St. George’s Episcopal Church, Arlington, Virginia

A Diocese of Virginia parish serving God in Arlington, Virginia, since 1908; on the net since 1998
Our mission: to make God known.

Field Trips

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Field Trip Guidelines 
for St. George’s Youth Groups

Go right to the forms

Introduction 

St. George’s church, in an effort to build community and to make God known, often sponsors field trips for our children and youth. Our Junior EYC and Senior EYC groups frequently leave the premises to go bowling, hiking, or to attend conferences. Occasionally, a church school class will leave the property to visit the cathedral or a museum. Up to this time, St. George’s has not developed written guidelines for field trips. However, we believe that the growth of our parish and the expectations of parents and church leaders now demand the development of written guidelines in order to:

  • Ensure the safety of our children and youth while not unduly limiting field trips

  • Reassure parents and guardians that St. George’s exerts due diligence in safeguarding their children and youth

  • Set clear expectations for youth group leaders, church school teachers, and other field trip sponsors

  • Limit the liability of our church organization, our clergy and vestry.

Definitions 

The following terms are used in the St. George’s field trip guidelines:

Field trip

 A church-sponsored activity for children and/or youth that takes place away from or off the premises of St. George’s church property but within the local DC metropolitan area; for example, the Jr. EYC going bowling or a church school class visiting the national cathedral.

Extended field trip

 A field trip where the distance traveled is 100 miles or greater each way or where an overnight stay is included; additional requirements are imposed on such trips including:

  • Plans for the extended field trip must be approved by the vestry member responsible for children/youth before the field trip is announced.

  • Sponsors must ensure that chaperones and drivers are briefed on child abuse prevention guidelines before departing on the trip.

  • Where extended field trip participants include children and/or youth of both genders, chaperones must include both genders as well.

  • For extended field trips that include an overnight stay, separate sleeping accommodations must be provided for both genders.

Sponsor

 Adult leader planning and participating in the field trip and responsible for adherence to field trip guidelines; all sponsors are required to have completed child abuse prevention training and to have read and signed St. George’s child abuse prevention guidelines before serving as a field trip sponsor; sponsors may also serve as drivers and/or chaperones. When the actual field trip route or activity varies from the previously published plan (e.g., bad weather encountered on a hiking trip or an attraction is closed), the sponsor must attempt to contact parents and/or the vestry member responsible for children and youth to inform them of the change in plans.

Chaperone

 Adult 21 years of age or older accompanying the group to provide leadership and supervision; chaperones may also serve as drivers and/or sponsors. Field trips, regardless of the number of participants, shall include at least two adult chaperones. If necessary, additional chaperones shall accompany the group so that adequate supervision can be ensured.

Driver

 Adult preferably 25 years of age or older providing transportation for the group; all drivers are required to possess a valid driver’s license, adequate auto insurance, and must be approved by the field trip sponsor; drivers may also serve as chaperones and/or sponsors.

Church-sponsored

 Any gathering under the auspices of St. George’s where the participants are members of a church organization, whether or not financially sponsored by the church (e.g., church school outing, EYC outing)

Participant

 Child or youth taking part in a church-sponsored field trip

Forms

The following forms are a part of St. George’s field trip guidelines and are to be used as indicated in the guidelines. 

Emergency Information Form

 This form captures general information about the participant including emergency contact information, medical information, allergy information, etc.; it is to be completed annually and kept on file at St. George’s for sponsors to use on field trips; children and youth may not participate in field trips unless a current Emergency Information Form is on file for them.

Field Trip Permission Slip

 This form includes basic information about the specific field trip (e.g., date, destination, agenda, duration); it is to be completed for each attendee for each field trip and is to be signed by the appropriate parent or guardian; children and youth may not participate in a specific field trip unless a signed Field Trip Permission slip is submitted for them.

Field Trip Planning Checklist

 This form includes a list of required information and reminders to be completed by the field trip sponsor in advance of the trip and submitted to the vestry member responsible for children/youth; for an Extended field trip, this planning checklist should be approved by the vestry member responsible for children/youth before the field trip is announced.

Motor Vehicle Information

 This form includes information about the motor vehicle to be used to transport children/youth on a field trip, driver/owner information, a safety checklist, and insurance information; vehicles used to transport children/youth on a St. George’s field trip shall have current motor vehicle information forms submitted on file at the church office prior to the field trip.

These guidelines were approved by St. George’s vestry at its May 17, 2000, meeting.


Page last updated on: 05/12/08

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