Wheaton HS - Field Trip Guidelines and Procedures

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Deposit Slip
Carriers
Parent Financial Responsibility
Field Trip Accounting
Field Trip Sub Forms

Field Trip Guidelines and Procedures

Guidelines, procedures, and instructions for filling out forms
Forms - links to forms that need to be completed by trip sponsor, students/parents, and other Wheaton HS staff

Guidelines and Procedures

Field trips are to be taken as a support for Wheaton’s instructional program. Each activity is self-supporting and should be totally funded through monies collected from students or other sources. The following forms are necessary for a field trip. Each form is located in the financial office or on the Wheaton website. At the beginning of each month, a list of all field trips must be sent by Mr. Andrews to Dr. Garron, Community Superintendent.

Trip sponsor completes the WHS Proposal to Take a Field Trip form and submits to their resource teacher or department chair at least 6 weeks before the activity. See section below relating to the cost of field trips. (back to top)
Trip sponsor completes the WHS/ MCPS Bus Request for Field Trip form OR MCPS Form 560-31
1. Wheaton High School/MCPS Bus Request-Field Trip
  This form is completed by staff wanting to take a field trip. The completed form must be submitted to Mr. Lowndes at least 3 weeks prior to date of trip. MCPS transportation must have bus field trip ticket 10 days in advance. Upon approval by Mr. Lowndes, the staff member will receive a copy of approval, and Ms. Mullings, Financial Assistant, will type MCPS bus field trip ticket. After transportation receives field trip ticket, they will send back a copy of trip ticket for sponsor to give to bus driver the day of the trip.
2. MCPS Form 560-31 (Application To Participate In An Activity Away From School For Which MCPS Transportation Is Not Provided)
  This form should be completed by each teacher/sponsor organizing the field trip. Mr. Lowndes must sign this form before teacher/sponsor sends it home with students for parent/guardian’s signature. This form must accompany the Student Request to Participate in a Field Trip Away from School form. Sponsors should maintain this form for the entire school year as a student record.
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Students and parents complete the WHS Student Request to Participate in a Field Trip Away from School
This form is completed by students and signed by their parents or guardians. Once signed by the parent/guardian, the form should be signed by the teachers of the classes to be missed. Teachers/sponsors should maintain this form for the entire school year as a student record. To be used with 2a-WHS/MCPS Bus Request for FieldTrip. (back to top)
Parents complete MCPS form 555-6 (Parent Financial Responsibility)
No money may be collected from parents until form 555-6 has been returned to school. This form should be sent home with the Student Request to Participate in a Field Trip Away from School form or letter. To be used with 2a WHS/MCPS Bus Request for Field Trip. (back to top)
Trip sponsor completes the MCPS Form 280-41 (Field Trip Accounting)
This form is utilized if money is collected from students to fund the trip. It should be completed by the teacher/sponsor to record each student’s name, permission slip signed, amount paid, date paid and if cash or check. Teachers should indicate on this form students who were charged a reduced amount or allowed to participate at no charge. It is the teacher/sponsor's responsibility to determine if a student’s financial situation warrants no charge. The form should be completed and submitted to Mr. Andrews one day before the field trip occurs. (back to top)
Mr. Andrews completes the MCPS Form 215-1 (Field Trip Ticket)This form is used to secure MCPS school buses for field trips. Ms. Mullings will type and send to transportation. (back to top)
Financial office completes a contract with private bus (if applicable)

The cost of taking a private bus is usually over $300 per bus. If taking a private tour bus, make sure the contract is signed by Mr. Lowndes and submit a check request 3 days in advance to the financial office. The bus company must be on the approved passenger motor carriers list (back to top)
Field Trips out of the Washington metro area or outside the regular school hours also require the three forms below:
1. Trip sponsor must fill out MCPS Form 210-4 (Travel/Study Approval for Overnight and Extended Trips Out of the Washington Metropolitan Area)
  This form must be first signed by Mr. Lowndes and then submitted to the Community Superintendent at least 4 weeks prior to parent notification of the trip. No contracts can be signed and/or no money can be collected from students/parents for trips before the trip has been approved by SCO.
2. . (back to top)
3. Trip sponsor must fill out Emergency Plan for Overnight and Extended Trips Outside of the Washington Metropolitan Area
4. MCPS Form 555-6 (Parent Financial Responsibility)
  No money may be collected from parents until this form has been returned to school. (back to top)
More guidelines and procedures for field trips…
- Any Wheaton field trips planned after May 1, are to be approved by Wheaton’s Instructional Council. May 31, is the last day for field trips.
- Department resource/chair will submit approved request to the administrator in charge of field trips within 2 days of receipt of the form.
- The administrator in charge of field trips will return copies of the approval/disapproval to the teacher/sponsor(s) of the trip, the department resource/chair, and the business manager within two days of receipt of the request.
- The teacher/sponsor(s) of the field trip must compile an alphabetical list of students attending (with ID#) and with the times of the field trip. This list must be posted on Wheaton Private with a copy to: the attendance secretary, the cafeteria manager, and the main office secretaries, at least one week in advance of the trip. The department resource/chair is responsible for monitoring the posting of the list. The Field Trip will be canceled if posting is not done one week in advance of the trip.
- Teachers should mark students absent who are attending a field trip, and the attendance secretary will apply the appropriate code.
- Sponsor(s) of the field trip must submit a corrected list of students who actually attended the field trip to the attendance secretary immediately upon return to the school.
- Teachers who feel that a particular student(s) should not go on the field trip need to advise the trip sponsor no later than one week prior to the trip.
- A staff member or administrator must accompany and supervise each bus being taken. Names of the chaperones and students on each bus should be given to the administrator on the day of the trip.
If a student who paid to go on the field trip is unable to go, he/she should be reimbursed within one month. The teacher/sponsor must submit a check request to the financial assistant for processing. (back to top)

When calculating the cost of a field trip consider the following:
* The transportation cost of a MCPS school bus is charged at $36.00 per hour for the driver and $1.60 a mile for fuel. Always include one additional hour at $36.00 for the bus driver’s travel time to and from school. The cost is calculated on the orange MCPS Bus Request for Field Trip Form that Mr. Lowndes must approve. The cost of taking a private bus is usually over $300.00 per bus. You must use the commercial bus carriers on the approved MCPS Passenger Motor Carrier list. Public transportation is charged at the current rate.
* If a substitute teacher is required to cover classes, the cost of the substitute should be included as part of the cost of the field trip. If a substitute teacher is utilized, MCPS must be reimbursed for the cost of the substitute at $129 per day. Let the Financial Specialist know the name of the sub, the employee id and the date of coverage.
* In the event lunch is included in the trip, collect enough money from students to cover the cost of lunch and expenses.
* Lastly…..include the cost of the admission to the event.
Tips for bus drivers is not permitted and must not be included in the cost of a field trip.
** Teachers/sponsors must deposit cash and checks each day to the financial office** (back to top)