Aldine I.S.D. Teacher Handbook - Aldine Independent School District

GUIDELINES AND REGULATIONS
GOVERNING FIELD TRIPS
1. Requests for field trips or athletic activities must be submitted to the Area Superintendent, Athletic Director,
Director of Performing Arts, Executive Director of Special Education or Director of Career and Technical
Education by the 5 th of the month prior to the month the trip is scheduled. Approved requests should then be
submitted to the field trip office by the 15 th of the month prior to the month of the field trip. This is Aldine
School Board Policy.
Do not send field trip forms directly to the Transportation department. Your Area Superintendent or
Executive Director/Director has to approve them before sending them to Transportation.
Late field trip requests must be walked through to your Area Superintendent or Executive Director/Director
and then to the Transportation department.
Field trip requests cannot be assured during regular route times which are 5:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. and
1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
All general field trips must return to their home school by 2:00 p.m. All special education field trips
must return by 1:30 p.m.
Calling to verify the field trip the week before is highly recommended.
2. At least one sponsor is required on each bus for all field trips; they must ride the bus to and from the
destination. No more than four parent chaperones are allowed on each bus. It is recommended that the
sponsor sit in the back of the bus to keep an eye on the students.
3. The sponsor must provide directions or a map for any destination outside of the Aldine district. Also, verify
intended route with driver before departure, this will ensure that there are no misunderstandings.
4. All field trip destinations must be within Harris County on a school day.
5. Sponsor must notify the field trip office about changes when a bus request is received with dates and/or times
TBA (to be announced). The TBA arrangements must be cleared up as soon as possible to prevent problems.
6. Please notify your teachers that if they request a bus to shuttle them to an event, they need to be ready when
the bus arrives. Example: soccer team needs to leave at 4:15 p.m.; they must be ready to leave at that time.
A different driver will pick them up so the location of the pick up needs to be verified.
7. Sponsor or sponsors are responsible for conduct and housekeeping on the bus. It should be the duty of
sponsors to inspect conditions of the bus (with the driver) before loading students. It is also the responsibility
of the sponsor to make an inspection after the trip is completed. Property damage to the bus by students while
on a trip must be reported to the transportation administration. The guilty party will be expected to pay for all
damages. The transportation department is not responsible for any items left on the bus by students, sponsors
or the sponsoring organization.
8. Large objects that cannot fit in the seats are not allowed. It is a federal law that aisles and all emergency exits
on buses are kept clear at all times.
9. A large bus can hold 60 elementary students, 50 middle or intermediate students, 45 high school students. On
a general field trip, the maximum number of parents per bus are 4.
10. Overnight field trips: All expenses will be paid by the sponsoring organization. No driver should be
expected to pay their own expenses for meals or lodging. All arrangements must be made prior to departure.
Meal money: Breakfast $12.00 – Lunch $12.00 – Dinner $12.00. If your trip begins at 6:00am or before the
sponsor must provide breakfast. The meal money must be given in cash to the driver. Drivers must be
provided with their own room or if they must share a room with another driver, they must have their own bed.
Drivers are not allowed to share a room with a sponsor, teacher or student.
Teacher Handbook 2012-2013 153