CHDCC Field Trips
Field Trips are considered an important part of CHDCC’s program philosophy. CHDCC field trips are integrated with room curriculums and strive to broaden children’s sense of self and their community. To ensure a fun, happy and most importantly safe CHDCC outing, the following procedures apply.

Definitions

Field trips are defined as a trip outside of Southern Village (SV), which requires transportation and/or an activity involving a fee. Examples include a trip to Morehead Planetarium or for ice cream. These trips require parental notification and a permission slip. Movies are not consider applicable to the curriculum and are not permitted as field trips.

Walking trips within SV do not require an additional permission slip. Examples include a walk to the park. Due to center liability, trips to individual’s private homes, even within SV, are not permitted.  Walking trips to the Southern Orange Community Park classroom will follow the field trip guidelines

Age Limits (based on the age of the majority of children in the room)

• >3 Field trips are not permitted for children under the age of 3. Walking trips within SV are permitted.
• 3+ Field trips outside of SV permitted. Bus rides restricted to direct routes only; no bus connections allowed. A private rented bus and driver may be used.
• 4+ Bus changes/ connections permitted.

Safety and Supervision
Teacher/Adult and Child Ratios

• Ratios must be maintained for field trip to occur. Teachers are encouraged to solicit an additional adult as a back-up chaperone.
• Both primary room teachers are required to attend. If a primary caregiver is unable to participate, the Director or Assistant Director may substitute; otherwise the field trip will be cancelled.
• Primary teachers will notify the director via the appropriate center forms. Trips must be approved by the director before parents are notified.
• Primary teachers will notify parents 2 weeks prior to field trip and solicit chaperones.
• Teachers may request a parent to attend or not attend the field trip based upon their child’s needs. Example: If teachers are concerned about a particular child’s safety risks (child has tried to run away from the group in past outings) the parents will be required to provide an individual chaperone for their child.
• Parents volunteering to chaperone will sign a Responsibility Agreement. Chaperones are expected to attend the field trip form start to finish and will be assigned a group of children for which they will be responsible.
• Parents wishing to attend with other children are permitted are not assigned chaperone status and are not counted in the adult/child ratio.
• Classes may not field trip together. If more than one class is going to the same location (such as a performance at the Arts Center) they should make separate transportation plans that do not conflict.
• Field trip procedures will be reviewed by the CHDCC staff the fall and mid-year center calendar. The procedures will be reviewed with new staff during their orientation period.
• CHDCC will do their best to try to provide care for children who do not have permission to participate in field trips.
  

Summer Program

Classrooms with kindergarten bound children participate in a summer program put together by the teachers. The summer program consists of field trips and special “in-house” programs. The summer program supports the curriculum by fostering children’s curiosity, developing children’s independence and self-help skills, and bringing them in contact with the community. The summer program offers teachers a way to expand the curriculum and environment to meet the growing needs and interests of the children in their classroom. Teachers will plan the summer program based on the dynamics of the group of children in their room. For example a classroom with younger children may plan only 2 field trips a month, but schedule more in-house activities, while an older classroom may schedule 5-6 field trips a month with less in-house events. The director will approve all plans for the summer program and a calendar will be made available to families in late spring. The calendar will list field trip departure information and cost (if any.) Teachers will strive to keep a balance between field trips with a fee and free trips. Field trips taken as part of the summer program will follow the same safety and supervision guidelines described in the section about field trips. Due to the nature of the summer program, parents who choose not to have their children participate in program field trips will be responsible for finding alternate care.