Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • November 17, 2010 FLOW Area Regional district changes policy on field trips by Frank J. McMahon The Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District has changed its policy on student field trips. The changes concern the use of chaperones on field trips and their focus and responsibilities while on field trips, and prohibit anyone from accompanying the chaperones on field trips. According to the amended policy, the district’s superintendent may approve or reject a request for a field trip. The superintendent will have the authority to approve all curriculum-related field trips, except for overnight trips, which must be approved by the Ramapo Indian Hills Board of Education. Overnight field trips will be chaperoned by the staff, as approved by the board of education and based on the recommendation of the superintendent; the chaperones’ sole focus and responsibility throughout the duration of a field trip is the students’ health, safety, and welfare; and family members, friends, and colleagues of the chaperones are not permitted to accompany the chaperones on a board-approved field trip or trip out of state. In addition, the policy states that at no time will any trip be approved if the budgetary allocation for the field trip will be overexpended, and each pupil who goes on a field trip or excursion must have written parental permission and must have his or her field trip slip signed by all his or her other teachers. Also, school-owned vehicles should be used whenever possible. Under this policy, the board of education does not endorse, support, or assume liability in any way for any Helpful Hints Helpful Hints from ome “To avoid freezing, be sure to turn off and drain water supply lines to outdoor faucets, especially those that run through unheated garages and crawl spaces.” Billy Says... staff member of the district who takes pupils on trips not approved by the board. No staff member may solicit pupils within the facilities or on the school grounds of the district for such trips without board permission. Pupils may be charged reasonable fees for trips in which participation is not mandated, but no pupil is to be denied the right to participate because of inability to pay. The board must establish a not-to-exceed budget for any district costs for field trips. The policy points out that the board of education recognizes that field trips, when used as a device for teaching and learning integral to the curriculum, are an educationally sound and important component of the instructional program. It further states that properly planned and executed field trips can supplement and enrich classroom procedures by providing learning experiences in an environment outside the school; arouse new interests among pupils; help pupils relate school experiences to the reality of the world outside of school; bring all the resources of the community -- natural, artistic, industrial, commercial, governmental, and educational -- within the ambit of a pupil’s learning experience; and/or afford pupils the opportunity to study real things and real processes in their actual environment. Auxiliary host brunch and boutique The Franklin Lakes Branch of the Valley Hospital Auxiliary will hold its Holiday Brunch and Boutique Shopping Extravaganza at the Indian Trail Club, 830 Franklin Lake Road, on Wednesday, Nov. 17. Boutique shopping will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Brunch will be served from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Over 25 vendors will be selling handmade and costume jewelry, unique children’s items, scarves, shawls, sweaters, decorative home goods, belts, handbags, tennis clothing and accessories, and much more. Proceeds from this event will support the Center for Women’s Heart Health at the Valley Hospital. Tickets are $30 and include brunch. Contact Dorothy at (201) 337-1686 or Chris at (201) 337-1928. 27 Franklin Tpk, Waldwick Open Sundays 9-3 201-652-5666 Interiors By Denise, LLC Fine Custom Furnishings Marge Carson, Christopher Guy, Habersham, Century, Maitland Smith, and more... Shop the finest home furnishing lines, fabrics & wall coverings. Shop in a private quite atmosphere, with thousands of fabrics and trims to choose from! Shopping by appointment. Full Interior Design Service You dream it we create it! Located in South Hackensack, New Jersey Call today for your appointment. 201-820-3472 www.interiorsbydenise.com