Field Trips

Field Trip Policy

Regular field trips are an important supplement to school academic programs. A consent form is required for each

student and each parent volunteer for each field trip. Please read the consent form very carefully and be sure to

properly initial (not check off) the sections near the bottom of the form. 

Transportation and Costs

Depending on the location of the field trip, our classes use various means of transportation to arrive at the location. Students may travel by foot if it is a walk somewhere in our community (library, fire station, SPMS, or SPHS as examples).  Teachers may enlist parent drivers and chaperones for trips to locations within ten miles of the school. If

you drive students to field trips at any time, please be sure to fill out the necessary paperwork and turn it into the school office (see "Adult Driver" Form) on the Parent link.  As we live within a 1.5-mile radius, we annually invite a Metro safety representative to our campus to provide an assembly on how to use the Metro.  Once we have hosted the assembly our children can ride the Metro free of charge.  Of course, for trips of any great distance, our teacher's reserve buses as the form of transportation.  Field trip forms will indicate which form of transportation will be used.   

The costs of field trips vary.  Some teachers are able to secure locations that have no admission costs, other sites may carry an admission fee, or may come with transportation costs.  As stated, our PTA is very generous and covers the cost of 2, sometimes 3, field trips.  If a teacher or grade level is interested in providing other field trip opportunities then she will ask parents for donations to cover the cost.

Overnight Field Trips

When students are asked as 4th graders what they remember most about MHS, they'll call out,  "The over-night, Outdoor Ocean Institute", that is, until they get to 5th grade.  Then even more enthusiastically, and almost in unison, they will respond the Malibu "OSS".  These are two field-trips we encourage all parents and students to learn about and for which to prepare.  If your child is entering 4th or 5th grade this year, your child's teacher will let you know about these trips as early as Back to School Night.  You can also check on the links below:

4th Grade:  Our students take one of the two overnight trips offered described below- most often the simulation of "By the Great Horn Spoon"

https://www.ocean-institute.org/elementary-school-grades-4-6

5th Grade:  Our students visit the Malibu site:

http://www.outdoorscienceschool.org/malibuoss/   

Chaperones for Field trips:

Some field trips require teachers to ask for additional support.  Sometimes additional staff members may attend, other times teachers will ask for help from parents/adult family members.  Teachers will let you know if they need help.

Some sites have limits on how many adults can attend field trips, if that is the case, not all volunteers will be able to attend.  Teachers do their best to ensure that if you volunteer you'll be able to at least attend one of the trips.

The responsibility of a chaperone should not be underestimated.  The teacher has trusted that you will monitor a small group of students.  If you are not used to closely supervising a group of 4-6 children at a time, then you might want to begin with volunteering in the classroom first!  We ask that if you act as a chaperone that you:  not spend time on your cell phone; limit the talking you do with other adults; if the class has split into groups, make sure your group arrives on time to the bus for departure.  We also ask that you support the classroom teachers in their efforts to ensure a safe, educational and enjoyable trip for all!

Parents driving on field trips will have to fill out a District form, provide a copy of their CA Drivers License and copies of proof of insurance at least 2 weeks prior to the day of the field trip. These applications are then forwarded for review.  please click here

What if I don't want my child to go on a field trip?

We highly encourage all students' attendance at these educational outings.  The experiences can't be replicated at school.  However, we do understand that you might have some concerns about your child attending field trips.  We encourage you to speak with your child's teacher as they have typically taken this trip before and will be able to address your concerns.  

Sometimes our 4th and 5th-grade students are worried about an overnight trip.  Some parents will ready their child by having them spend the night with a relative/close family friend.  We typically have parents write letters to students so they will not feel homesick.  We also let the 5th-grade students know, that it is common for the kids to feel a little homesick and that it usually passes by the first or second night, the students are less anxious.