Your Role as a Teacher/Chaperone

My Role as a Teacher:

  • Northeastern University is an open college campus – anyone can be on the campus grounds. Make sure to keep track of your students when moving around campus.
  • Classroom management is the responsibility of the teacher, not Northeastern staff. In addition, the rooms we use are in academic buildings – students are in class, studying, and/or working. Please make sure the students are working/speaking at a respectful volume.

The following guidelines are set forth by BPS Superintendent’s Circulars CAO-22/23. Please refer to your own district’s guidelines:
CAO-22: BPS General Guidelines and Procedures for all Field Trips

  • At least one chaperone on every field trip must be a BPS employee. Other authorized chaperones may include parents and volunteers who are 21 years of age or older.
  • The trip leader must be sure that all non-BPS chaperones are familiar with the BPS Code of Conduct and other district and school-based rules.
    • Please note: Non-BPS employees who chaperone on a field trip are not covered for liability by the Boston Public Schools.
  • All chaperones must have a completed CORI/SORI check [completed through your school district].
  • The student-to-chaperone maximum ratios must be:
    • Grades K-5: 10:1
    • Grades 5 and up, 15:1
    • For students with disabilities, the ratio of staff to students must be at least the same as the ratio mandated in their IEPs for their classes
  • Privately owned vehicles, vehicles from non-approved vendors, or leased vans are not to be utilized to transport students to and from field trips or athletic events, except in the case of a bona fide emergency. Please refer to TRN-3 for information and regulations regarding field trip transportation.
  • Review Superintendent’s Circular on Medical Emergency Management (FSE-5) and Incident Data-Reporting and Release (SAF-4) for important safety protocols. The Department of Safety Services (617-635-8000) must be notified in the event of a serious emergency and should be used as a resource for questions regarding safety on field trips.

CAO-23: Day Field Trip Guidelines
Refer to your emergency action plan as detailed in your field trip checklist (CAO-23).

My Role as a Chaperone:

Beyond the role/assignments given to you by the attending teacher, you are also responsible for:

  • Bathroom breaks – responsibility is on teachers/chaperones to bring students to/from bathrooms (ask volunteers for direction to bathrooms)

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