District Policies

C500 School Trips and Privately Sponsored Activities Involving School Corporation Employees and Students

School trips for instructional purposes only may be taken by classes when the appropriate arrangements are made by the classroom teacher with the school principal and prior approval from the principal is obtained. All trips that take more time than the defined instructional time for that class must have, in addition to the principal’s approval, prior approval from the Superintendent or his or her designee. Overnight or out-of-state trips require approval by the School Board at least thirty (30) calendar days prior to the scheduled trip. Administration shall ensure liability insurance is obtained for all school-sponsored trips.

School trips shall have appropriate supervision while on the trip and may be evaluated to the satisfaction of the principal after the trip is completed. School trips shall not use private automobiles for transportation unless previously approved by the Superintendent or principal. Pursuant to State law, school buses may be used if the trip originates from a place within the geographical limits of the Corporation and does not involve more than 200 miles of travel out of State.

No student may participate in any trip without the prior written permission of a parent or guardian. Students may be charged a reasonable cost for trips, but no student will be prevented from participating in trips solely because of a genuine inability to pay such costs. During the trip, all applicable Board policies apply; students shall be subject to applicable codes of student conduct, chaperones/volunteers shall be applicable Corporation policies, and employees shall be subject to applicable codes of conduct. If the student must leave the trip early for any reason, including but not limited to a violation of Board policy or code of student conduct, the parent or guardian shall be required to assume financial responsibility for any additional costs. A staff member shall not change a planned itinerary while the trip is in progress, except where necessary for the health, safety, or welfare of the students in his or her charge.

Students, employees, and chaperones/volunteers on all Corporation-sponsored trips remain under the supervision of this Board and are subject to the Corporation's policies, administrative guidelines, and student code of conduct. All chaperones/volunteers who are not Corporation employees must pass a background check prior to attending a Corporation-sponsored trip. An expanded criminal history check will be required for any chaperones/volunteers on overnight field trips.

The Board does not endorse, support, or assume liability in any way for any staff member, volunteer, or parent of the Mt. Vernon Community School Corporation who takes students on trips not approved by the principal, Superintendent, or Board.

Privately Sponsored Trips and Activities

Parents/guardians who agree to allow their child to participate in a trip or activity must be made aware, at the time of consent, if that activity is not sponsored, endorsed, or conducted by the Corporation.

A Corporation employee who promotes, organizes, or provides supervision for an activity involving any Corporation student that is not sponsored, endorsed, or conducted as a Corporation activity, shall not engage in any of the following activities:

Making any public reference to the trip or activity on Corporation property;

posting “call-out” signs or advertisements on Corporation property;

announcing “call-out” or organizational meetings over a Corporation’s public announcement system or in a classroom;

recruiting students to attend the trip or activity, or any associated meeting or activity, during the school day; or

holding meetings associated with the trip or activity on Corporation property.

This list is not exhaustive. A Corporation employee who promotes, organizes, or provides supervision for an activity involving any Corporation student that is not sponsored, endorsed, or conducted as a Corporation activity, shall make all reasonable efforts to ensure that the privately-sponsored trip or activity does not interfere with Corporation property or the instructional day.

A Corporation employee who promotes, organizes, or supervises an activity involving any Corporation student that is not sponsored, endorsed, or conducted as a Corporation activity, shall notify the student and student's parent/guardian in writing at the time that student participation is sought that:

The activity/trip is not Corporation or Corporation sponsored, endorsed, or supervised.

The name[s] and address of the sponsors of the activity.

Funds paid are not received or accounted for by the Corporation.

The Corporation can play no role in mediating or resolving disputes concerning funds or activities.

The Corporation is not responsible for any losses or injuries.

Corporation disciplinary rules, policies, codes of conduct, and due process procedures are not applicable at any time during the trip or activity.

Participation will not result in academic credit.

The student will be appropriately penalized for missing any instructional time.

Corporation employees seeking student participation in an activity that is not Corporation-sponsored shall provide this information in writing directly to the parent/guardian of each student participant before the activity commences and before any payment is accepted, and obtain a signed and dated written acknowledgment of receipt from the parent/guardian of each student participant.

The acknowledgment of receipt shall be maintained by the employee for two years (2) years after the activity, and shall be provided to the Superintendent or a designee upon request.

The Superintendent is authorized to promulgate administrative guidelines and forms to assist Corporation employees in complying with this Policy.