**IJOA - FIELD TRIPS AND EXCURSIONS** **Last Updated Date:** 04/29/2014 **Adoption Date:** 01/10/2006 Field trips are a valuable part of the school’s educational program. Field trips should be planned as an educational experience. They should be preceded by an orientation session and followed by a discussion and evaluation of the experience. 1.   Permission to take a class on a field trip should be secured from the principal prior to making arrangements for the field trip. 2.   Common carriers or school-owned transportation should be used for field trips. Except in unusual cases, all transportation expenses will be borne by the school district. 3.   Parental permission slips must be secured for any field trip involving transportation of students outside the school district. Parental permission forms are not needed for walking trips or bus trips within the school district. 4.   All field trips must be adequately supervised by the classroom teacher and parent or other adult assistants. 5.   Students on field trips represent their school and should understand that they remain under school supervision during the entire field trip. They should be made to understand the standards of personal conduct expected on a field trip. 6.   Teachers sponsoring the field trip must "sign out" at the school office immediately before the field trip begins; the teacher must "sign in" at the school office immediately after the bus returns to school. 7.   Upon request, the superintendent will make a report to the School Committee on the number and types of field trips which have been taken. #### Educational Travel Educational travel is differentiated from "field trips" on the basis that the travel entails one or more nights away from home. Approval of the School Committee is needed prior to any class or group undertaking "educational travel." Prior to starting any fund-raising activities, the class or group desiring to undertake "educational travel" shall submit a request through the principal and superintendent to the School Committee.