Field trips are of educational and cultural value directly related to the curriculum. A minimum of one field trip per year for each grade is scheduled. Each trip is carefully planned to include preparation, follow-up, and specific goals for the students. All field trips must comply with the following requirements:
- Prior permission of the principal.
- Signed and dated Student and Youth Activity Permission Forms and Emergency Medical Authorization from parents.
- All Permission and Authorization Forms must be in the possession of the supervising adult (teacher or coach) during the trip.
- Copies of the forms are also kept in the school office.
- All participants must have appropriate identification and travel documents.
- All archdiocesan policies on safe environment must be followed, including background checks for vendors providing the trips, as applicable.
- For trips outside the 100 mile radius of the school, guidelines must include consideration of the ability of parents to incur cost, the financial impact of the trip on other school fundraising activities and class work missed by students.
- State law requires that a first aid kit be immediately available to the supervising adult on all excursions and field trips.
- First aid kits must be carried in all vehicles transporting students to school sponsored activities.
- Student emergency information must be immediately available to the supervising adult.
- At least one adult chaperone shall be in possession of a cell phone.
- A snakebite kit must be included in any area where there may be poisonous snakes.
- The use of parent chaperones on field trips is at the discretion of the classroom teacher, in consultation with the school principal.
- The number of adult chaperones required varies for each field trip and for each grade level.
- All parent chaperones must have current Safeguard the Children status (i.e. updated Virtus certification and fingerprinting).
- The Room Parent helps the teacher to organize and coordinate chaperones, at the sole request of the classroom teacher.
- Parents who have met their previous year’s service hour requirement will be given primary consideration for accompanying their child’s class on a field trip. The final determination of parent chaperones will be made by the classroom teacher and the school principal. Transportation may be by school or chartered bus or van, personal car, boat, or airplane. School employees, including teachers and coaches, shall not drive students to or from athletic and co-curricular trips or events.
- Parent/guardian volunteers driving students in their own cars must be at least 25 years of age, have a clean driving record for the past three years, a valid Class C driver’s license and current, valid California automobile insurance with limits of at least $100,000/300,000.
- Each vehicle must have individual seat belts for each student. A copy of the parent/guardian’s driver’s license and insurance declaration page must be kept on file at the school.
