include at least one certified staff member from the school sponsoring the trip, and depending on the number of students involved, additional certified staff and/or parents/guardians of students going on the trip. Chaperones shall be selected by the trip teacher/advisor. Chaperones are under the supervision of the trip teacher/advisor.
A student will be permitted to stay in the same motel/hotel room with a chaperone only if the chaperone is the student’s parent or legal guardian. Students whose parents or legal guardians are not serving as chaperones will share rooms with same-sex students only.
Chaperones will agree to the following duties:
1. Supervise and be responsible for students during the entirety of the trip.
2. Ensure that students follow all legal and school requirements.
3. Establish a procedure for room checks and monitor compliance.
4. In all ways, model the behaviors expected of District students.
Chaperones must have a background check completed annually prior to travel. Any adult convicted of any sex or drug related offenses, or any other felony may not serve as a chaperone.
The safety, protection and supervision of District students are the sole purposes for adult chaperones accompanying District students on trips. Agreeing to serve as a chaperone is accompanied by an understanding that the established rules and policies will be followed.
The certified staff member serving as the trip organizer will carry a roster of students who are on the trip along with emergency information on each student.
Children who are not part of the group participating in the trip may not accompany their parents when they serve as chaperones.
All trips must be adequately supervised with a minimum of one (1) adult per ten (10) students. Groups with both male and female participants must have supervision of at least one (1) male and one (1) female adult.
Student Conduct
Students participating in the trip will be subject to all codes of conduct in District policy. Violations will result in appropriate disciplinary action.
Students and their parents/guardians are expected to be knowledgeable about the District’s policy on student conduct. Trips are considered an extension of the classroom, and all rules and policies pertaining to a school-sponsored activity must be followed.
1. Students and their parent/guardian will read and sign the code of conduct of the school. The code of conduct will be reviewed during the pre-trip meetings.
2. Students who violate any school policy during an extended trip may be disciplined, including, but not limited to, being sent home at the parent/guardian’s expense.
Permission
All students must return a permission slip for the trip, signed by a parent/guardian, before they will be allowed to participate in the trip.
Fundraising
Fundraising drives may be allowed to defray costs; however, all fundraisers must be pre-approved by the building principal and adhere to board policies 7235, 3420, 7260, and 3225F.
Cancellation of Trips
Cancellation of trips may occur due to weather, safety, world events or local school needs. Trips will be cancelled only under circumstances under which appropriate school authorities believe it is reasonably cautious and prudent to do so in order to ensure the safety of students and staff or to ensure the effective operation of the local school. In such cases, every effort will be made to provide as much advance notice as possible.
The District is not responsible for financial losses to students and parents due to cancellation of trips.
The authority to cancel trips rests with the Superintendent or the Superintendent’s designee.
Report of Trip Conclusion
Following the trip, the trip organizer shall prepare and present a summary and evaluation of the trip to the Superintendent and Building Principal.