Field study trips that enhance the curriculum are scheduled by teachers throughout the year. Students who attend will be allowed to make up work from other classes. Each student must obtain her parents/guardians’ permission and inform her teachers of the classes that she will miss while attending a Field Study Trip.
The sponsoring teacher will notify the Attendance Secretary and faculty about the Field Study Trip and send a list of students that will attend.
The following guidelines exist for SJHS Field Study Trips:
- Field study trips are never scheduled the week prior to final exams or during final exams.
- No field study trips will be scheduled during the last week of any quarter or after May 1.
- Uniforms and dress code are usually required on all field trips.
- The transportation vehicle must be well supervised and the school’s rules of conduct apply.
- The principal must grant specific exceptions to dates/dress code
- In alignment with the ADLA Administrative Handbook, https://handbook.la-archdiocese.org/chapter-12/section-12-3/topic-12-3-1 field study trips that do not follow all guidelines may be canceled.
- Prior permission of the principal.
- Preparation, follow-up, and specific educational goals.
- Signed and dated Student and Youth Activity Form and Medical Authorization and Permission Form.
- All permission and authorization forms must be in possession of the supervising adult during the trip.
- All participants should have appropriate identification and travel documents.
- All archdiocesan safe environment policies must be followed, including background checks for vendors providing the trips.
- State law requires that a first-aid kit and student emergency information be immediately available to the adult supervising the trip. The supervising adult must also be in possession of a cell phone and any necessary student medication.
- All contracts with transportation vendors must be submitted to the archdiocesan legal department for review prior to signature.
Other Field Trips
Field trips are also scheduled by clubs / organizations / Christian service. Participation in club field trips is a privilege and students who are on any type of probation may not attend. The same ADLA and SJHS guidelines apply for Club Field Trips.
Multi-Day US and Foreign Travel
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.
Trips involving travel for multiple days, out of state or out of the country must be sponsored by authorized travel agencies, be of educational value, and have adequate SJHS supervision. All plans/proposals for travel excursions must first be presented to the Assistant Principal for Facilities and Operations, who will seek permission from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, Department of Catholic Schools. No advertising of trips, parent meetings, or travel agency agreements may take place prior to written approval from the DCS.
When seeking approval, faculty/staff must complete an Activity Proposal form, and attach all information from the sponsoring travel agency, including travel itinerary, proposed supervision staff, and all pertinent details. Trips with current students are limited to one trip per break period (Christmas, Easter, summer). Eligibility to attend SJHS-supervised trips is restricted to the following guidelines:
- Only currently enrolled students may attend student trips. For trips scheduled during the summer months, this policy applies to recently graduated seniors as well, who may only attend alumnae trips.
- For alumnae trips, currently enrolled students may not attend unless traveling with a legal parent/guardian.
- Legal parents/guardians of currently enrolled students attending the trip may also attend; siblings of students may only attend when parents/guardians are attending, regardless of the age of sibling.
- Current faculty/staff acting in a supervisory capacity must attend at the ratio of one supervising faculty/staff member per ten students.
- The spouse of supervising faculty/staff may attend as a paid member of the travel group, but may not act in a supervisory capacity. Please note, however, that supervising faculty/staff are working, and are therefore asked not to bring their own children.
- Current staff who are not supervising the trip may attend as paid member(s) of the travel group, and may bring a spouse and/or children.
- Students from other schools, public or private, may not attend.
- Faculty/staff supervising the trip are expected to adhere to Archdiocesan and SJHS Personnel Policies (i.e., boundaries, refraining from alcohol, etc.).
- All adults attending the trip are expected to honor Archdiocesan and SJHS Personnel Policies when in the presence of students.
- All adults attending the trip must be Virtus-trained and fingerprinted whether or not they are / acting in a supervisory capacity.
- A signed behavior contract is required for all minors, including those accompanied by a legal parent/guardian.
