6.2 SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS AND EXCURSIONS
The BVM School plans trips and activities routinely for its students. All excursions, whether day or overnight, must comply with the following requirements:
The excursion must be approved in advance by the person in charge or, if co-sponsored or sponsored by an outside entity, by the regional bishop's office or the Department of Catholic Schools, as applicable.
Traditional field trips for elementary school and high school classes must have specific educational goals for students.
On field trips, excursions, or activities with participants who are minors, the supervising adult must have in his or her possession a signed and dated Student and Youth Activity Permission Form (English version and Spanish version) for each minor.
All participants—adults and minors—must have appropriate identification and, as necessary, travel documents.
All chaperones and any vendors who both provide the trip and have contact with minors must follow archdiocesan safe environment policies, including VIRTUS (Protecting God’s Children or Keeping the Promise Alives sessions), fingerprinting requirements and background checks. No chaperone should ever be alone with a minor who is not his or her own child.
Vehicles used to transport participants must adhere to the rules on transportation for parishes and schools set forth in Transportation for Parishes and Schools.
The supervising adult on field trips, excursions, or activities involving minors must have immediate access to student emergency information.
At least one adult chaperone for field trips, excursions, or activities involving minors shall be in possession of a cell phone.
Chaperones driving minors should be at least 25 years old. Non-driving chaperones should be at least 21 years old.
Both male and female chaperones must supervise coed events.
The teacher or person in charge of the excursion has the right to choose which adult chaperones will attend the trip. Although we would love to take everyone on these field trips, the cost of tickets, room on the bus, and site limitations don't always allow us to say "yes" to everyone.
