6153

Instruction
Field Trips

The Board of Education recognizes the educational value of field trips, tours and excursions, when an adjunct to an approved program and designed to attain specific program objectives.. To the extent that budgetary resources permit, the Board encourages and sanctions student trips and other out-of-district school activities, including participation in community civic projects and international travel which are of value in helping achieve each participating student's educational objectives.

All field trips require administrative approval. Requests for overnight trips must be approved by the Superintendent or designee, with attention paid to the specific instructional objectives and the overall educational value of the trip. Requests for trips beyond a 300 mile radius for more than 3 days, and all foreign travel, must be approved by the Board. The written consent of the parent of
guardian of each student participating in field trips, excursions or travel is required. All Board policies and administrative regulations concerning students will be in effect for all approved field trips, excursions and travel experiences. 

Students may be asked to pay for all or part of their participation in any field trip or excursion sponsored by the school district. In no case will a student be excluded from participating in an educational trip which is part of the curriculum because of his/her inability to pay.

The school staff, under the direction of the administration, will take all reasonable and prudent steps to safeguard the physical and educational welfare of participating students. The administration may place restrictions upon student's participation when in the judgment of the certified staff student welfare requires it.

As a supplement to a particular course of instruction, staff members may conduct educational tours, within or without the school district, the State of Connecticut or the United States, for the students or employees, or both, of any school in the district. No student or employee may participate in such a tour unless s/he has an accident and health insurance coverage protecting against bodily injury, disability or death while participating in the tour. Each student participating in the tour must provide an Emergency Treatment waiver signed by the parent/ guardian to include emergency phone numbers and hospital insurance policy number and/or other data deemed necessary to implement this policy. School funds may not be used for any expenditures incurred on such a tour.

Policy adopted: April 11, 2000	HAMDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
	Hamden, Connecticut

6153(a)

Instruction
School-Sponsored Field Trips

1.Guidelines for School Sponsored Trips

A. Field Trips

• All field trips must be approved by the building Principal.
• In general, field trips should be limited to an interval not to exceed the length of a school day; travel time should not exceed time on site.
• Within the limits of budgetary provisions, the Board of Education will pay the required student fee. When full funding is not available, donations may be accepted and no student will be denied the opportunity to participate.
• All proposed field trips must have provisions for including students with disabilities or medical conditions. No student can be denied access to an educational opportunity; trips must be planned in accordance with state and federal equal access laws.
• Field trips may be conducted provided there is one()) teacher chaperon for the first fifteen ( 15) students and one (I) chaperon for each additional fifteen (I 5) students or part thereof.

B. Extracurricular Trips

1. Approvals:

• Building Principal - all extra-curricular trips
• Building Principal and Superintendent of Schools - all trips out of-state and/or overnight
• Building Principal, Superintendent of Schools and Board of Education - all trips beyond six hundred (600) miles and/or
• involving air travel
• All fund raising activities conducted to help finance such extracurricular trips must be in accordance with Board of Education policy for fundraising and must be approved by the site administrator and the Superintendent.
• (cf. 1325 and 1325a,b.)
• Overnight trips may be conducted provided there is one (1) teacher chaperon for the first ten (10) students, and one (1) chaperon for each additional ten (10) students or part thereof.

C. Trips/Exchanges

1. Approvals:

• Building Principal, Superintendent of Schools and Board of Education - trips beyond six hundred (600) miles; and/or international trips; and/or such trips/exchanges involving school time.
• All requests for trips outside the United States must be submitted to the building Principal, Superintendent of Schools, and the Board of Education at least four school months prior to the planned departure.
•  
• All costs must be borne by the participating students. Students are encouraged to obtain trip cancellation insurance. The school system will not provide funding for such trips.
•  
• Trips may be conducted provided there is one (1) chaperon for every ten (10) students. Additional chaperons must be provided for every additional ten (IO) students or portion thereof.
•  
• Teachers are encouraged to consider using host families and visit schools when planning international trips.
• All contracts must be approved by the Superintendent of Schools and the Board of Education.
• The teacher in charge of the proposed trip must register all international trips at the appropriate embassy or nearest consulate.
• Chaperons may not be representatives of a travel agency or other profit-making enterprise.

D. General Guidelines for All Trips

• Approval for all trips must be made on the approved school trip request form.
• All trips must be under the sponsorship and supervision of a teacher or administrator. 
• Trips involving overnight stays must be planned and approved by the Superintendent of Schools at least three (3) months in advance of the proposed trips. No announcement is to be made to any student before approval for the trip is given.
• A parent permission form-School Sponsored Trip (6153a-4) must be on file for every participant.
  • Blanket permission may be obtained for such activities as athletic trips, vocational, classroom trips, etc.
  • In individual cases where a student fails to submit a permission form, the principal may phone a parent/guardian to obtain permission.
• Extracurricular and trips/exchanges should be scheduled, whenever possible, to coincide with vacation and holidays so as not to interfere with the regular school program.
• All accident and injuries must be reported in accordance with established guidelines. 
• The Board of Education or the Superintendent of Schools reserves the right to cancel a trip for any reason whatsoever.

Regulation approved: April 11, 2000	HAMDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
	Hamden, Connecticut

6153
Form (A)

HAMDEN BOARD OF EDUCATION
SCHOOL SPONSORED TRIP REQUEST

 

6153
Form (B)

HAMDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Hamden, CT

PERMISSION FORM- DAY TRIPS

6153
Form (C)

HAMDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Hamden, CT

SCHOOL BUS APPLICATION EDUCATION TRIPS (SUBMIT IN TRIPLICATE)

6153
Form (D)

HAMDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Hamden, Connecticut
TEACHER/CHAPERONE LIST

6153
Form (E)

HAMDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Hamden, Connecticut
STUDENT LIST

6153
Form (F)

HAMDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Hamden, Connecticut
PERMISSION FORM - DAY TRIPS