Supervision
Students on school-sponsored trips, or field trips, are under the jurisdiction of the district and shall be subject to district and school rules and regulations.
The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that adequate supervision is provided on all school-sponsored trips, or field trips, and that there is an appropriate ratio of adults to students present on the trip. If the trip involves water activities, this ratio shall be revised as necessary.
Parent/Guardian Permission
Before a student can participate in a school-sponsored trip, or field trip, the teacher shall obtain parent/guardian permission for the trip. Whenever a trip involves water activities, the parent/guardian shall provide specific permission for his/her child to participate in the water activities. The district shall provide an alternative educational experience for students whose parents/guardians do not wish them to participate in a school-sponsored trip, or field trip.
All persons making a field trip or excursion shall be deemed to have waived all claims against the district or the State of California for injury, accident, illness, or death occurring during or by reason of the field trip or excursion. All adults, including parents/guardians of students, who accompany students on field trips or excursions, shall sign a statement waiving such claims.
All trips requiring transportation by private vehicle will conform to district protocol as indicated in AR 3541.1.
Safety Issues
While conducting a trip, the teacher, employee, or agent of the school shall have a school's first aid kit in his/her possession or immediately available. Whenever trips are conducted in areas known to be infested with poisonous snakes, the first aid kit taken on the trip shall contain medically accepted snakebite remedies and shall be accompanied by a teacher, employee or agent of the district who has completed a course in first aid, certified by the American Red Cross which emphasizes the treatment of snakebites.
1. If the Superintendent or designee receives threat level warnings from the Homeland Security Advisory System pertaining to the destination of a school-sponsored trip, or field trip, he/she shall implement precautions necessary to protect the safety of students and staff.
2. Lifeguards are required for all swimming activities. The owner of the pool shall provide a certificate of insurance, designating the district as an additional insured, for not less than $2,000,000 in liability coverage.
Chaperone supervisory responsibilities shall be determined by staff. All chaperones shall be informed of these supervisory responsibilities prior to the school-sponsored trip, or field trip.
The following procedures are to be followed in the planning, evaluation, and approval processes for each of the trip categories in Board Policy 6153.
General Regulations
1. The San Ramon Valley Unified School District Planning Guide is to be consulted in order to identify applicable planning needs and issues.
2. Itineraries are to be prepared and distributed to parents and administrators.
3. All school trips must begin and end at the school site, unless special permission has been granted, in advance, by Education Services.
4. Students must travel to and from the event on school provided or arranged transportation as outlined in AR 3541.1.
5. If the trip is within driving distance of the school (200 miles), parents may opt to have students be involved in the daytime activities only (no overnight stay). Parents/guardians will be responsible for transportation between the home and the trip destination/site.
6. Staff has the right and responsibility to make all decisions related to the trip, including behavioral expectations, eating arrangements, and other trip details.
7. Permission slips and medical forms for the trip must be obtained for each student participant.
8. Plans should be made for students requiring the administration of medication or other special needs such as life threatening conditions. In some instances, parents may be asked to accompany the student but are not required to attend.
9. A cell phone and first aid kit is to be available at all times.
10. All regular school and co-curricular/extra-curricular rules and procedures apply to all aspects of the trip.
11. Lists of special equipment, clothes, or supplies needed by the participants are to be distributed to parents, in advance, with required approval pages and itinerary.
12. A copy of the approved school trip request form, student roster, chaperone list and itinerary shall be sent to the transportation department.
13. Funding Determination: Sources of funding must be identified in the proposal. The principal is responsible for approval of all funding sources including, but not limited to, ASB funds, student and/or community raised funds. See School Trip Matrix.
14. Supervision Requirements: All trips may be supervised by a minimum of one certificated employee of SRVUSD and one additional chaperone. The number of coaches/advisors/chaperones shall be determined according to the complexity and type of activity, with a minimum of two school staff or school staff with parent support, and a minimum of one adult (age 25 or older) for every 10 students. The staff member in charge has the primary responsibility for all aspects of the trip. Staff and other supervisors are responsible for supervision from the time the group leaves until they return. Duties and responsibilities of the supervisors or chaperones are to be determined and communicated in advance. As the activity risks increase so does the number of supervisors. Supervisors are to be informed of the duties and expectations prior to departure on the trip. Same sex supervisors (e.g., all female student group requires a female supervisor/chaperone) must be assigned to the trip.
15. All drivers must verify a safe driving record by following the procedures outlined by AR 3541.1.
16. All overnight chaperones must be fingerprinted following the process outlined on the volunteer clearance link on the district's website. Overnight chaperones shall be informed that their full criminal report will be disclosed to the district administrator or designee(s) and will be kept confidential.
Notes
1. Timeline requirements may be waived, upon approval, by the superintendent or designee, when unpredictable circumstances dictate such exceptions. An example would be when students unexpectedly win a local competition and qualify for regional or national competition the following week.
2. No student will be denied participation based on lack of funding. The planning for school-sponsored trips) should include arrangements to provide any necessary financial support.
3. Parent/guardian chaperones, if providing supervision, on school-sponsored trips, or field trips, are not permitted to bring along siblings of trip attendees or any other children.
4. Students may not drive themselves or other students on school-sponsored trips, or field trips, as outlined in AR 3541.1.
5. Consideration will be given to the academic value, impact on instructional time and the number of school days missed due to school-sponsored trips, or field trips. Trips that involve excessive loss of instructional time may be denied approval.
School Sponsored Trips
The term "school sponsored trip", as used in this administrative regulation and Board Policy 6153 (a) - (b), shall have the same meaning as the term "school-sponsored activity" as that term is defined in Education Code 44808. The district also reserves all statutory immunities concerning "school sponsored activities", including but not limited to those that relate to "field trips or excursions" as that term is defined in Education Code 35330 et seq.
The term "field trip", as used as used in this administrative regulation and Board Policy 6153 (a) - (b), shall have the same meaning as the term "field trip or excursion" as that term is defined in Education Code section 35330 et seq.
Category 1 - Day Field Trips/Athletic Trips
1. Examples of Category: This trip category includes trips within a 200 mile radius of the district, such as Pumpkin Patch, Sacramento, Great America, and most high school athletics. This category may include either a school-sponsored trip or a field trip.
2. Approval Process: The planning, evaluation, and approval process is conducted at the site level. Proposals are to be submitted to the principal on a school trip request form. The educational value, as it relates to the specific course or grade, must be stated on the request.
3. Approval Timeline: All possible arrangements, approvals and plans shall be finalized a minimum of one month prior to the trip.
4. Administrative Responsibilities: The principal is responsible for overseeing the planning, evaluation, and approval process.
Category 2 - Extended Co-Curricular/Extra-Curricular Trips
1. Examples of Category: This trip category includes any overnight trip off the school campus such as Outdoor Ed, athletic contest in Los Angeles, and Disneyland Trips, or a day trip in excess of the 200 mile radius of the district. This category may include either a school-sponsored trip or a field trip.
2. Approval Process: The planning, evaluation, and approval process is first conducted at the site level. Proposals are to be submitted to the principal on a school trip request form. The educational value, as it relates to the specific course or grade, must be stated on the request. After site approval, the request shall be forwarded to Education Services for district approval.
3. Approval Timeline: All arrangements, approvals, and plans shall be finalized a minimum of two months prior to the trip for trips costing $500 or less per student, and three months in advance for trips exceeding $500 per student.
4. Administrative Responsibilities: The principal is responsible for overseeing the planning, evaluation, and approval process at the site, then forwarding the request to Education Services for review and final approval.
Category 3 - Out of State or Special Event Trips
1. Examples of Category: This category includes trips such as a track meet in Reno, Nevada or a Soccer Tournament in Oregon, Robotics in Atlanta or Music Performance at the Vancouver Olympics. This category may include either a school-sponsored trip or a field trip.
2. Approval Process: The planning, evaluation, and approval process is first conducted at the site level. Proposals are to be submitted to the principal on a field trip request form. The educational value, as it relates to the specific course or grade, must be stated on the request. Preliminary approval is the responsibility of the principal. The recommendation for approval is then forwarded to Education Services who will review, and if approved, forward to the Board of Education for final approval.
3. Approval Timeline: After preliminary approval by the site and Education Services, all arrangements, approvals and plans may be finalized and submitted to the Board no later than four months prior to the field trip for out of state and five months prior to the trip for trips out of the U.S.
4. Administrative Responsibilities: The principal is responsible for overseeing the planning, evaluation, budgeting, and preliminary approval process, then forwarding the request to Education Services and the Board for final approval.
Non-School Sponsored (Private) Trips
These are independent trips organized by school district staff and/or involve school district students but are not approved or sponsored by San Ramon Valley Unified School District. Such trips are not funded by the school district, are not related to course grades or credit, and are not subject to normal school rules and requirements.
The principal must be informed, early in the process of planning, about the trip and which students are involved. This is to ensure that the principal can monitor the limitation and requirements that follow:
1. Parents/guardians and students are to be clearly informed, in writing, that the trip is not school sponsored, that the school district is not responsible for any costs of the trip, that the school district is not legally liable for any claim or injury arising out of, related to or incurred during the trip, and that school rules and requirements do not apply. A district pre-approved form letter to parents/guardian and students, which details these limitations and requirements, must be sent to parents and students and then signed and returned by the parent/guardian and the student (if student will be 18 years or older at the time of the trip and/or is conserved). The signed forms shall be kept on file in the school office. Copies of the pre-approved form letter are available through the district office.
2. The school district's name may not be used in promotion of the trip.
3. Staff members may not take paid or instructional time to organize or conduct such trips. No fundraising may take place at school unless the facilities are rented.
4. No district communication sources, supplies, or equipment may be used by staff members in planning, promoting or conducting such trips unless advertisements are paid for and/or equipment has been rented.
5. School facilities may be used for planning or promotion of such trips only in accordance with district facility use policies pertaining to use by outside organizations.
6. Non-school trips may not take place during school hours.
SCHOOL TRIP MATRIX
PLEASE SEE DISTRICT OFFICE FOR SCHOOL TRIP MATRIX
cf. 5131 - Conduct
cf. 5131.1 - Bus Conduct
cf. 5144 - Discipline
cf. 5144.1 - Suspension and Expulsion/Due Process
cf. 3541.1 - Transportation for School-Related Trips
cf. 5143 - Insurance
cf. 0450 - Comprehensive Safety Plan
cf. 3516 - Emergencies and Disaster Preparedness Plan
cf. 3530 - Risk Management/Insurance
cf. 5141.7 - Sun Safety
cf. 5142 - Safety
Legal References:
EDUCATION CODE
35330 - Excursions and field trips
35331 - Provision for medical or hospital service for pupils (on field trips)
32041 - First Aide
32043 - Snakebites
Regulation SAN RAMON VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
approved: January 17, 1995 Danville, California
revised: March 17, 1998
revised: June 23, 2009
revised: August 27, 2009
revised: October 19, 2012
revised: June 24, 2014
revised: March 22, 2016