FROM: Jean Lubke, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction

615 7th Street SW Rochester, Minnesota 55902-2052 Office of Curriculum and Instruction 507-328-4301 / FAX 507-328-4205

September 9, 2013

TO: Instructional Staff

SUBJECT: Field Trips

This year, the policies and procedures regarding field trips have been updated to clarify the types of trips and to ensure appropriate legal requirements for each. Please review the new field trip types and requirements and use the appropriate new form in requesting approvals for field trips. The new procedures, documents, and forms can all be found on the Curriculum and Instruction webpage under “Field Trips.”

Several field trips are scheduled as part of planned, curriculum-related activities. Please find attached the list of curriculum-related field trips (Type A1) which will be approved and funded through the Office of Curriculum and Instruction. As you plan field trips, please consider the following:

. Plan your field trips carefully. Take a thoughtful look at the school calendar and plan your field trips to be spread throughout the year. If possible, avoid the last few days of a quarter or semester. Plan ahead as sometimes at the end of the year trips cannot be scheduled because buses are not available.

. Buses will be scheduled after 9:15 a.m. and will return to your school by 2:10 p.m. This is necessary to accommodate the daily school bus routes before and after school.

 It is a good idea to review school bus safety expectations with students in all grades before taking field trips - especially the emergency evacuation information.  Have students ready to leave your school on time. Getting started on time will help keep your trip on schedule.  Please stick to your scheduled return time. Verify the return boarding time with the driver at the beginning of the trip. Late field trips can cause regular home routes to be late and this can cause many problems.

. Teachers are responsible for student discipline required during field trips, including the bus ride and during the activity. Please follow the District's discipline policy while on field trips.

Thank you for your continued support of curriculum-related field trips and school bus safety.