I'm a PTO President, and our PTO is concerned over the lack of guidelines for field trip chaperones. I'd like to hear how other schools handle this situation. Our district requires that all classroom volunteers have background (criminal & child abuse) checks, but seem to care less about who goes along on field trips. Thanks for your input!

our PTO does not get involved in who goes along other than the fact that they are most likely part of the PTO. Anyone that helps out must fill out a CORI form for a check but it is up to the teachers to get people to cover the field trips. Many times it is the room parents that help or get the help. I not sure the PTO can be picky over who goes.

Our PTO does not get involved at all with classroom helpers nor chaperones for field trips. Personally I do beleive it is the teacher's responsibility to know which parents are better suited for the job...not the PTO. It is hard enough to get volunteers to go on field trips let alone put them through back ground checks to go with their child on a school field trip. I hate to say it but...if the PTO feels so strongly about this issue I hope that they are willing to go on these field trips as well....

Our PTO doesn't want to mandate who goes on the field trips. We're just concerned over how the selection process is carried out in our schools (any parent can send in their name - names are then drawn out of a hat - those who are drawn go regardless of whether or not they're known to the teacher or students) and we were curious as to what other schools do. Yes, we know that it's very difficult to get field trip chaperones, and no, we're not all willing to go on every field trip. We would, however, like the district to create a better system for choosing chaperones. I just came here looking for ideas from other schools. I wasn't looking to be "bashed" about my comments. Thank you.

Hi beewinki -

We're glad you've found the site and hope you'll continue to take good advantage -- sharing your concerns and ideas.

Quick note on the forum: often it's difficult to gauge tone in an Internet setting. While someone may just type off a quick message without much thought as to presentation, it can be taken by another reader as bashing.

In my experinece, our Forum is most often a supportive environment. Hope you'll find that to be true, as well.

Tim

beewinki,

If I read your last post correctly, you are saying that anyone can go on a field trip - they pull names out of a hat?

As a parent I would be very conserned in learning that a parent that does not have a child in my sons class can just go with his group. I would also have a hard time volunteering to chaperon a field trip that my child was not attending. When I take off from work I want to spend it with my child.

Our school is small (k-12 / less then 400 students). In the spring each class k-6 gets to go on a different field trip. The teacher sends a note home telling when and where they will be going. Some teachers really invite you to come with the class... All volunteers going on the trip goes through the teachers. I don't know if the principle knows who's chaperoning. I am sure the teachers tell the principle how many are going with the class. The chaperons are always parents of the children in the class going on the trip.

We do not have your problem and I agree with you that it should be addressed. I know that PTO's main concern is for the children, and if some feel that this does not effect the children they are wrong. I missed my sons last year's field trip, because I thought the parents weren't invited (I mis-understood). My son told me alot of the other childrens parents went and I could of too. He was bothered by me not attending the trip with him (I always had in the past).

I hope this is helpful in some way. And I agree with Tim, somtimes people want to reply and help but they miss the question that was asked by just typing off a quick message. Please don't get discouraged with this site. Most of the time people are really helpful. Hang in there girl and keep smilling, it helps.