School district makes an exception to new rules right off the
bat, leaving many questions
Gilroy – What specifically will qualify as an acceptable field trip for Gilroy students this year remains uncertain just days before schools welcome back students.
A new school board policy adopted in June reads: “Programs and field trips which result in excessive loss of class time in other areas of study are to be discouraged. Field trips, to qualify for approval, must be related to class instruction of contribute to the district’s educational goals.”
While the policy separates field trips into two groups – extracurricular and academic – what that means for the high school’s choir singers, band members and athletic teams, in certain cases, isn’t clear.
Even before the start of the school year, a teacher challenged Gilroy Unified School District Superintendent Edwin Diaz’s recommendation to limit Gilroy High School’s Future Farmers of America field trip to the FFA National Convention. The group petitioned to go on to Washington D.C. afterwards.
A split decision by the school board reversed the recommendation and raised questions about what is acceptable.
“I think that somewhere we need to make it clear as to what is,” said GUSD Board President T.J. Owens. “I know all six of us are not together right now,” he said, referring to the school board’s Aug. 4 vote that divided the members.
New policy states that any out-of-state or overnight field trips are to be approved by the board.
The FFA was allowed to extend their field trip from the FFA National Convention in Louisville, Ky., onto Washington D.C. after four of the six members supported the appeal, citing that the experience was within district initiatives.
Board member Pat Midtgaard, who was absent for the vote, served on the subcommittee that revised the former policy.
She said that she would have supported the field trip extension.
“Washington D.C. is totally a learning experience,” she said. “I think the challenge is going to be how we are going to respond when other groups come – you have to be sure that you are being fair.”
The argument against the trip for board members Rhoda Bress and Tom Bundros is that the extension does not fall within the FFA’s curriculum, not whether visiting Washington D.C. is of educational value, and cuts into classroom instructional time.
If the GUSD school board is divided on what qualifies – site administrators may be unclear as well.
“We are going to have to look at it and see how it affects things,” Owens said. “I imagine at some point we’re going to have to come out with some clarity. Right now the policy is pretty rigid … If we are flexible what criteria do we use? We certainly want to be fair to everyone.”
He anticipated having a workshop for board members and GUSD staff to discuss how the policy should be applied.
“I think that we cannot continue to have this type of discussion on whether a group goes or not,” Owens said. “I don’t think it’s a wise use of board time.”
Athletic teams who have to travel out of Gilroy for competitions should not be affected by the new policy, Owens said. Athletic schedules are determined by individual conferences, he explained. However, the GHS music program may see a reduction in their field trips next year.
According to new policy, for field trips within the state but that are not overnight, the site principal must receive a written request by the teacher eight weeks in advance.
Often times, the GHS Chamber Choir is solicited to perform at community gatherings during the school day and is given less than two weeks notice, said longtime Choir Director Phil Robb. He is uncertain how the new policy will affect his students.
“At this point I would not anticipate this being a problem,” he said.
Because field trips within the district do not go in front of the board, the decision would be left to the site administrator.
The GHS choirs take four field trips during the year that the school board will have to approve, Robb said.
“When we go to a festival for a day we are being evaluated … It becomes part of the classroom experience,” he explained.
Once every three years the Chamber Choir travels abroad. Usually this trip occurs over spring break, however, Robb is uncertain if the trend will continue next year.
“For some kids who haven’t been out of California, they become world citizens, ” he said. “I am a real strong believer that different students learn in different ways. I learn by being involved in the process, and I consider this another form of learning.”
GHS band teacher Joey Fortino takes about 20 field trips with students in the color guard and marching bands throughout the year. Most occur on weekends.
“I try to make a huge effort in not impacting classroom time,” he said. “There are some that pop up, but I really try to limit that.”
While Fortino has never had a field trip denied in the past, he has had one “severely limited.”
About five years ago a trip to the Reno Jazz Festival fell too close to a state testing date. The group limited the trip to one night and one day, which Fortino explained was not worth it.
“We haven’t gone back because of that. We’re waiting for a year when it actually falls on a good time schedule,” he said.
This year, the band has been invited to play with the Boston Pops Orchestra. Fortino has not yet requested approval from the school board.
“That’s something you can’t do in a day – work with one of the greatest orchestras on the planet,” he said.
During field trips such as this, students can meet with professional musicians and learn how to achieve their goals, he explained.
“(They learn) how to get there – what you have to do,” Fortino said. “It’s basic life skills. They’re not going to come to you.”
He understands the value of the policy, but is hoping the students will not be prevented from attending such trips.
“I think (the trustees) see the capability for it to be abused,” he said. “But the bottom line is the principal has to sign off on it – so the principal is held more accountable. I think they’re just trying to make sure their bases are covered.”
