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Administrative Procedure 261: COCURRICULAR AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES & TRAVEL WITHIN ALBERTA

Background

Experiences beyond the classroom can play an important part in students' education. The Division recognizes and encourages purposeful, carefully planned co and extracurricular educational opportunities that promote student learning and personal development and enhance the educational experience for students. Travel within Alberta will generally be considered under this Administrative Procedure.

The division is committed to ensuring a safe learning environment for students, volunteers, and staff while participating in travel. Students' health, safety and welfare are of the utmost importance in all activities that occur away from the school premises. 

Definitions

CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES refer to activities with the classroom or the instructional program as their base. Commonly referred to as a “Field Trip”, it is expected that there will be classroom preparation by the teacher and students for this type of activity and follow-up work relating the activity to the curriculum. In most cases, these activities would take place during regular school time.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES are sponsored by the school, providing opportunities for student(s) to participate in activities related to the school program and supervised by teachers or other authorized personnel. The majority of these activities would take place outside regular school hours.

PARTICIPANT means a student, a volunteer/supervisor/chaperone, a teacher or another Westwind School Division staff member who travels on an off-site activity and includes any contracted service providers. 

Procedures

  1. All travel requires an adult-in-charge approved by the principal, and this person has authority over and responsibility for the trip.
    1. The principal will ensure the adult-in-charge and all volunteers fulfill the requirements outlined in AP 491: Volunteer Coaches and Supervisors.
    2. All travel requests shall be submitted to the principal, and approvals received before the planned activity can occur.
    3. Request for cocurricular and extracurricular activities involving day trips within walking distance of the school requires written approval from the principal. No additional forms are required.
    4. Requests for co-curricular & extracurricular activities requiring transportation and/or an overnight stay shall be submitted to the principal using Form 261-1 (Cocurricular), and Form 262-2 (ExtraCurricular), and all transportation guidelines will be followed.

  2. Requests for trips under this Administrative Procedure are to be received and reviewed by the principal.
    1. The principal shall be authorized to approve all trips within the province of Alberta that do not require an overnight stay.
    2. The principal shall submit the request to the Superintendent with his/her recommendation for the necessary approval if the trip requires the approval of the Board or the Superintendent.
    3. The Superintendent shall be authorized to approve all trips within the province of Alberta that require overnight stay.
      1. Requests require at least two (2) weeks' notice.
      2. Approval must be obtained prior to expenses being incurred or commitments being made.
    4. All overnight stay trips involving Kindergarten to grade 6 students require Superintendent approval and must be submitted at least eight (8) weeks prior to the trip.

  3. All trips outside the province of Alberta require Board approval and are subject to the provisions in AP260: Travel Outside of Alberta.

  4. The adult-in-charge, in consultation with the principal, shall review and follow the division’s insurance requirements as outlined in Appendix A: ARMIC Approved and Prohibited Activities for suggested guidelines, parameters, and approvals, as it relates to any activities and plans in their itinerary that may or may not be high-risk in nature and proper safety and procedural contingencies are in place.
    1. Appropriate safety devices must be used/worn as outlined in Administrative Procedure 264: Student Safety Devices.

  5. Principals will ensure a General Informed Consent Form and a Parent Information Letter including all the information outlined in Appendix B: Correspondence with Parents shall be distributed to participants and parents.

  6. All participants are expected to abide by the division’s policies and procedures. These include but are not limited to:
    1. AP492: Adult Interaction with Students
    2. AP170 – Harassment/Bullying Hazing Prevention
    3. AP345 – Student Code of Conduct
    4. Policy 19 – Welcoming, Safe, Caring, and Respectful Schools

  7. Transportation
    1. The Division recommends that all travel is to be by school bus within the province of Alberta.

    2. When private vehicles are used, Administrative Procedure 565: Use of Private Vehicles by the School must be followed.

    3. Students are required to travel to and from an event in the pre-approved mode of transportation with the following exceptions:
      1. When a parent of a student is present at the event, the student may be released to the parent, upon their request.
      2. If a parent has made prior arrangements with the principal or coach, a student may be released according to those arrangements.

    4. The Division does not allow the practice of students driving themselves or other students to and from cocurricular off-site activities.

  8. Supervision
    1. All co-curricular and extracurricular trips shall have adequate supervision, giving due consideration to the age of the students, the nature of the field study and the places being visited.

    2. Trips, particularly involving overnight stays, shall have a balanced complement of male and female adult supervisors/chaperones in relation to the student participants as approved by the principal and the Division.

    3. Parent supervisors/chaperones are part of the overall supervision provided and are to take direction from the adult-in-charge. 
      1. Parent supervisors/chaperones are present to ensure the safety of all the students on the trip and must be suitably qualified for the nature and demands of the trip.

    4. Any student requiring medication shall be identified, and provision made to ensure the adult-in-charge and supervisor/chaperones (as appropriate) are aware of the medical condition and are provided with written procedures to be followed to deal with the medical condition.

    5. The adult-in-charge is responsible for ensuring that they or another adult supervisor/chaperone have relevant training appropriate to the planned activities. 

    6. The teacher in charge is responsible for carrying with them at all times:
      1. List of student participants 
      2. Telephone contact numbers 
      3. Health Insurance Information, Health Care Numbers 
      4. Information regarding medication and medic-alert needs of participants
      5. Cell phone (when available or appropriate)

Appendix

Appendix A: ARMIC Approved and Prohibited Activities

Appendix B: Correspondance with Parents

Forms

Form 261-1 Application for Co-Curricular Activities & Travel within Alberta

Form 262-2: Application for ExtraCurricular Activities and Travel within Alberta

General Informed Consent Form

 

Reference

Section 1,11,31,32,32,52,53,196,197,222 Education Act

Traffic Safety Act

Guide to Education ECS to Grade 12

Physical Education Safety Guidelines

 

Approved: March 21, 2006

Amended: December 2, 2008; February 7, 2012; August 21, 2018, August 25, 2022; February 2023



Last Updated: January 17, 2024