PACT Charter School

Original Creation Date: November 19, 2007
Last Approved By: PACT Charter School Board of Directors
Last Approved Date: October 5, 2023
Year Reviewed: 2023-2024

Guidelines for Extended Field trips:

Extended field trips are trips that involve one or more overnight stays. Extended field trips are optional for parents/students.

All students of PACT Charter School are expected to follow school policies (found in the PACT Family Handbook), including discipline, courtesy, and respect for others.

The following guidelines are intended to convey clear expectations for students, staff, and chaperones, in order to ensure everyone’s safety.

Model professional and respectful behavior on the trip at all times. This includes:

1. No excessive noise in the plane, hotel room, etc.
2. No physical aggression, verbal abuse, harassment (bullying) against any person.
3. No possessing weapons of any kind.
4. No insubordination - any student refusing to follow directions given by school staff and/or chaperones will be sent home.
5. No use of profanity, obscene gestures; no possession of unacceptable material, such as pornography.
6. No use of or possession of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, e-cigs, etc.
7. No males in female rooms or females in male rooms without chaperone supervision.
8. Curfews must be held and any violation (sneaking out) will not be tolerated.

Dress Code

Clothing will follow the 504 - Dress Code Policy. When swimwear is necessary, males may only wear swim trunks and females may only wear one-piece swimsuits. The staff responsible for the trip, have the authority to determine the appropriateness of swimwear.

Hotel Arrangements

1. Students, staff, and chaperones represent PACT Charter School at all times while on the trip. They will be held accountable if there is any vandalism or theft to the hotel room. The student and their parents would be responsible for any damage or loss to the hotel caused by the students' actions.
2. Room accommodations

1. Students and chaperones may not room with students of the opposite gender (unless it is their own child with no other students in the room)
2. Same-gender chaperones will be given a room key to be able to enter the room at their discretion.

Determining Groups and Group Expectations

1. 1. While the school will work to provide workable student groups, they do reserve the right to make the final determination of these groups.
   2. Students are expected to stay with their group at all times. Students should never, under any circumstances, go off alone or with anyone that they do not know.

   Students (9th grade and higher) may be allowed to go off in their groups together (without a chaperone), but must be sure they are in contact with their chaperone at designated times. One student in each group must keep a cell phone on in case they need to be reached by the chaperone.

Funding for Extended Field Trips

The organizers of the trip will come up with an estimated cost. Interested students will make a non-refundable deposit in advance of the trip to ensure there is enough interest. Students must pay for their cost of the field trip prior to the day of the trip. Student fees for extended field trip costs shall include expenses for adult chaperones.

Chaperones

There shall be a minimum of one chaperone for each group of 6-10 students traveling out-of-state, out-of-country, or participating in in-state activities where the group stays overnight.

Entertainment & Electronics

Students will be allowed to use their cell phones or other electronic devices on extended field trips. The staff organizer of the trip has the discretion to limit their use.

Videos/DVDs used for Secondary-only trips where a choice of activities is available must be rated “G” or “PG”. PG-13 is acceptable for Senior only trips. Videos/DVDs used for K-12 extended field trips must meet Elementary guidelines and be rated “G” or Approved

Medications

Emergency cards MUST be completed and on file for each student and kept by the responsible staff person during the entire trip. This includes a listing of any and all applicable health conditions and necessary medications, as outlined in the instructions on the Medication Permission Forms.

Termination of Privileges / Early Cancellation of Trip

Attendance at any PACT Charter School function is a privilege, not a right (regardless of who pays for it). While the termination of the trip due to disciplinary concerns is not desired, it may become necessary. The responsible staff member has full authority to make such a decision if they deem it necessary. (Note: Administration will be contacted prior to this decision being enforced.) All expenses associated with this early termination, including any transportation costs, will be the responsibility of the student and/or parent(s).

Any student who is determined to be a safety risk to the other students may have their trip canceled. This may include cancellation of the trip prior to departure. Any funds forfeited as a result of this cancellation are the responsibility of the student and their parent(s).

Policy Review Prior to the Trip

Administration or a designee will formally review this policy and any other policies mentioned herein with all participating staff, chaperones, and students prior to the first day of the extended field trip.

All staff and chaperones will formally acknowledge they have fully reviewed and will enforce this policy while on the extended field trip.

All students will formally acknowledge they have fully reviewed and will comply with this policy while on the extended field trip.