Administrative Procedure 6153 - Student Field Trips, Day, Overnight or Virtual

I. Purpose

To provide information to administrators, teachers, and staff for implementing the Prince George's County Board of Education “Board” or “Board of Education” policy for student field trip activities. These procedures delineate the process for field trip approval, student safety and supervision, chaperone requirements, transportation, and financial transactions.

II. Policy

The Board of Education recognizes field trips as an integral part of the instructional program. Field trips provide educational experiences that support, enhance, and extend classroom instruction and curriculum at all levels (Board Policy 6153).

III. Background

Student trips are classified as either a (1) day, (2) overnight, or (3) virtual. Guidelines for student field trips that involve foreign travel or international exchange programs are delineated in Administrative Procedure 6153.1.
Only the sponsoring teacher, approved chaperones, and students on the field trip roster may participate in a field trip. No other persons may travel with the group or participate in the trip to include family members, children, friends, etc.
School-sponsored field trips shall not be planned to occur in July or August. Exceptions shall be subject to approval by the Area Associate Superintendent.
1. Summer extended learning programs shall be governed by this policy in a modified manner and are exempt from the July/August restriction. The program coordinator is responsible for ensuring the completion of appropriate forms.
2. Student trips that are managed by central offices are subject to this administrative procedure.
3. The approval route for summer extended learning programs and student field trips managed by central offices is outlined in Section IV.E.
The PGCPS school calendar prohibits the scheduling of tests, meetings, workshops, trips or other special activities, such as the taking of student pictures or athletic events during or after the regular school day, on days of religious observance as indicated on the official school calendar.
Field trips using PGCPS transportation may not be approved during mandatory bus inspection dates as published by the Department of Transportation (October 25 - December 03, 2022 and February 28 through April 01, 2023).
The last day for field trips using PGCPS transportation is May 13, 2023.
The last day for field trips utilizing a private approved commercial vendor shall be permitted up to the last day of school for students.
Exceptions: The following types of programs or activities are not considered to be student field trips for purposes of this administrative procedure. However, parental notification and written consent are still required for students to participate in the program/event:
1. Participation in a continuing program or continuing activity which requires the student to be regularly absent from the school property for a specified portion of certain school days for the minimum of one grading period, or longer, and for which written parental permission had been obtained prior to the commencement of the continuing program activity. Examples include work-study programs, independent study programs, dual enrollment, vocational-technical training programs, peer and/or cross-age tutorial programs;
2. Board of Education authorized trips to include Camp Schmidt Outdoor Education Center, Hard Bargain Environmental Farm (Alice Ferguson), Camp Pecometh, Howard B. Owens Science Center, Junior Achievement Finance Park, or similar PGCPS-owned facilities;
3. Events that require student participation, including band and/or vocal performance assessments or adjudications and have been approved by the Chief Academic Officer and/or a designee;
4. Walk-a-thons, bike-a-thons or similar programs where the student's participation is affiliated with the public school and where the scheduled activity does not interfere with the regular school day. The sole purpose of the activity must be the raising of funds for a recognized charitable cause previously approved by the Principal;
5. Parades or marches scheduled as part of a school's annual homecoming; and
6. Off- campus commencement and/or promotion exercises and proms.

IV. Definitions

Chaperone is a PGCPS staff member or responsible adult volunteer who agrees to participate with the sponsoring teacher/supervisor for the field trip.
Central office field trip is managed by a PGCPS central office and participating students attend various schools.
Day trip is a field trip that does not extend beyond one instructional day and is overnight.
Field trip is any activity or excursion, with the exception of those activities listed above in section III.H., with students under sponsorship of the school and under the guidance and supervision of professional staff members.
Overnight trip is any field trip that requires an overnight stay/lodging for students. Overnight trips for the purposes of this administrative procedure refers to those trips within the continental United States.
Sponsoring Teacher/Supervisor is a professional member of the school or central office staff who is directly responsible for the planning of a trip.
For purposes of this administrative procedure, long-term substitutes and temporary staff may not be designated as the sponsoring teacher/supervisor, but may participate as field trip chaperones, as provided further below.
Travel/Destination Management Company is a business travel agency that manages an organization's travel requirements. The agency must be an approved PGCPS vendor.
Virtual field trip is an educational experience received at a school site via a digital format relative to academic studies.
Unsponsored trip is any other unauthorized trip organized by school system employees acting as private citizens outside of their employment;
1. It must be made clear to participants, including students and their parents/guardians, that the trip is not a school or PGCPS-sponsored activity and that any students and/or their parents/guardians who may attend, do so at their own risk. Participants are not provided liability coverage and indemnification by PGCPS and, in these cases, staff is not covered by workers' compensation.
2. Staff may not use any school or district resources including email and classrooms, for the purposes of advertising; and
3. It must be made clear through all promotional materials and meetings that the trip is not school/PGCPS-sponsored and that staff members are not participating as a part of their official duties.

V. Procedures

Considerations for Developing a Field Trip Proposal
1. By October 1, Principals are encouraged to request preliminary long-range field trip plans for the school year. Early identification and planning for meaningful experiences for student field trips is strongly recommended.
2. The objectives of the field trip must be specifically related to the instructional program or regularly scheduled extracurricular and co-curricular activity. Lesson plans addressing pre-and post-trip instructional activities must be provided. Trips utilized for the purpose of a student incentive or reward will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and should follow this administrative procedure.
3. Principals are responsible for monitoring the number of field trips taken by staff. Generally, a sponsoring teacher/supervisor may not sponsor more than one field trip per semester. However, a Principal may approve more trips that are related to specific curriculum and program requirements. The frequency of the trips may not negatively impact student participation in regularly scheduled instruction or educational programming at the school.
4. Student participation in field trips shall be voluntary, unless it is required as part of an instructional program, team performance or group membership. For performance assessments that are part of the instructional curricula and stated on the class syllabus, student participation is expected unless documentation is provided stating otherwise from a parent/guardian and/or school official.
5. Any student not participating on a field trip is expected to attend school. Alternative educational experiences shall be provided for those eligible students who do not participate in the trip.
6. Schools may not exclude students from participation in field trips due to the parent/guardian's inability to pay. Efforts must be made to permit maximum participation by interested and qualified students, and to notify parents/guardians that free and reduced lunch meal (FARMs) students will not be denied an opportunity to participate in the field trip due to economic circumstances.
7. Students may not be denied the opportunity to attend a field trip as a disciplinary consequence, unless the student has been suspended or expelled, as provided under the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.
  1. Attendance of a parent/guardian may be encouraged but is not required for a student to participate.
  2. The Student Intervention Team (SIT) and Student Support Team (SST) process under Administrative Procedure 5124 may be used to meet with the parent(s) in advance and document strategies to address concerns about the student's behavior and participation in the field trip.
8. All students regardless of disability must be provided an opportunity to participate in field trips.
9. Students participating on a field trip during school hours must be permitted to make up any school work missed and their absence from class for any approved field trip shall not be recorded as an absence from school.
10. If a staff member is coordinating an unsponsored trip, the Principal must meet with the teacher to ensure the following:
  1. It must be made clear to participants, including students and their parents/guardians, that the trip is not a school or PGCPS-sponsored activity and that any students and/or their parents/guardians who may attend, do so at their own risk. Participants are not provided liability coverage and indemnification by PGCPS and, in these cases, staff is not covered by workers' compensation.
  2. Staff may not use any school or district resources including email and classrooms, for the purposes of advertising; and
  3. It must be made clear through all promotional materials and meetings that the trip is not school/PGCPS-sponsored and that staff members are not participating as a part of their official duties.
Chaperone Requirements
Schools are responsible for ensuring a sufficient number of chaperones for trips as outlined in this administrative procedure.
1. PGCPS staff required as chaperones:
  1. At least one-half of the chaperones participating on a student field trip must be PGCPS staff;
  2. If a waiver is needed from this requirement, the principal must submit an alternative plan to address adequate coverage and submit it to the Instructional Director for approval.
2. Chaperone/student ratio for field trips:
  1. Early Childhood Centers, Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten – One (1) chaperone to every four (4) students;
  2. Elementary School – One (1) chaperone to every ten (10) students;
  3. Middle School – One (1) chaperone to every ten (10) students;
  4. High School – One (1) chaperone to every fifteen (15) students; and
  5. Overnight – One (1) chaperone to every five (5) students.
3. Chaperone Eligibility
  1. To serve as a chaperone, the following requirements, as outlined in Administrative Procedure 4216.6, Volunteer Services, must be met:
    1. ) Prospective volunteers (chaperones) must undergo a PGCPS fingerprint background check and child protective services clearance at least 15 business days before the field trip. In addition, they must complete the child abuse and SafeSchools volunteer orientation training at least seven business days in advance of the field trip.
    2. ) Using the PGCPS SMS SBC Register Manager database in Oracle, school staff must verify completion of requirements. With the implementation of this electronic process, schools no longer have to provide receipts or documentation of completion with field trip packets.
    3. ) Any parent/guardian who needs assistance covering the cost of a fingerprint background check, and whose child(ren) qualify for free and reduced priced meals, may request waiver of the background check fee by providing a copy of their eligibility letter from the PGCPS Department of Food and Nutrition Services to the Fingerprint Office.
    4. ) The prospective volunteer (chaperone) must review and adhere to provisions of Administrative Procedure 4218, Dating and Sexual Relationships Among Students and Employees, Independent Contractors, and Volunteers; and Administrative Procedure 4219, Inappropriate Relationships Among Students and Employees, Independent Contractors, and Volunteers.
    5. ) Chaperones are expected to complete all volunteer requirements.
    6. ) Chaperone orientation training must include information regarding appropriate conduct and boundaries between staff and chaperones. Adults must be vigilant and refrain from otherwise legal conduct, including the consumption of alcoholic beverages, while serving as chaperones on a student trip.
Field Trip Packet – Submission Requirements
1. The sponsoring teacher/supervisor is charged with preparing the packet for submission to the Principal. The following components are required for day and overnight field trip packet submission:
  1. Completed Field Trip Checklist (Attachment 1);
  2. Completed Field Trip Request Form (Attachment 2);
  3. Student permission slip provided to parents/guardians. A template with required language for all student field trip permission slips is provided (Attachment 3);
    All permission slips shall be retained in the school for a three years from the date of the trip. Schools may be directed to retain a copy of a permission slip for a longer period by the Office of Risk Management or Office of General Counsel, if needed, for an alleged injury or claim for damages arising from the field trip.
  4. Participating student contact information (Attachment 4) - Preliminary student contact information shall be submitted with the field trip packet. If changes occur, schools shall submit revised information to the Area Office no less than seven business days before the scheduled trip;
  5. Chaperone information form (Attachment 5) – The preliminary chaperone list shall be submitted with the field trip packet. If changes occur, schools shall submit the final chaperone list no less than seven business days before the scheduled field trip. Schools are responsible for receiving chaperone background information and maintaining documentation at the school site.
  6. Lesson plans for trips, except for competitions and performances;
  7. Transportation carrier information - This information shall include the PGCPS E-ticket or commercial bus carrier contract. As a reminder, Principals are not authorized to sign contracts. Schools may submit an unsigned copy of the transportation contract if it is pending review and signature by the Department of Purchasing and Supply Services.
  8. Once collected, the following documents shall be retained at the school for three years:
    1. ) Notification to School Nurse of Field Trip Checklist (Attachment 6) – Each field trip sponsor shall provide Attachment 6 to the school nurse indicating the date, time, place and length of the trip at least thirty (30) days in advance, or as soon as approval is received if less than 30 days. If a school does not have an assigned nurse, the school Principal or designee should contact the Office of School Health and request to speak with the nurse manager for their school.
    2. ) Parent Waiver for the Exclusion of Water-Related Activities (Attachment 7) - A parent waiver is required for each student attending a PGCPS approved field trip to an amusement park, beach or other locations where water activities are available. Students may not participate in or utilize splash parks, wave pools, or other contained bodies of water while on a field trip to an amusement park or other specified location. This form shall be issued to parents when applicable and retained at the school.
    3. ) Parent Fact Sheet for Medication at School (PMOF)
    4. ) Prescriber's Medication Order Form and Medication Administration Record (MAR)
    5. ) Virtual field trips – Packet Submission Requirements
      1. ) Completed Field Trip Checklist (Attachment 1);
      2. ) Completed Field Trip Request Form (Attachment 2);
      3. ) Student permission slip provided to parents/guardians. A template with required language for all student trip permission slips is provided (Attachment 3); and
      4. ) Lesson plan.
Additional Requirements Based on Type of Trip
In addition to meeting the requirements outlined above, the following additional requirements apply based on the type of trip.
1. Overnight Field Trips
  1. Every PGCPS employee attending an overnight field trip must complete a Nonlocal Travel Request Form (Administrative Procedure 4134 Attachment 1 - Non Local Travel Request Form.xls). The Nonlocal must be signed by the employee as the “Traveler Requestor” and approved by the Principal or appropriate supervisor.
  2. If the place of overnight lodging is a commercial enterprise charging a fee for overnight lodging, it must have a minimum rating of one “diamond” or better on the listing annually published by the American Automobile Association.
  3. The sponsoring teacher and chaperones supervising the overnight lodgings must be of the same gender as those being housed in the same room.
  4. Per Administrative Procedure 5183, Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Students, “students shall be granted access to housing facilities, restrooms and any other gender specific activity consistent with their gender identity.” (section F, pg 4-5)
  5. The sponsoring teacher must submit a room occupancy plan when submitting the field trip packet.
  6. No overnight student field trip may be scheduled beyond the Metropolitan Area of the District of Columbia unless a group accident/travel insurance policy is obtained by the sponsoring teacher/supervisor or the travel agency arranging for the student field trip. The insurance coverage must include all field trip participants, cover the anticipated student field trip period and be part of the prior stated per-pupil cost of the student trip.
2. Interscholastic Athletics
  1. The trip must be listed on the PGCPS approved master athletic schedule per Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) Regulations.
  2. Teams must travel via an approved mode of transportation as outlined in this administrative procedure or have students transported by their parent/legal guardian.
  3. Athletic trips must be approved by the Principal and the Coordinating Supervisor of Interscholastic Athletics or his/her designee prior to submission to the Area Instructional Director.
  4. Trips that fall under the following criteria must fill out field trip paperwork:
    1. ) Overnight trips;
    2. ) Trips that result in the team missing instructional time, unless the team is part of (1) a PGCPS League Athletic Event; or (2) MPSSAA Playoffs; or
    3. ) Events, such as competitions and tournaments, that are outside of the master athletic schedule per Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) Regulations.

Submission Timelines and Approval Routing:

Field trip packets are due according to the established time parameters below. Failure to adhere may result in the denial of the requested field trip. Field trip packets are not considered received until all documents are complete and in compliance with this procedure.
Field trip requests for day or virtual field trips must be submitted no less than 30 days prior to the trip. Overnight field trips must be submitted no less than 60 days prior to the trip.

If a school/central office is seeking permission to attend a field trip (day/virtual) within 30 days, the sponsoring teacher/supervisor must submit a statement explaining the unique circumstances that warrant applying an exception to the rule for good cause. Approvals under these circumstances will be granted on a very limited basis.

	Field trip packet is *due at least….*	Packet must be reviewed and approved by…
Virtual trips	No less than 30 days prior to the trip	Principal Instructional Director
Day trip - Student field trip that does not extend beyond one instructional day and is not overnight.	No less than 30 days prior to the trip (required)	Principal Instructional Director
Overnight trip - Student field trip that is overnight within the continental United States.	No less than 60 days prior to the trip	Principal Instructional Director Area Associate Superintendent Chief of School Support and Leadership
Central Office Field Trip - Student field trip that is managed by a PGCPS central office and participating students attend various schools	No less than 30 days prior to the trip (required)	Central Office Manager/Director Central Office Chief A copy of the trip shall be provided to the Principal of all participating students.
Summer School Trip	No less than 30 days prior to the trip (required)	Summer School Coordinator Chief Academic Officer

Notification of Approval - Area Offices will provide email notification to Principals and identified field trip sponsor regarding the approval/denial of field trip requests. School personnel seeking the approval status for field trips should contact the Principal or their designee prior to contacting the Area Instructional Director.
For field trips organized by central offices, the field trip sponsor shall provide a copy of the approved field trip to Principals of all participating students.

Transportation
1. Transportation shall be by an authorized public carrier. Arrangements for transportation for student field trips must be made by the local school. For guidance on requesting PGCPS transportation, please visit https://www.pgcps.org/offices/transportation/trip-guidelines. When a PGCPS bus is required, procedures established by the Department of Transportation shall be followed. If a bus with a lift is required, arrangements must be made in advance.
  1. Schools are strongly encouraged to use a PGCPS school bus for approved activities. If use of a PGCPS bus is not feasible due to the time of the event, distance to travel or other factors, a school may contract with an approved commercial carrier through the approved PGCPS purchasing process.
  2. However, schools may not authorize the use of Metro, Uber, Lyft or other ride-sharing services for student transportation to or from a field trip.
2. If a field trip destination is less than one mile from the school site, trip participants will be permitted to walk, with the contingency that arrangements are coordinated with the local police department for an escort. A statement to this effect must be included in the field trip packet for any requests that involve students walking.
3. If transportation is to be provided by a tour promoter or a travel agency, the Purchasing Department shall make a thorough investigation of the vendor's reliability and shall include in the approval packet documented evidence of the following:
  1. The firm's membership in trade associations, such as the Air Traffic Conference of America, International Air Transportation Association, or the American Society of Travel Agents;
  2. Contingent liability insurance coverage by the firm to ensure students of refunds if the promoter defaults;
  3. Confirmation of the firm's credit by the better Business Bureau of the Chamber of Commerce in the city where the vendor's office is located; and
  4. Direct correspondence from at least two schools or organizations which have used the firm's travel services and recommend it.
4. If the transportation cost per student is more than ($25.00), checks by parents should be made directly to the order of the school, unless a travel agency is handling the travel arrangements.
  1. If a travel agency is handling the travel arrangements, the school will notify parents in writing with the name of the travel agency, that the agency is handling all arrangements, and relative costs associated. Checks by parents should be made to the order of the travel agency.
  2. All written notifications to students and/or parents of the trip shall specifically include, in BOLD PRINT OR TYPE that in the event of cancellation, the Board of Education of Prince George's County shall assume no responsibility or liability for the failure of any travel agency or other source having assumed the responsibility of making travel arrangements, failing to issue refunds, in whole or in part, to the students originally anticipated to participate in the student trip.
5. Only students, teachers, supervisors and chaperones are authorized to ride on any transportation carrier used for field trips.
6. Parents of participating students may only transport their child to field trip event(s). Transporting other students is strictly prohibited.
7. Students with disabilities may not be prevented from attending field trips because of the need for specialized transportation.
Financial Arrangements: Trip Costs and Collection of Funds
1. No employee may derive any personal benefit or perk from contracted vendors. Any complimentary tickets or services shall be reported to the Principal or central office supervisor for equitable distribution.
2. No funds may be collected until the field trip has been fully approved by the Area Office.
3. Under no circumstances may a sponsoring teacher/supervisor accept a deposit of funds from more participants on a field trip than the sponsoring teacher/supervisor has space allocations on the carrier chosen to transport the participants on the field trip.
4. The price of any field trip shall be reasonable and restricted to the actual costs of the field trip.
5. All funds collected for the field trip must be deposited with the school financial secretary on a daily basis.
6. Any student having previously paid to participate on the field trip and unable to proceed on same, irrespective of cause, shall not be entitled to a refund of monies previously paid unless: a student “standby” is prepared to pay and go in his/her place; and (2) the sponsoring teacher/supervisor determines that the issuance of a refund will not cause an increased expense to the remaining student participants.
7. Only the Director of Purchasing and Supply Services may authorize and sign a contract with any tour operator, airline, railroad, or other transportation carrier, hotel, motel, or other place of lodging; Requests for contract review/approval should be emailed to Purchasi@pgcps.org.
8. If any student field trip (including transportation costs) is to be funded by Board of Education funds, in whole or in part, the trip shall be properly identified in the annual Budget of the Board of Education.
  1. The Principal shall be notified as early in the fiscal year as reasonable of the amount of budgeted funds available for such purposes.
  2. The original notification to students and parents of the field trip is to include notice of the fact that the student trip is funded, in whole, or in part, through budgeted funds of the Board of Education.
9. If any student field trip is to be funded by local school originating funds, in whole or in part, information to that effect must be included in the original notice to students and parents.
10. Solicitation for funds by individual students, chaperones or community supporters of the student field trip for the purpose of subsidizing the cost of any student field trip may only be conducted under the following circumstances:
  1. The sponsoring teacher/supervisor shall advise the Principal that solicitation of funds may be needed to help subsidize the student trip costs;
  2. The field trip is for students to participate in a recognized competition, tournament or performance convened by an international, national or regional sponsor or tournament committee;
  3. The sponsoring teacher/supervisor identifies the fundraising goal and the manner in which the solicitations are to take place; and
  4. Solicitations may not be through the means of raffles, lotteries or other similar games or opportunities of chance where prizes may be awarded as a result of the donation.
Prohibited and High Risk Activities
1. Prohibited Activities
  
  Due to the nature of the activity or potential liability for PGCPS, the following activities are not allowed for student field trips or school sponsored events:
  - Activities involving weapons, whether real, look alike or antique
  - Activities that suspend or elevate participants
  - Aircraft rides (other than commercial transportation)
  - Bike races
  - Bungee jumping, runs
  - Car bashing or similar activity
  - Car washes
  - Carnivals, circuses, or similar traveling shows
  - Caving or spelunking
  - Contact karate, boxing
  - Dodgeball
  - Extreme sporting events
  - Helicopter rides, landings on school property
  - Hot air balloon rides/exhibits
  - Hoverboards
  - Jet skiing
  - Jousting
  - Paintball and similar activities (not to include laser tag)
  - Mechanical amusement equipment
  - Mechanical bull riding
  - Motorcycling
  - Ocean sports (surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving)
  - Participation in events coordinated by private organizations in the community
  - Polar Bear Plunge and like events
  - Pool parties
  - Pyrotechnical events
  - Rock climbing, rappelling
  - Rodeo and roping events
  - Skateboarding
  - Skydiving (Indoor/Outdoor), parasailing
  - Snow caving
  - Student use of scaffolding and lifts (unless required to accommodate ADA students/visitors)
  - Use of beaches or other open bodies of water for the purposes of swimming and related water activities, except for the “Make A Splash” Program and other instructional programs requiring such
  - Trampolines, unless part of the Physical Education program
  - Tug of war
  - Water Skiing
2. High-Risk Activities: Further Review Required
  The activities listed below are considered high risk and require further review by the Risk Management Office prior to participation:
  - Adventure/Obstacle courses
  - All Inflatables, including moon bounces
  - Boating
  - Carnival Amusement Equipment/Games (e.g., ferris wheel, roller coaster)
  - Domestic pets, animal shows, training classes, obedience classes, or exhibits on school grounds
  - Dunk tanks
  - Ice skating
  - Roller Skating/Rollerblading
  - Snowboarding
  - Snow, cross country skiing, tubing
  - Therapeutic horseback riding/pony rides
  - Tobogganing
  - Use of school for overnight events
  - Velcro/ sticky or other climbing walls
  - Whitewater rafting and float trips
3. Field trips requests to amusement parks may be submitted with the strict stipulation that students will not engage or utilize water parks, splash parks, wave pools, or related contained bodies of water while at the parks. Additionally, pursuant to Board Policy 6153, field trips to amusement parks are only permitted where the amusement park has demonstrated that it offers an educational program that relates to the PGCPS instructional program.
  1. Schools are responsible for developing a plan that addresses specific actions that will be taken to limit access to these areas by students.
  2. A signed parent waiver (Attachment 7 - Parent Waiver Excluding Water-Related Activities) is required for each attending student.
  3. The Risk Management Office is available to provide additional guidance to staff who have questions about the activities listed in section A and B above or have questions about an activity not listed.
  4. Principals shall send to the Department of Purchasing and Supply Services all contracts, even if the contract is with an approved vendor. School system employees may not obligate PGCPS without prior review and approval by the Director of Purchasing and Supply Services. Failure to adhere to this requirement inappropriately increases the school system's or the employee's liability for any damages or injuries that may occur on the field trip.
4. Communication Between Staff, Chaperones and Students:
  1. PGCPS recognizes that staff may need to communicate with students during some field trips via phone and/or text messaging. Staff may not use personal, non-PGCPS accounts or devices - such as cell phones, tablets and computers - to text, email or otherwise communicate with students without a supervisor or manager's prior approval, or provide students with private cell phone numbers or email addresses.
  2. Instead, employees should use Class Dojo, Remind or another PGCPS-approved group application to communicate with students.
    
    For additional guidance, please refer to Administrative Procedure 4126, Employee Use of Social Media, and Administrative Procedure 4219, Inappropriate Interactions Among Students and Employees, Independent Contractors and Volunteers.
5. Student Searches On Field Trips
  1. In accordance with section 7-308 of the Education Article, Annotated Code of Maryland, student searches on field trips may only be conducted by a Principal, Assistant Principal, or teacher if there is reasonable belief the student has possession of an item which is a criminal offense or is in violation of another state law or Board policy or administrative procedure and a third person is present during a student search.
  2. In order to conduct a student search under this section, the Principal must provide training on how to conduct student searches and designate in writing the teacher(s) who are authorized to conduct student searches on the field trip.
  3. Following a student search, the Principal, Assistant Principal, or teacher shall contact an administrator and notify the student's parents to inform them of the search conducted and any follow up required.
6. Sponsoring Teacher/Supervisor Responsibilities
  1. Communicate with the cafeteria food service manager for adjustments that may be required with meals ordered for the day of the field trip;
  2. Share field trip information with colleagues and staff responsible for recording student attendance to ensure that students are accurately coded in SchoolMax. Students participating in field trips should not be marked absent;
  3. Furnish the Principal with a final list of scheduled student participants. At that time, the trip shall be deemed to be “closed” to any other students. If a participating student provides a cancellation notice within the (7) day period, another student on the standby list may be provided an opportunity to participate on the field trip if the requisite paperwork and payments (if any) have been submitted;
  4. Confirm receipt of all space allocations in writing prior to the scheduled departure date of the trip;
    
    Provide each chaperone with this administrative procedure, review expectations for supervising students, emergency procedures, the itinerary and activities planned on the trip. All chaperones must agree to remain on-site until all students have been picked up.
  5. Develop an alternative plan for notifying concerned parties (transportation, students, and chaperones) to deal with delayed openings and trip cancellations;
  6. Maintain possession of emergency information roster by bus number and provide a copy to the Principal. Information must include the name, address, home/cell, and work phone numbers of parents/guardians for each student involved in the trip. The sponsoring teacher shall maintain, in his/her possession throughout the duration of the trip, copies of permission slips including emergency medical treatment authorization and room occupancy plan, if applicable.
  7. Provide a complete list of participating chaperones and their contact information to the Area office no less than 7 days prior to the field trip;
  8. Conduct final consultation with the school nurse no less than 7 days prior to the trip to review medication administration instructions and safe storage of medication(s) on field trip;
  9. Collect medications from the school nurse (return at the end of the trip). Keep binder on hand during the field trip with copies of student medical forms. Complete documentation immediately following the administration of medication(s) or upon return of field trip;
  10. Review emergency procedures; e.g. an accident involving student(s), separation from the group, etc;
  11. Review expectations for responsible student/chaperone behavior, i.e. bus behavior, group and individual courtesy, following directions and the Student's Rights and Responsibilities Handbook;
  12. Maintain list of the home/cell telephone numbers of all of the local school administrators; and
  13. Ensure that all movies being shown on school field trips are in compliance with Administrative Procedure 6160, Copyright Guidelines.

VI. Monitoring and Compliance

At the beginning of each school year, Principals will share and review with staff expectations for student trips outlined in this administrative procedure;
Principals are responsible for monitoring the number and purpose of field trips taken by staff, as well as the sponsoring teacher/supervisor's adherence to these procedures.
Principals shall ensure that all chaperones have completed required training and screening prior to the field trip by accessing the PGCPS SMS SBC Register Manager database in Oracle.
Each school/office must maintain the following documents relative to a field trip for three years:
1. All student permission slips; and
2. Financial transaction including contracts or purchase orders.
Area Offices will provide notification to Principals and identified field trip sponsor regarding the approval/denial of field trip requests and review allegations regarding non-compliance with this procedure.

VII. Related Policies and Procedures

VIII. Legal References

Section 7-308 of the Education Article, Annotated Code of Maryland

IX. Maintenance and Update of This Procedure

This Administrative Procedure originates with the Chief of School Support and Leadership and will be updated as needed.

X. Cancellations and Supersedures

This Administrative Procedure cancels and supersedes Administrative Procedure 6153, dated August 15, 2022.

XI. Effective Date

April 25, 2023