Parent raises equity and scheduling concerns about middle-school field trips

During the public-comment portion of the board meeting on May 8, parent Kimberly Rochelle raised concerns about perceived inconsistency and late notice around middle-school field trips.

Rochelle, who identified herself as the parent of two district students, said an August 2023 presentation had suggested that every middle-school student would experience trips to The Bronx, Boston and New York City during middle school, but this year "that isn't the reality for the same grades." She asked why buildings did not know funding and scheduling restrictions earlier and urged the district to provide guidance by November to allow equitable planning.

Rochelle said some trips were cancelled or perceived as cancelled because staff waited for funding guidance into January and were told trips could not be scheduled in the last week of school. She said the district policy on field trips did not address a scheduling restriction and characterized the resulting inconsistency as "arbitrary and ill advised." She asked that buildings be told funding availability and restrictions earlier to avoid inequities in trip access.

The board chair noted that the board does not respond to public comment during that portion of the meeting and invited Rochelle to follow up by email; the superintendent and board said they would respond to written comments and follow up as appropriate.

The district did not announce corrective action during the meeting, but the public comment was recorded and the board directed the public to the district email channels and the superintendent’s office for follow up.