Field Trips MUST be of educational or of cultural value and directly related to the curriculum and/or mission of the school.  The field trip policies listed below apply to class trips, school group trips (Decathlon, CJSF, etc.) and trips for school sport teams.  The school may plan field trips for one or more days, including overnight field trips.  The school may decide not to offer overnight field trips.  All field trips, whether day or overnight, must comply with the following requirements:

• Teachers must obtain written prior permission for all trips from the Principal and are responsible for the preparation, follow-up activities, and specific educational/learning goals.
• Parents must submit all original, completed, signed and dated 'Student and Youth Activity Permission Forms' and Emergency Medical Authorizations for their child before the day of the trip.  A separate note cannot be used instead of the original forms.  Children will not be allowed to attend a trip unless completed forms are submitted. 
  
• All Permission and Authorization Forms must be in the possession of the supervising adult during the trip, with copies of all emergency contacts left in the school office.  
• All participants should 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.
• Transportation may be by chartered bus or van, boat, or airplane ONLY for field trips, class trips, school group trips (Decathlon, CJSF, etc.). 
  
• School and parish staff (including teachers, school support staff, religious education instructors, and coaches) may NOT use their personal motor vehicle to drive minors to and from athletic, youth, and other trips or events.   
• School may use buses or vans with valid California state-approved licenses or charters. Verification may be obtained on the state Public Utilities website at http://www.CPUC.ca.gov.  In addition, schools must verify insurance coverage of the transportation company.
• Parents are responsible for ensuring the transportation of their child/children to all off-site school events (e.g. athletics, Decathlon) which occur outside regular school hours.
• School and parish staff and volunteers may not be alone in a vehicle with a single minor who is not their own child.  ​
• All contracts with bus companies or other transportation vendors must be submitted to the Archdiocesan Legal Department for review prior to signature.
• 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.

Chaperones

Volunteer parent/guardian chaperones are a vital part of the supervision of children during field trips and are required to work closely with and follow the directions of the teacher.  Teachers arrange the appropriate ratio of one chaperone to ten children for each trip, and invite chaperones in advance of any trip to sign up for trips/events.  In the event that not enough parents are available, room parents may be asked to chaperone.  The chaperones must be 25 years of age or older. Chaperones must carry a cell phone on the trip and submit the number as a contact to the school office and teachers.  

All chaperones must:

• complete the VIRTUS “Protecting God's Children" and the “Keeping the Promise Alive" training classes as necessary, and submit the certificate to the school office.
• have live scan​ fingerprint clearance through the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, 
• have signed the “Guidelines for Adults Interacting with Minors at Parish or Parish School Activities or Events" and submitted this to the office 

Parents may be credited for a maximum of six service hours per trip as chaperones.  Teachers may not assign children to a parent who attends a trip with any siblings or other children.  This disqualifies the parent as a chaperone and service hours.  Parents are welcome to attend trips to public venues separately but are not considered as chaperones and are responsible for their own travel arrangements and any expenses that may be incurred.  For some trips, special arrangements are made for the students, which includes teachers and official chaperones only.  Parents must not assume eligibility for service hours simply by being present on a trip. 

Funding and Budgets for Field Trips

 Parents are expected to fund all field trips. When planning trips teachers must budget for entrance fees and transportation costs and know the total expected cost per child.  Teachers must consider the ability of parents to incur costs, the financial impact of the trip on other fundraising activities and class work missed by the students.  Parents are responsible for the field trip fees, even if a child does not attend.  This is necessary as reservations and costs are budgeted and paid in advance of the trip.  

Further details are available at: http://handbook.la-archdiocese.org/chapter-12/section-12-3​