MJUSD
DIVISION 6000
INSTRUCTION
ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION

SCHOOL-SPONSORED OVERNIGHT TRIPS AR 6153.2(a)

Occasionally, athletic or academic trips may require overnight travel. Some of these overnight trips are unavoidably requested with short notice due to team or individual advancement in athletic or academic competition. In these instances when the Board will not have the opportunity to meet and review the request prior to the date of travel, the request may be approved by the Superintendent. All other trips involving out-of-state or overnight travel shall require the prior approval of the Board.

Principals shall ensure that teachers develop plans that provide for the safety of students and their proper supervision by certificated staff on all school-sponsored trips. Other school employees and parents or guardians also may participate in this supervision and may be asked to attend preparatory training sessions and/or meetings.

Thorough planning is essential to ensure a safe, trouble-free trip. The following steps must be completed prior to the beginning of the trip. All of the required documentation must be completed and submitted to the Board of Trustees for approval a minimum of forty-five (45) days prior to the departure date.

1. A site administrator or designee must travel with the group, and there must be no more than an eight to one ratio of students to chaperones. All chaperones must either be employees of the District or on the list of Board approved volunteers. The name of the site administrator and the names of the chaperones must be included in the documentation provided to the Board.
2. A detailed itinerary for the trip must be included in the documentation.
3. Prior to the trip, a parent/student meeting must be held. The date, time and agenda for this meeting must be included in the documentation provided to the Board. At this meeting, the following must be included in the agenda:
1. the site administrator traveling with the group will be introduced and the chaperones will be identified;
2. the itinerary must be discussed;
3. the same standards for student behavior and student dress that are in effect during the school day and at school activities will be in effect on the trip, and parents and students must be informed of the immediate consequences to any student who does not live up to these standards during the trip;
4. parents must be informed of our expectations of them if their student has violated those expectations; and
5. the parents must be informed as to how they can contact the group should a family emergency occur during the trip.
4. Prior to the trip, and in addition to the standard school permission slip, the parent and student must sign a document stating that they understand the student expectations and potential consequences.
5. Prior to the trip, the parent must sign a consent for medical treatment and provide emergency contact information.

All students must take district provided transportation to any district sponsored event. If the Board allocates funds for school-sponsored trips, individual schools may be provided with budgetary allocations so that they can plan ahead. Special trip expense funds may be established when necessary for fund-raising purposes. School-related organizations shall be fully responsible for the costs of any trips not identified as district funded.

Legal Reference:

Education Code
8760 Authorization of outdoor science and conservation programs

32040 Duty to equip school with first aid kit

32041 Field trips
32043 Snakebite kits on field trips
32044 Violations
35330 Excursions and field trips
35331 Provision for medical or hospital service for pupils (on field trips)

35332 Transportation by chartered airline
35350 Transportation of students
44808 Liability when pupils not on school property

48908 Duties of pupils; authority of teachers