BUENA VISTA SPANISH IMMERSION SCHOOL

ANNUAL FIFTH GRADE STUDENT TRIP

TO A SPANISH SPEAKING COUNTRY

GUIDELINES POLICY AND PROCEDURAL

This notebook was complied in 1991-1992

Revised 1994

Revised 1997

Revised 1999

Revised 2003

Revised 2004

CONTENTS

BVPO Bylaws Change Page 3

Basic Goals Page4

Conduct & Participation Statement Page4

Steering Committee Organizational Structure Page 5

Travel Agency Page 7

Travel Arrangements Page 7

Chaperone Policies Page 8

Chaperone Interview Committee Page 8

Medical Chaperone Page 9

Chaperone Rules Page 9

Financial Aid Page 10

Fund-Raising Page 10

Trust Fund Page 10

BYLAWS CHANGE

To replace existing paragraph in the BVPO Bylaws:

Annual Fifth Grade Latin American Experience Steer Committee:

This Committee shall consist of no more than 8 members, 6 voting positions and 2 non-voting positions. In January, the affected parent Group will be notified of the opening and closing dates for positions on the Steering Committee. The Parent Organization's Executive Committee will select and appoint by the end of February the 6 voting members for committee positions from the nomination list, and the non-voting 5th grade class. It is recommended that the 4th grade representative will become a voting member of the following year's Steering Committee. The Steering Committee shall include:

Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, Fund-Raising Coordinator, Chaperone Coordinator, Trip Coordinator, Non-Voting 4th Grade Representative, Non-Voting Principal (ex-officio).

It is the Committee's charge to develop and accomplish the trip within the dictates of the Parent Organization's Bylaws and the policies and procedural guidelines for the trip which have been set by the Organization and previous Steering Committee.

No changes will be made to the policies and procedural guidelines without the approval of the Buena Vista Parent Organization Executive Committee.

BUENA VISTA SPANISH IMMERSION SCHOOL

Parent’s Organization  

Annual Fifth Grade Student Trip

To a Spanish Speaking Country

Basic Goals:

1. To offer the students the opportunity to realize how well they can communicate
   in their second language.
2. To give Students opportunities to practice speaking Spanish in a variety of “real”
   situations and with native speakers of Spanish.
3. To enable the students to experience first hand a culture that is different from theirs.
4. To offer our students the opportunity for having positive encounters and interpersonal relationships with Spanish speaking people, and to foster warm feelings toward their host country’s people and a desire to learn more about their culture and history.
5. To help our students begin to develop a sense of self-reliance and confidence that can emerge from successful involvement in their homestay.
6. To have a fun-educational experience that will bond the group through continuing years.

We believe that, in at least a small way, we are contributing to the potential for greater understanding among the world’s peoples and future world peace.

CONDUCT & PARTICIPATION STATEMENT

Students participating in the trip are expected to meet acceptable standards of conduct.Parents and students will be informed that behavior, which endangers themselves or Others, will result in consequences up to and including early trip return at the parent’s Expense.

One reference will be required to be obtained and then submitted with the application form. A copy of the Characteristics of Your Student as a Learner and Citizen on the student’s current report card will be attached.

STEERING COMMITTEE

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

CHAIRPERSON

• Calls the meetings.
• Complies the agendas
• Acts as contact person for the parents.
• Stays in close communication with the travel agency, Steering Committee, and parents for all communications.
• Establishes and maintains the overall time line.
• Keeps Steering Committee notebook up to date to pass down to next year’s committee.
• Voting member of the BVPO

FUND-RAISER COORDINATOR

• Be informed as to District policies on fund-raising activities.
• Is responsible for recruitment of individual fund-raiser leaders.
• Keeps in touch with and oversees all fund-raising activities.
• Reports to Steering Committee on all fund-raising activities.
• Establishes a system for tracking accumulated volunteer time and prepares a report for the Treasurer.
• Presents on campus fund-raising activities to the BVPO prior to implementing the fund-raisers.

TREASURER:

• Keeps track of all income and expenses.
• Is responsible for getting payments in a timely manner.
• Receives report of present volunteer time from fund-raiser chairman and records this for trip fee.
• Coordinates financial assistance program.
• Checking account must have signature from both Steering Committee Treasurer and BVPO treasurer.
• Prepares monthly accounts to be given to the BVPO.
• Accounts are closed by specific date.
• At the end of the trip treasurer in conjunction with the BVPO treasurer is in charge of disbursing all remaining trip funds as established by the bylaws.

SECRETARY:

• Takes meeting minutes and either mails, emails, or distributes them out at the next meeting: also a copy to the B.V. principal.
• Distributes parent newsletters.
• Writes Thank-You notes.
• Is in charge of general correspondence.

CHAPERONE COORDINATOR:

• Is responsible for chaperone applications.
• Forms Chaperone Interview Committee.
• Communicates expectations for chaperones and develops time line for Chaperones’ activities.
• Organizes chaperone meetings.
• Initiates and oversees communications and arrangements with homestay school and homes.

TRIP COORDINATOR:

• Involved with travel plans with a designated travel agency representative or another source as decided by the Steering Committee.
• Acts as a liaison between the travel agency, the Steering Committee, the BVPO and the families.
• Coordinates target destination, flight plans, the scope of the homestays, and the contractual arrangements with any vendor services (NEP, travel agent, etc.)

NON-VOTING MEMBER:

• 4th grade representative.
• Buena Vista principal or representative.

4th GRADE PARENT REPRESENTATIVE:

• Attend 5th grade Steering Committee meetings.
• Assist with transition from one year to the next and orient new committee members to the process.
• The 4th grade representative is recommended to be the chairperson the following year, but it is not mandatory. However, it is felt this person should be on the committee as one of the voting members.

TRAVEL AGENCY :

The travel agency shall be chosen by a bid process.

The travel agency will provide the following services in connection with the 5th grade trip

1. Be familiar and sensitive to the goals of our trip.
2. Needs to respect the assigned groups and keeps them together on the airlines, hotels, and any other time the individual groups need to be together (i.e. the students need to be assigned seats on the flights with their chaperones.
3. It is recommended that the agent is fluent in Spanish, travel with the group and be in attendance throughout the entire trip.
4. Facilitate and be responsible for:
5. Entrance and exit visas
   1. Hotel accommodations; checking in and out,
   2. Awareness of hotels, restaurants, and money exchange locations,
   3. Designated meal arrangements.
6. Be responsible for any costs that have not been budgeted prior to final approved budget.
7. Provide a training meeting for chaperones and students on customs of the host country.
8. Details provided to the Steering Committee are:
1. A time line as the when expenses need to be paid. A preference will be to pay exact amounts rather than lump sum payments.
2. Rationale for deposit dates.
3. Receipt and confirmation numbers for airline tickets purchased.
4. Receipts for each deposit made, and accounting of all expenses.
5. Copies of confirmations and receipts or invoices for hotels, transportation, tours, etc.
6. Clarification of free tickets earned on group purchase and who benefits.
9. Unforeseen travel expenses incurred during the trip will be approved by the trip coordinator and covered by the travel agency, and then reimbursed by the Steering Committee upon returning home.
10. All trip participants will have travel arrangements booked by and paid to the designated travel agent. Travel points for free tickets or any other “earned” airline tickets may not be used for the fifth grade trip.

TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS:

1. All students and chaperones are expected to depart and travel with the group. If previously arranged and approved by the travel agents and the chaperone coordinator, chaperones and students have the option of returning home on a different flight following the group’s departure.
2. A student or chaperone’s family trip itinerary should not overlap that of the group’s schedule. Arrangements to meet family members will be accommodated only on the last day of the trip prior to the group’s departure if previously approved by the chaperone coordinator.

CHAPERONE POLICIES

CHAPERONE APPLICATION PROCESS AND CRITERIA:

1. All applicants need to be 21 years of age or older.
2. All interested participants must submit an application by the designated deadline.
3. Applicants must be informed that police checks may be required as part of the process and will be used to determine eligibility.
4. The Steering Committee will review all applications to determine if applicants meet necessary qualifications.
5. A single Interview Committee will interview all remaining qualified applicants and make recommendations to the Steering Committee.
6. “Chaperones” refers to any adult going on the trip. No additional family members are considered part of the 5 th Grade Trip.
7. All chaperones must be certified in CPR and First Aid.

TIER SYSTEM:

Tier I

1. Parents of the participating students.
2. Male/Female adult ratio determined by student group, approx. 2 or 3 students to 1 adult.
3. Neither parent has participated before.

Tier II

1. Spouse of former chaperone.

Tier III

1. Applicant has previously chaperoned a 5th Grade Trip.
2. 2nd parent wished to go.
3. Non-parent applicant.

TIE BREAKER:

1. Family involvement in Spanish Immersion program.
2. Only Child in Spanish Immersion program.

ANY TEACHER FROM BUENA VISTA APPLYING, AS A CHAPERONE SHOULD BE GIVEN HIGH CONSIDERATION.

CHAPERONE INTERVIEW COMMITTEE:

1. The Interview Committee will be selected and organized by the Chaperone Coordinator(s).
2. The Committee will be comprised of no more than 5 and no less than 3 members. These same members will interview all applicants.
3. No one from the Steering Committee, nor anyone who plans to apply as chaperone, will be a member of the Interview Committee.
4. All chaperone applications and committee recommendations will be returned to the Chaperone Coordinator.

Recommendation for formation of the Interview Committee:

1. Buena Vista teacher.
2. A parent from another class that has been on a previous trip.
3. If possible, a mix of men and women.

The BV Principal and teachers may be solicited for input and advice in selection process.

MEDICAL CHAPERONE: (Recommended but not Required)

1. Have a First Aid and CPR certification.
2. See to basic travel ailments.
3. Facilitate any doctor/hospital need in a foreign country.
4. Arrange for first aid supplies prior to trip.
5. Assume chaperone duties as needed during the trip.
6. Preferably bilingual.

CHAPERONE RULES:

1. This is a job, not just a pleasure trip.
2. Chaperones will be allowed relief time (i.e., a couple of hours, max.) under the direction of the Chaperone Coordinator.
3. Each chaperone is responsible for their assigned students. Each student will remain with their own chaperone. Reassigning students to another chaperone will be done only with the consent of the Chaperone coordinator and Chairperson, and only if that is the only solution to an existing problem.
4. Drinking: Excessive drinking is not allowed at any time. A beer or alcoholic drink shall be limited to two at a meal or chaperone function.
5. Violating these rules will result in relieving the chaperone of his/her duties.
6. Have Fun!