CHESAPEAKE
Following a dispute this summer over the Great Bridge High School marching band's planned trip to Disney World, the Chesapeake School Board got its first look Monday night at a proposed new policy on field trips.
The policy, written by a committee of parents, teachers, administrators and coaches, redefines field trips to include "enrichment, performance, or competitive opportunities," allows for "age-appropriate entertainment activities," and provides an appeals process when permission for field trips is denied.
But school board members said the appeals process was not strong enough, and they requested that school administrators make changes to increase parents' options if their trip application is denied.
Members of the Great Bridge marching band were told this summer they would not be allowed to perform in the Orlando Citrus Parade and in Disney World's parade down Main Street over winter break this year, a trip the group has made every four years for the past 16 years.
The school administration originally said the trip had been rejected because of a rule that bans trips to amusement and water parks. The administration said that students could go on the trip but would not be allowed on any rides.
Later, administrators said the trip was canceled because the principal no longer supported it.
The new policy proposal sets up a process in which a school's principal has first say over whether an overnight trip can take place.
If the principal approves, the request then goes to the division's administrative staff for a second approval. If the decision is then denied, the principal may appeal it, but he or she is not required to, according to the policy.
Some board members said parents should have a means of appealing as well as a chance to appeal if the principal denied the initial request.
"There may be some circumstances that lead the principal to make a decision that parents don't understand," board member Michael Woods said. "Seems like it would only be fair to allow them a remedy."
Also at Monday's board meeting, a dozen people spoke out against a new capital improvement plan that pushed back construction on a new high school in the Elbow Road area in favor of routine maintenance work.
Parents again spoke about the overcrowding at Chesapeake's high schools and the need for relief.
Alicia Wittmeyer, (757) 222-5216, alicia.wittmeyer@pilotonline.com
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Doc's right on with his comments
"I don't think this is a systemic problem. It's purely a problem with a few individuals making irrational decisions."
Doc's right. The people of Chesapeake have the right to vote out the School Board Members up for "re-election" and vote in people that listen to those that elect them. These people work for us and it's about time we started letting them know it!
Oh yeah, & thanks again Patty... 2010 Baby
Uh, Snacks
"I don't think this is a systemic problem. It's purely a problem with a few individuals making irrational decisions."
The systemic problem is that a few individuals are given the power to impose irrational decisions without review by the citizens who pay them.
New high school?
I like how this is thrown in at the end. Is there a need for a new high school now? No, the high schools will be under capacity for the next several years.
Don't think it's systemic
I don't think this is a systemic problem. It's purely a problem with a few individuals making irrational decisions.
Adminstrative Idiots
The original decision not to allow the band to attend the DisneyWorld parade is the most idiotic thing that I have seen come out of a school system in my entire life. We have got to have the most ignorant administrators running the public schools. Who are the schools for in the first place? Schools are not built just so administrators can have jobs. They are built for the students. The decisions that are made should be with the students in mind, not some idiotic policy that some no-nothing, overpaid administrator comes up with. I suggest the citizens demand that these administrators be held accountable by our elected officials. It is time to start ridding our school system of incompetent people.
Chesapeake Field Trips
"The new policy proposal sets up a process in which a school's principal has first say over whether an overnight trip can take place." and that's that.......you see, nothing changes, just the length and grade of the wool pulled over the parents and children's eyes. All the meetings and dissappointments are boiled to one point:"The new policy proposal sets up a process in which a school's principal has first say over whether an overnight trip can take place." Hasn't anyone noticed that? Where's the outrage?
the principal no longer supported it
This is bull. Now you know why government run schools fail because of it’s one person rules. Let the kids play and play.