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CHSD 128 forms committee to review educational-tour affordability; French teachers propose Senegal trip
Summary
District leaders said an ed-tour committee will study logistics, fundraising and accessibility for student trips. Teachers proposed a French-language trip to Senegal; administrators cited safety, vaccinations and fundraising goals as outstanding items.
CHSD 128 administrators told the Feb. 10 Program & Personnel Committee they have formed a committee to review district educational-tour policies and practices with a focus on accessibility and affordability.
The administrator said the committee, chaired by board members Larry Varn and Ben Rodriguez, will start meeting in March and "look at our ed tour process from soup to nuts," including logistics, legal paperwork and fundraising. The stated goal is to reduce cost barriers so price does not prevent student participation.
Administrators described a proposed high-school French trip to Senegal. Teachers reported Senegal is relatively affordable and "very safe to travel there," the administrator said, and that travel companies have led similar high-school trips. The district noted the trip would require yellow-fever vaccination but not malaria prophylaxis, and that travel guides would accompany students.
Details the committee discussed: the teachers' informal target that participating students could raise close to 50% of trip cost through fundraising; an anticipated chaperone plan of three chaperones for about 20 students, expanding if enrollment rises; and a minimum enrollment threshold the teachers indicated was 15 students. The district also said the trip organizers have identified possible scholarship funds available through the French club.
Administrators said they will require a trip-specific cancel-for-any-reason policy allowing cancellation up to 48 hours before travel and will verify health-insurance protections and vendor refund/insurance coverage in case State Department advisories change. No formal approval of the Senegal trip occurred at the Feb. 10 meeting.
Ending: The committee will research models used by peer districts and return with concrete guidelines on fundraising limits, scholarship use and vendor protections; the district will continue to consult teachers proposing the Senegal trip and will provide further information to the board in coming months.
