Chaperone Guidelines

Thank you for your interest in volunteering your time as a chaperone. When you volunteer to serve as a chaperone on your child’s field trip, you will be helping to extend the regular curriculum beyond the classroom and the school. Your role as a chaperone is an important one, and while enjoyable, requires that you accept certain responsibilities.
The purpose of the chaperone guidelines are to provide you with an overview of a chaperone’s responsibilities and to make you aware of appropriate responses to various situations that may arise during the course of a field trip.

GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS

1. A chaperone must be a registered volunteer who is a parent, guardian or family member of a child who is in the class going on the field trip. In order to be a registered volunteer, you must have completed the volunteer registration form online and been approved. You must also wear the current year hard badge.
2. A chaperone must be willing and physically able to participate in all activities.

CHAPERONES MUST BE SURE TO:

  • Arrive on Time and Bring a Watch It is important that chaperones be on time since trips are planned to depart from and return to school at specified times. Performances, tours or activities during the trip are scheduled and delays may disrupt the field trip for everyone.
  • Dress Appropriately Volunteers and Chaperones MUST adhere to the dress code that is required for staff members. Modest dress is required. The county policy with regard to shorts is no more than 5 inches above the knee. Please do not wear bathing suits, short shorts, spandex shorts, spaghetti strap tops or crop tops. If you are not dressed appropriately we will request that you change into appropriate clothing or not volunteer or chaperone on that day.
  • Watch Your Group Know who the children are in your group and keep that group together. Introduce yourself and be sure that you know the names of the children in your group. If a child refuses to follow your instructions, inform the teacher as soon as possible. Children in your group must stay with you at all times and may not go off alone or unescorted.
  • Keep Students Safe Always think of the children’s safety first. Find out where the first aid station is in case of emergency. Be alert to potential dangers, stray animals, strangers, etc. Do not take chances! If necessary, move children to a safe place and inform the teacher.
REMINDER
  • Hernando County School Board policy and insurance regulations do not permit chaperones to bring other people with them (this includes siblings, other children, family members, etc.) on school trips.
  • Smoking during the field trip is prohibited.
  • Use of alcoholic beverages prior to or during the field trip is forbidden.
  • Foul language or words that are inappropriate for school age children to hear is unacceptable.
  • Do not physically restrain a child.
  • Do not yell at a child. Should a child refuse to follow directions, immediately inform a teacher.
  • Do not release students to anyone other than the teacher.
  • Do not administer ANY medications to a student.