Don't+forget...

I'm not going to share the form that we send home because, frankly, I'm not going to be liable for you using it. We do send out permission slips for our overnight field trips. They include medical release forms. One thing I will tell you about these forms is that we do ask if a student is on medication. I am not certified to dispense medication to students. Students have to be able to give themselves their own medication. But I can remind a student to take it. You can Google permission slips for an idea of what to include. (That's what we did.)
 * Permission Slips: **

Share it with the parents. In general, I ask students not tweet or check-in on Facebook while we are at a particular location. No one needs to know where we are exactly. But, I do think it's fair to give parents a timeline of events. Along with the phone number of the hotel we are staying at. Students also should have a (digital) copy of the itinerary. They can put it on their phone or iPad. This may limit the number of times you're asked, "So, where are we going now?" and "Are we there yet?"
 * Itinerary: **

**Surveys:** I like to send out surveys to parents to see what they think about the trip. Here's a copy of one of our surveys:

 These are special field trip rules. They would be in addition to your regular school rules. 1. Cellphone policy: //"Students may bring cellphones (they’re good for calling home, in the unlikely event that someone is separated from the group, taking pictures, etc.). While your student may have their cellphone, we will only allow them to call/text in the morning or at night or while on the bus for safety reasons." // I wrote this one, but I'll still quote myself. Let me tell you a story: One summer we took students to Washington, DC. There was a student lagging behind because she was constantly texting her boyfriend (ALLEGEDLY). We were walking by a lot of fast moving traffic. I turned to see her walking and texting across the street. I took her phone away. That's dangerous! I'm not going to have a student hit by a car because they are texting and walking. And since I'm telling stories, here's another: One summer I accompanied a group of students to France. A student had a new iPhone in her pocket. It was PICK-POCKETED! We got the phone back and it's an amazing story now. But I'm not responsible for fancy phones that get broken or stolen. Here's something not related to safety: we don't want the phones at the table when we're eating. It's good to talk to one another. Because you're all on the same trip this will lead to some kind of discussion about the events of the trip. Reflection time! 2. Tip! Here's a learning moment you may not have thought about. A lot of these students have not been to a restaurant by themselves. So, they are paying for themselves for the first time. I've used this opportunity to teach students how to use the tip calculator (standard on most phones). I also make students tip in hotel rooms. ($1 per student in a room; if you're interested.) Additional rule, related to #2: Ordering in a restaurant. I've told students they cannot order hamburgers. We want them to try something new. Once I took students to a restaurant and they all ordered cheeseburgers. Really? I'm picking up the tab here.
 * Field Trip Rules: **

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">3. Ask permission before taking video or photographs of a tour guide.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">4. Remember: Respect, Responsibility, Results! <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">At all times, we are trying to reinforce these "3 R's." <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">We expect a student to be **respectful**. Including behavior, attitude, and dress. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">We expect a student to be **responsible**. Including following rules, staying with the group, and being on time for the bus. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">We expect a student be able to show **results**. Show me your work. Talk to me about the trip and what you've seen.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">**Expenses:** <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">__For the student__: I like to keep the cost at or below $100 for an overnight field trip. But that's an all-inclusive trip. It covers the cost of the hotel, entry fees, meals. We like to take everyone out for a nice meal in the evening. We've found it is easier in this situation to pay for this with one bill. It's nicer for the waitstaff too. We also give the students about $20 in cash. This is for lunch and snacks for two days. If they run out of money it's too bad. And it's happened. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">__For the school__: transportation. We submit proposals to the school to provide us with a bus and driver. They do it. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">__For the teacher__: free time. An overnight field trip will take your personal time.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">NO PARENTS. A parent can change the entire dynamic of the trip. Not only for their own student but all students. Students are different in front of their parents. It removes some of that independence from the student.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 130%;">Chaperones: **