Field Trip Requirements

POLICY:

NOCAC Staff will ensure that safety is the first priority on all field trips and outings away from the center. Field trips will extend the learning experiences teachers are providing in their classrooms. The children should be able to prepare, explore and participate with a concrete knowledge of the subject.

PROCEDURES:

1. Field trips will take place in the community where the center is located or where the families live.
2. Field trips can start after the first 30 days of school.
   1. Staff and children need time to get to know one another
   2. Staff need to know all the rules and names of those attending
   3. Staff need to know each individual child’s needs
3. If field trips are further than 10 miles away from the center, permission must be granted by the Education Manager.
   1. Consult the ECE Coach and Support Specialist for further guidance.
4. Each NOCAC Class can go on a maximum of one field trip per month.
   1. Each class must go on a minimum of one field trip and the kindergarten visit in a school year.
5. Once a field trip destination has been decided, NOCAC staff will complete a Field Trip Request form (also found on the Google Drive).
   1. Staff must complete the entire form before it is submitted
      1. This includes a list of the children, staff, and other adults attending.
   2. Staff will share the completed form at least 2 weeks prior to the field trip on the Google Drive with the Classroom Coach and Mentor (CCM).
   3. The Classroom Coach and Mentor (CCM) will approve the form and share it with the Center Manager and Transportation/Safety Specialist (TSS).
   4. The Transportation and Safety Specialist will review the request and notify staff when it has been approved.
6. Field trips will be relevant to the curriculum and reflective of the needs, interests and cultures of the children.
7. Supporting activities will be documented on the lesson plan for the corresponding week.
8. Contact the TSS if an additional bus is needed.
9. Private vehicles can only be used by parents or authorized people to transport their own children. No other Head Start/ECE child may ride in that private vehicle.
10. NOCAC Classroom staff must obtain written permission from the child’s parent/guardian before going on any field trip. The written permission slip must include:
    1. The child’s name
    2. The date and destination of the trip
    3. The departure and return time of the trip
    4. The signature of the parent
    5. The date on which permission was signed
    6. A statement notifying parents how their child will be transported.
11. Parents/guardians and volunteers will be encouraged to accompany the class on field trips. Staff will encourage a parent of a child with a Behavior Plan to attend the field trip.
12. Individual Behavior Plans will be followed.
13. Two NOCAC staff and one extra adult (Parent/Guardian or Volunteer) will accompany children on any field trip off the Center premises.
    1. A third staff member may be required for specific situations (i.e.- if a child has a Behavior Plan, a third staff is required)
14. Children are required to wear identification tags on all field trips which consist of:

1. 1. Center’s name
   2. Centers address
   3. Bus Cell phone number and the Center’s phone number.
      1. Sites with multiple cell phones need to add the cell phone number they are using for the trip.
   4. NOCAC Central Office phone number

15. A completed/up-to-date copy of the child’s JFS 01234 Child Enrollment and Health Information form will be on hand for each child on the field trip.
16. NOCAC Staff will carry a fully stocked First Aid Kit
17. NOCAC Staff will have a completed/up-to-date copy of JFS 01236 Child Medical/Physical Care Plan for any child who has a health condition which could require special procedures or precautions during the course of the trip.

1. 1. Staff will take the necessary supplies needed to provide such treatment.

18. Any field trip requiring food must be pre-approved by the Center Manager.
    1. The Center Manager will inform the cook of the request at least 2 weeks in advance.

Forms and Additional Guidance:

• Field Trip Request form
• Field Trip Request Form – SPANISH
• JFS 01234 Child Enrollment and Health Information
• JFS 01234 Child Enrollment and Health Information – SPANISH
• JFS 01236 Child Medical/Physical Care Plan