Winning approval from your school board is crucial when it comes to planning your student trip and ensuring it’s a success. School board buy-in is most easily secured if you come prepared from all angles, ready to discuss all aspects of your trip. Keep reading to learn the key points you should come ready to present—all of which can be secured and supported by ETI.
EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE & LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Start by considering the goals of your trip. Is it to visit a specific destination your class has been studying? Or a notable site important to your current subject matter? Be sure to have a clear explanation of how your trip supports curriculum or district goals, in addition to making the connection to specific classes, programs, or standards related to the experience. Even if you already know why the outcomes of a trip cannot be replicated by simply staying in the classroom, outline why experiencing these destinations and accounts firsthand is highly influential to a students’ education and world outlook.
TRIP LOGISTICS
Get into the nitty gritty by outlining all the essential information: Your chosen destination, the dates you’re eyeing, and duration of the trip. Be sure to also go into detail about your mode of transport, whether it’s air travel or via motorcoach, and share why you’re choosing a certain company. Outline any relevant lodging details if your trip is an overnight one (including your plan for roommates), and provide the Board with a daily itinerary of your trip and your plan for effective chaperone and educator supervision.
BUDGET & FUNDING
Of course, you’ll want to present the total cost of the trip to the Board, along with an estimated cost-per-student breakdown. Outline what your funding sources are for the trip, whether it’s done through student payments, boosters, grants, fundraising, or a combination of several of these options. Remind the Board that while lower trip cost can be attractive, that doesn’t always translate to quality. Ensure they understand that not all tour operators are created equal and that ETI has been an educator favorite for years for a reason, providing quality itineraries and working with the budgets of countless educators and group leaders.
STUDENT SAFETY & SUPERVISION PLAN
Present your Board with a staff chaperone list and ratios (ex. 1 adult per X students). You can also offer assurance by explaining the process for choosing said chaperones and the specific expectations they’ve agreed to for the trip. Share any emergency procedures and contact information for your trip, along with outlining any insurance and liability considerations (ETI can help you with this)! Further demonstrate your preparedness by sharing how you’ll collect and organize medical forms from students, along with any procedures for medication distribution while on the road.
PARTICIPATION & EQUITY CONSIDERATIONS
Give the Board and idea of the number of students you expect to attend the trip, in addition to how you plan to ensure the trip will remain accessible to all students, either through financial assistance or scholarship options. Alternatively, offer up your plan for those students in your class or group who ultimately cannot attend the trip. How will they continue learning while you’re on your trip? What about when you return?
Once you’ve got all of this information nailed down, consider creating an additional opening trip summary that should run between one- to two-pages. All the expanded information and details above can follow via additional attachments.
Contact ETI today to explore trip options and how we can support your efforts in making your student trip come to life!
Courtesy of ETI.
