Field trips for Banneker students have changed in recent years. The pandemic and associated regulations caused trips to pause and then slowly restart.
According to their website, DCPS’s main purpose for field trips is “to enhance the educational objectives of the school” and provide a “viable means of providing educational opportunities that would not be available in the classroom.”
Before the pandemic closed schools for over a year, field trips included opportunities with the English Department to visit places like the Shakespeare Theatre, the African American Museum, and even the Folger Shakespeare Library. Mr. Zimmerman, a physics teacher and field trip chaperone, called these trips a “great and meaningful experience” for students.
The field trip planning for many clubs and classes begins on October 1st of the school year, because this is when the fiscal calendar for the school year begins and when teachers are able to request money for their field trips. Teachers cannot request any money prior to the start of the fiscal year.
Teachers play a huge role in the field trip planning process. The teachers chaperoning have to submit a request for field trips. These requests include information like a description of the field trip, who is participating, when the field trip is, and how it applies to the course concept.
Teachers then have to submit their request into an online system, which was recently updated, and then the request goes to Ms. Berger for approval. The teacher planning the field trip also has to make sure that if the students have to miss class, their teachers are receptive and understand why the student has to miss class.
Finally, the teachers have to take responsibility for the students outside of the school. Many people might assume that taking responsibility for students outside of the building would be stressful, but many teachers find it an enriching experience.
Parents are also a vital part of field trips because they have to sign a permission slip to allow their student to leave the building. They might also have to help with students outside of the building.
When Mr. Verner, the track and field coach, took the track team to Sky Zone last spring, he had to have parents help with supervision and transportation.
Mr. Verner, a Banneker alum, also remembers that field trips in years past were “well organized, educational…fun, and gave [students] a chance to get out of the building.”
