Field Trip Policy
Permission slips will be sent home to parents a minimum of one week prior to the field trip. Times, activities and other details about the trip will be included on the field trip form. The mode of transportation will also be noted and parents’ signature denotes acceptance of the field trip details.
Buses, school administrators, and parent drivers constitute the means of transportation for field trips. Private volunteer drivers (transportation other than buses) and vehicles must meet the following requirements:
--The driver must be 21 years of age or older.
--The driver must be trained in Safe and Sacred/Protecting Children in the 21st Century.
--The driver must have a valid, non-probationary driver’s license with no physical disability which would impair the ability to drive safely.
--The vehicle must have a valid registration.
--The vehicle must be insured for minimum limits of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence.
--All children must be individually buckled into a child restraint age appropriate device during transport.
--No child shall sit directly in front of an air bag.
--The driver shall not partake in any activity that would jeopardize the safety of the children (E.G., TALKING ON A CELL PHONE WHILE DRIVING).
Permission must be given by the teacher for siblings to accompany parents acting as chaperones. Chaperones will remain with the whole group on the field trip for the duration of the event. They will leave together, not make unnecessary stops in-between time of arriving at the destination and return together with the group to St. Charles Borromeo School, unless other arrangements are explicitly stated and agreed to by the teacher and drivers.
All rules that apply at school for adults and children apply during the field trip (e.g. no smoking). All volunteer drivers must complete the Archdiocese Safe and Sacred requirements.
The ratio of children to chaperones should be stated. The general rule is that the younger the children, the greater the standard of care. For trips other than interscholastic athletics, supervision of one (1) adult per ten (10) students is recommended. This ratio should be lower for very young children.
All permission forms should be sent to the sponsoring teacher where they will be checked for authenticity. A student who does not have a permission slip on file will not be allowed to go on the trip. A phone call from a parent will not be accepted in place of the signed form.
In summary, Indiana law states that children are required to ride properly restrained in a child restraint, which can include a belt positioning booster seat (not shoulder belt positioners) until they reach their eighth birthday. Children from at least 8 years old until their 16th birthday are required to ride properly restrained in a child system or seat belt in a seated position in all vehicles. Exemptions to this law are: school buses, taxicabs, ambulances, public passenger buses, motorcycles, and antique automobiles.
This law affects field trip transportation for children in grades three and below. The majority of school field trips are transported by parent volunteers. Teachers must make arrangements with parents and volunteer drivers in advance to ensure each child being transported has the proper child restraint.
Teachers will ensure that the school office has a contact number to reach the class on a field trip in case of emergency. For field trips at locations where first aid supplies would not be readily available, such as a park, a small first aid kit will be available in the office to take on the field trip. In the event of an emergency and a child needs to be transported back to school or to a hospital for care, the school office will be contacted immediately to notify the parent or guardian and make appropriate arrangements.
Only currently enrolled St Charles School students and home schooled students who are actively attending St. Charles Faith Formation and whose families are active St. Charles parishioners are allowed to attend school sponsored field trips and special activities.
Buses, school administrators, and parent drivers constitute the means of transportation for field trips. Private volunteer drivers (transportation other than buses) and vehicles must meet the following requirements:
--The driver must be 21 years of age or older.
--The driver must be trained in Safe and Sacred/Protecting Children in the 21st Century.
--The driver must have a valid, non-probationary driver’s license with no physical disability which would impair the ability to drive safely.
--The vehicle must have a valid registration.
--The vehicle must be insured for minimum limits of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence.
--All children must be individually buckled into a child restraint age appropriate device during transport.
--No child shall sit directly in front of an air bag.
--The driver shall not partake in any activity that would jeopardize the safety of the children (E.G., TALKING ON A CELL PHONE WHILE DRIVING).
Permission must be given by the teacher for siblings to accompany parents acting as chaperones. Chaperones will remain with the whole group on the field trip for the duration of the event. They will leave together, not make unnecessary stops in-between time of arriving at the destination and return together with the group to St. Charles Borromeo School, unless other arrangements are explicitly stated and agreed to by the teacher and drivers.
All rules that apply at school for adults and children apply during the field trip (e.g. no smoking). All volunteer drivers must complete the Archdiocese Safe and Sacred requirements.
The ratio of children to chaperones should be stated. The general rule is that the younger the children, the greater the standard of care. For trips other than interscholastic athletics, supervision of one (1) adult per ten (10) students is recommended. This ratio should be lower for very young children.
All permission forms should be sent to the sponsoring teacher where they will be checked for authenticity. A student who does not have a permission slip on file will not be allowed to go on the trip. A phone call from a parent will not be accepted in place of the signed form.
In summary, Indiana law states that children are required to ride properly restrained in a child restraint, which can include a belt positioning booster seat (not shoulder belt positioners) until they reach their eighth birthday. Children from at least 8 years old until their 16th birthday are required to ride properly restrained in a child system or seat belt in a seated position in all vehicles. Exemptions to this law are: school buses, taxicabs, ambulances, public passenger buses, motorcycles, and antique automobiles.
This law affects field trip transportation for children in grades three and below. The majority of school field trips are transported by parent volunteers. Teachers must make arrangements with parents and volunteer drivers in advance to ensure each child being transported has the proper child restraint.
Teachers will ensure that the school office has a contact number to reach the class on a field trip in case of emergency. For field trips at locations where first aid supplies would not be readily available, such as a park, a small first aid kit will be available in the office to take on the field trip. In the event of an emergency and a child needs to be transported back to school or to a hospital for care, the school office will be contacted immediately to notify the parent or guardian and make appropriate arrangements.
Only currently enrolled St Charles School students and home schooled students who are actively attending St. Charles Faith Formation and whose families are active St. Charles parishioners are allowed to attend school sponsored field trips and special activities.
