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Board questions FBLA overnight trip that would cost three instructional days
Summary
Board members raised instructional‑time and notification concerns about an FBLA trip scheduled Monday–Wednesday in Atlantic City, with discussion of policy vagueness and a plan for administration and committees to develop clearer procedures and earlier notice for overnight trips.
Members of the Hillsborough Township Board of Education questioned an FBLA overnight trip scheduled for Monday–Wednesday in Atlantic City, saying the trip would cause students to miss three days of instruction and that the district’s current policy and timeline left the board with little time to evaluate impacts.
Miss Trujillo flagged the trip’s dates and estimated that roughly 100 students would miss class over three days, raising concerns about lost instructional time and staffing levels. “My biggest concern is that the students who attend this trip will miss 3 instructional days,” she said. Ms. Statz echoed concerns about a vague policy and said the state or national FBLA leadership chooses some dates beyond the district’s control; she nonetheless said she would vote to allow the students to attend this time because policy does not currently prohibit it.
Board members and administrators discussed two remedies: revise district policy to set clearer criteria for when trips may occur during school days, and create an internal procedure so the board receives trip information earlier so members can raise questions before final sign‑off. Mr. Volpe (referencing Dr. Rabimbus, the administrator) said administration will work on internal procedures and bring policy options to committees in coming months.
The board did not rescind the trip approval; it passed the broader education packet with recorded exceptions on certain travel subitems. Members asked administration to propose policy language and procedural changes over the summer so the board can review and set triggers (for example, number of instructional days missed or cost thresholds) that would prompt earlier review or a first reading prior to final approval.
