Administrative
- Follow all board policies and procedures.
- Ensure that students with special needs are accommodated.
- On occasion, it may be appropriate to exclude a student(s). Determine the procedure/criteria for exclusion and publish it well in advance to all participants and parents.
- Establish a process for cancellation or postponement and refund of fees, in case of inclement weather or unexpected events.
- Where applicable, have students purchase cancellation insurance from the provider.
- For excursions outside the Province of Ontario but within Canada, the school will recommend independent medical insurance for travel purposes. On excursions outside of Canada, the school will require proof of independent medical insurance for travel purposes.
- If an accident occurs on a field trip, follow the board’s reporting procedures.
- Provide a list of participating students, the date and time of the trip in advance to all staff to facilitate their planning.
- There are risks for the health and safety of students on all field trips. Some trips, such as a visit to a local museum, may be considered low risk; others, such as downhill skiing, or foreign travel, are considered high-risk events. If you are uncertain about the risks involved, consult the management of the site of the proposed field trip, the superintendent of schools, OSBIE and another principal whose school has participated in the activity under consideration.
- Review the nature of the trip and any issues related to training, transportation, health, safety, special student needs, costs and fundraising.
- Visit the site. Teachers and/or the principal should visit the site (when practical) before the trip to determine learning activities, safety hazards and special requirements.
- Review in advance the list of participating students with the teacher supervisor.
- Where an activity is organized for students by an entity other than the school (e.g., proms or parties organized privately by parents) make it clear in as many media as possible that the activity is not school-sponsored. Do not allow use of any school identifiers, i.e., letterhead, logos, nor allow any of the organization to take place on school property nor through school/board electronic media
Academic
- A representative from the field trip site may visit the school to meet the students, assist with pre-trip learning activities and identify health and safety hazards.
- Educational outcomes for school activities and field trips must clearly state and support school goals and curriculum implementation. These educational outcomes need to be discussed with the students.
- Evaluate the trip and share results with students, staff, volunteers, the host at the field trip site and the school council.
- Pre- and post-trip assignments should be part of the field trip plan.
- The teacher supervisor should help students develop a set of field trip behaviour standards based on the school’s Code of Conduct.
Consider attending one or more field trips each year yourself.