TRANSPORTATION AND FIELD TRIP POLICY

Transportation:

Once Upon a Time Child Care Center does not have or use a company vehicle nor does it contract transportation services for the daily transportation of children to and from the Center. Parents and/or guardians are responsible for their child’s transportation to and from the Center. A transportation service or bus company will be used to transport children on field trips.

Field Trips:

Once Upon a Time Child Care Center does not have or use a company vehicle or personal vehicles to transport children on field trips. A transportation service or bus company will be used to transport children on field trips. Parents will be notified at least a week in advance of the field trip. Notices will include departure time from the Center, arrival time back at the Center and the cost of the field trip. Written parental authorization for field trips is required by the Center. All children are encouraged to participate in all field trips as this is an important part of the learning experience. The Center will work with parents of physically or mentally disabled children in regard to participation on field trips and any special accommodations necessary. A staff member or chaperone will sit next to a child(ren) with disabilities while on the field trip bus to assist that child(ren) should there be an emergency or situation which requires evacuation or other such actions.

Staff will maintain an attendance log, first aid supplies, each child’s emergency information and other needed items while on every field trip. When 9 or more children are on a field trip, at least 2 adults must accompany the children. Staff to child ratios as listed in the State licensing regulations will be maintained. Parents will be invited to chaperone. One staff member will be designated as the Trip Leader and will be responsible for taking attendance on the bus before leaving the Center, and before leaving the field trip location. The Trip Leader is also in charge of payment for admission, first aid of children and general organization of the trip. A second staff member will be designated “back-up” leader. In the event the Trip Leader is needed for an emergency, the back-up leader will take over the responsibilities for the rest of the group and be a second opinion for the Trip Leader when difficult decisions need to be made.

Other staff members are responsible for the safety and protection of their assigned children on the trip. Staff and volunteers will have a list with the specific names of children for which they are responsible. Each Lead Teacher will have a master list of all the “attending” children from his/her class. Staff will frequently count the children in their group during the entire field trip. The bus driver will do a sweep of the bus or transportation vehicle to ensure all children have exited the bus. Teachers will do a sweep of the bus or transportation vehicle to ensure all children have exited the bus and will do an attendance count outside the bus to be sure that everyone has been accounted for and that no one has been left behind.

The 4/5 year old and School-age classrooms may take swimming field trips to an area indoor swimming pool. The pool will have lifeguards on duty and those lifeguards will test the school age children each time they attend for swimming ability (to see which end of the pool the children need to stay in). The 4/5 year old children must remain in the shallow end of the pool at all times. The ratio during swimming field trips will be: 1:6 for 4/5 year old children and 1:12 for children ages 6 and older. Parents are welcome to chaperone these trips as well.

For safety reasons, no nametags will be worn on field trips. Instead, each child and staff member will wear a Once Upon a Time Child Care Center Tee Shirt with the Center’s name and telephone number. Children will never be left unattended on the bus. Bus and field trip rules will be reviewed with children before leaving on each trip. In the event of an accident, serious injury or serious illness while on a field trip, the trip leader shall immediately contact 911, the child’s parent or guardian, and finally, the Center Director. If the parent cannot be reached in one phone call, the teacher will ask the Center Director to continue to attempt to reach the parents, guardian or emergency contact person. The illness or injury must be entered into the accident/injury logbook and if medical treatment was necessary, the incident reported to the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services by the Center Director.

In the event of a minor injury or illness, the Trip Leader shall provide first aid and record the incident in the Center’s logbook upon returning to the Center. The Trip Leader will also advise the Center Director and the child’s parents of the incident.