Lincoln High School Music Department

Tour Chaperone Handbook

February, 2016

This handbook was lovingly prepared in appreciation for all the Lincoln High School Music Department teachers who make our children not only outstanding in their gifts and talents, but outstanding human beings. Thank you for giving them experiences they would not get anywhere else and speaking joy into their lives. Bless you all … you’re the best!

—Julie Goodall

Thank you very much for helping us, cheering for us, working with us, and keeping our students safe. Trips like this only happen with caring parents like you!

Table of Contents

Welcome ...................................................................................................................................................... 3 General Information ............................................................................................................................ 3 Roles & Responsibilities ...................................................................................................................3-4

Pre-Tour Preparation ................................................................................................................................ 5 Supplies ................................................................................................................................................... 5

On the Tour ................................................................................................................................................. 6 Departure Day ...................................................................................................................................... 6 Check-In Procedure ............................................................................................................................. 6

Expected Behavior and Disciplinary Action ......................................................................................... 7 Tour Permission Form excerpt ......................................................................................................... 8 Three-Deep Policy ............................................................................................................................... 8 Student Travel Groups ......................................................................................................................... 9 Room Visitations ................................................................................................................................... 9 Alcohol, Cigarettes, and Illegal Drugs .............................................................................................. 9 Inappropriate Touching and Sexual Activity .................................................................................. 10 Curfew and Lights Out ..................................................................................................................... 10 Cursing and Rude Gestures ............................................................................................................. 10 Non-Tour Visitors ............................................................................................................................... 11 Trip Deviations .................................................................................................................................... 11 Conflict Resolution ............................................................................................................................ 12 Medication and Illness ....................................................................................................................... 12

Chaperone Debriefs ................................................................................................................................ 15

Hotel Check-Out Procedure .......................................................................................................... 16-17

Post-Tour Activities .................................................................................................................................. 18 Arriving Home .................................................................................................................................... 18 Final Debrief ........................................................................................................................................ 18

Appendix .................................................................................................................................................... 21 Tour Emergency Plan ................................................................................................................... 19-20 Evacuation Plan ................................................................................................................................... 20

—Pack a change of clothes, water, and a snack into your backpack in case you need to evacuate. Don’t forget your jacket, scarf, cell phone, and charger. Instruct your students to do the same.

—Keep your door closed and locked.

—Once packed, join with others in the group in any one of your rooms—stay together. Put a note in the rooms of the other people saying where to find you all.

Note: Do NOT leave unless evacuated by hotel personnel. Upon evacuation, update your home, have your students update their homes, and stay together at all times. Don’t forget to take your packed bag.

EVACUATION PLAN

If rooms are inaccessible or are evacuated, meet at designated spot in lobby:

______________________________________________

If the lobby meeting place is inaccessible, meet at:

______________________________________________

If the hotel area is inaccessible, meet at:

______________________________________________

NOTE: ==Every time you get to a new location, update your home and have your students update theirs. Remember, this is not meant to scare you! It is important we all do the same things in the same order in an emergency.

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Welcome!Congratulations on your role as chaperone the next Lincoln High School (LHS) Music tour. This is always a fun and exciting trip!

This handbook provides clear, consistent guidelines along with specific directives and expectations to help you fulfill your roles and responsibilities.

Thank you for being willing to do all you can to make this trip memorable for all our students. We appreciate you!

General InformationBeing a chaperone is all about trust. Your attendance on this trip indicates your full intent to adhere to the guidelines, thus establishing that trust. Failure to apply the guidelines may result in your dismissal of current and all future chaperone duties. Please review them thoroughly as these are the standards to which you will be held.

Roles and ResponsibilitiesAs a chaperone, I agree to the following general guidelines: —I realize that I am not on a personal vacation, but am accompanying a group to which I am accountable for the duration of the tour.

—I will make myself available at all times and perform whatever tasks are asked of me to the best of my ability.

—As a role model, I will adhere to all school and district regulations and expectations. I understand that inappropriate, illicit, untruthful, and unlawful behavior conducted by me and/or any child in my care may result in sanctions, including accompanying said student or students to ALL events, sending the student home at the parents’ expense, and/or returning home at my own expense. Examples of these types of infractions include, but are not limited to, property damage, excessive noise after hours, and breaking curfew.

—I will make it a priority to know and fully understand the following information in order to effectively do my job:

• The day’s agenda and all required clothing, instrument, and meal information • Room accommodations (student responsibilities and conduct) • Curfews

continued...

TOUR EMERGENCY PLAN

In an emergency situation on tour, proceed as follows:

—STAY CALM. If you need immediate help, dial 911.

—Call your home and report your status. Leave a message if necessary saying the following:

1. The date and time of your call.

2. Whether you need help or if you are OK. If you need help, state specifically what you need such as paramedics, money, or police.

3. Your location--address, landmarks, and/or the name of the establishment.

4. If you are OK, how long you think it will take you to reach the hotel from where you are or whether it will be safer for you to stay where you are.

5. If it is safer for you to stay at your current location, give the telephone number of the establishment so that you can conserve your cell phone battery.

Note: If the phones are not working, get to an internet café or store and send an e-mail message to the emergency contact person or post a message on the tour blog page.

—Call your students to find out of they are OK and where they are. Have them call home with similar information, then instruct them to return to the hotel if they are able.

—If you need help, leave your phone on. If not, turn your phone off and only check for messages every 30 minutes on the hour and the half-hour to conserve battery life.

—Contact the teacher of the day by phone with the same information as above, including status on your students. If you cannot reach him or her in person, call the emergency contact directly.

—Gather your students if they are with you, return to your hotel room, and do the following:

—Plug your phone in and use it while plugged in to conserve battery life.

—Call/text your home and teacher of the day to inform them that you have arrived safely—leave the date and time.

—Call/text any students who are not with you to find out where they are. Instruct them to continue to check in with you until they arrive at the hotel.

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• Check-in procedures • Departure times and group activity times • School policy on alcohol, tobacco, illegal substances, and illicit activity • Students’ prescription drug needs and/or allergies as itemized in the medical forms • Student check-out permissions and procedures (releasing children to friends or

relatives who have made advance arrangements)

— Being responsible for the above information will require me to thoroughly read the handbook, attend nightly chaperone debrief meetings, keep my cell phone on, and carry all necessary documents with me at all times (for example, the “mini-itini,” room assignment sheets, and all special medical forms).

—I will adhere to all schedules. I understand this will mean I must return to the check-in points early so my group can check in expediently, and the entire tour group can function on time.

—I will do everything reasonable and prudent to ensure the safety of myself and others on the tour.

—If for any reason I feel my ability to chaperone, drive, and/or carry out any other assigned responsibilities is impaired, I will personally contact the tour director AND the teacher of the day.

—I will not consume alcohol while conducting chaperone responsibilities.

—If asked to drive my own vehicle for any reason to support the tour, I will submit all required forms, including proof of registration and insurance. In addition, I will comply with all school and district guidelines when operating my vehicle.

—I will not bring additional family members or guests on the trip.

—On performance days, I will be flexible and selfless, working with the tour director and/or the teacher of the day so the teachers can focus on the music-making process and the students can focus on doing their best.

—Although I will always get to watch my student perform, I may be asked to ride a different bus from my student if teachers require extra chaperoning and/or support.

There is no need for you to check your students out to their parents, but you may at least want to say good-bye to them! Some of them will definitely want to say good-bye to you and thank you as well.

Final DebriefSome of our best suggestions for touring and getting things to run smoothly come from what we learn on previous trips. This handbook is in and of itself an excellent example of a tour “fix”!

If you have suggestions and/or inspirations, please send an e-mail to Ms. K and the tour director with them. We will create a file for “Fixes for Tour 2016” and begin the process of incorporating your ideas into our next out-of-town adventure!

APPENDIX

It is our sincere hope that we will never have the need to use any emergency procedures; however, it would be remiss of us to not plan for them. This way, if the need arises, we have clear plans in place.

The home base contact is for us to have an out-of-area contact point if necessary; all messages will flow through the emergency contact.

Home base emergency contact person:

Name: __________________________________________________

Home Phone: ____________________ Mobile Phone: ____________________

Email: __________________________________________________

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PRE-TOUR PREPARATION

The following information will help you best prepare for the tour. The more prepared you are, the calmer and more confident the students will be, especially those touring for the first time.

SuppliesBe prepared to carry the following items with you at all times.

•Identification•Mini-itini•Watch•Cell phone and charger•Pens and pencils (and extras for students)•Post-its--VERRRRY useful!•Medical forms for your students•Water•Money (small bills)•Sunscreen•Sunglasses•Water (if allowed)•Band-aids (1 or 2 a day) or mini first-aid kit•Safety pins (1 or 2)•Various over-the-counter medicines such as Excedrin, Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Benadryl (for common allergic reactions; for severe allergic reactions, check the medical sheet for that student and follow those instructions, then report to the teacher of the day) and/or •Camera/charger•Roll-taking spreadsheet for chap check-ins.

Other useful items•Clipboard•Small writing tablet or notebook for taking notes at nightly chaperone debrief—If you forget to bring one, take the note pad from your hotel room.•A small flashlight

If you are a floor monitor, proceed as follows:1. Once all chaperones have checked in with you, double-check ALL rooms on the floor.

2. Once the floor is clear, report to the teacher of the day. Turn in keys if previously instructed.

3. Join your students to wait for the buses.

4. When released to board the buses, confirm all your students are on board.

NOTE: When everyone checks out at once, the elevators run extremely slowly. Try to check yourself out as early as possible to avoid holding up the group. If you incur room charges, pay your bill the previous night.

POST-TOUR ACTIVITIES

Arriving home (bus trips)

Once we hit San Jose, the following needs to happen on all buses: —Turn the DVD player off. Return the DVDs to their owners.

—Pass the trash bag down the bus and have students dispose of their trash.

—Have students begin to gather and repack their belongings (including the items in the upper storage area).

When we arrive at Lincoln, please help with the following:—Take lost and found items to Room 91.

—Help teachers ensure that buses are completely empty (above and below).

—Make sure the trash is bagged and ready for disposal.

—Have the students bring any equipment to Room 91 (if necessary).

—Have band and orchestra members return their instruments and equipment to the appropriate rooms (if necessary).

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ON THE TOUR The moment you arrive on departure day, you are “on tour.” Once your students see you, they will look to you for guidance. The following information will help you prepare to meet the challenge.

Departure DayPlease arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the time your students are scheduled to meet you by the bus. Upon arrival, proceed directly to Ms. K to pick up the chaperone envelope waiting for you. The manila envelope will contain the following:

•Copies of your students’ first-aid forms•Mini-itineraries for you and your students•The chaperone contact list•A couple of envelopes just in case you need them•The final rooming list•Whatever other documents/things deemed necessary (i.e. tips, garbage bags, etc.)

If we are meeting at such an early time that it will be dark, you may want to bring a flashlight for your own bleary-eyed survival.

TIP: If you haven’t already, departure check-in would be a good time to exchange cell phone numbers with your students so you can reach each other.

If everyone is leaving the hotel at the same time, you will be in charge of checking out your assigned rooms. Check your students out of their hotel rooms as follows:1. After the chaperone debrief the night before, brief each of your groups. Be specific with your expectations.

2. Tell the groups to indicate that they are ready for inspection by propping the door open with one of the suitcases.

3. Inspect their rooms for cleanliness. If the room needs attention, have them do it immediately. For example, if they have left garbage all over, have them throw it away.

4. Check in drawers, closets, armoires, bathrooms, refrigerators, and TV cabinets, on tabletops, under beds, under the covers, and anywhere else you think something might have been left behind.

5, Leave the tip for housekeeping (provided).

6. Inspect the rooms for damage. If you find damage, report it to the teacher of the day immediately.

7. Collect their room keys and either leave them on the table before you leave or hold them to give to the teacher of the day, depending on the instructions you received at the chaperone debrief.

8. Release the students to take their luggage to the lobby.

9. Inspect the next room.

10. Report to the teacher of the day that you have completed room inspections and all your students are accounted for.

In the event that groups leave at different times and you are in the second group, you and others will most likely be assigned to inspect several rooms on one floor (not necessarily your assigned rooms). In that case, a “floor monitor” will be assigned. Proceed as follows:1. Write down the rooms you are supposed to inspect so you don’t miss a single one.

2. Inspect all your rooms as described in the previous section.

3. Once your assigned rooms are clear, report to the floor monitor.

4. Go to the lobby to wait with the students already released.

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The following items are discussed:

•Any “situations” that came up during the day that are of interest to the entire group•Instructions for the following day including, but not limited to, the agenda, dress code,

what to do with instruments, what time breakfast is, and behavioral expectations for students.

•The next day’s teacher of the day•Expectations for chaperones•Questions and answers•Lights out time•Take the information back to each student room you are in charge of. Spend whatever

time it takes to be clear about the next day’s details. •Reiterate the lights out time.•Monitor the halls for one hour, then intermittently through the night; for instance, when

you get up to go to the restroom, prowl the halls for a few minutes.

NOTE: Make sure you do not begin this process until the students have taken out their mini-itineraries or a piece of paper and are WRITING YOUR INSTRUCTIONS DOWN!

AND LASTLY....While monitoring the halls may seem excessive, you will be surprised how far some students will push the envelope.

Hotel Check-Out Procedure

NOTE: If there are two or more groups departing at different times and you have students whose roommates left on the first bus or flight, make sure there is more than one student left in each room. At the very least, there should be two, and preferably, three. If you have a room with only one student, either move other students into his or her room or move him or her to another room. This is important for both safety and liability reasons. This eliminates any possibility of leaving a child behind!

This is perhaps the most important procedure. It is imperative that you follow these instructions to the letter.

Check-In ProcedureFrom the moment we meet at the busses and/or airport for departure, you will be checking students in multiple times a day. The students will be told corporately, but if they don’t quite get the hang of it right away, remind them of the procedure. You are not a babysitter—you don’t check in with them, they check in with you.

Ms. K determines when and where the check-ins occur. It is your responsibility to arrive a few minutes early so your students see you and can go right to you. Always carry a written checklist of your students, even if you know them very well! When all the kids are coming at once, it is easy to count the same child twice or think you checked in a student you didn’t, especially on day two or three when the fatigue sets in! Be sure to explain to your students that they MUST make eye contact with you and have you acknowledge them. THEY CANNOT BOARD THE BUS/LEAVE until they have been released.

Use the following procedure:•Arrive at the meeting place a few minutes early.•Hold up your hand or provide some other kind of signal so they can spot you in the crowd.•Make eye contact with each student, then check him or her off the list.•Release him or her to board the bus.•Once all of your students have checked in, report to the teacher of the day.•Board the busses.

If one or more of your students is so late to check-in that it holds up the group, they will have to “talk to” Ms. K. This is usually not a pleasant experience, so please highly encourage them to wear their watches, keep their cell phones handy, and be constantly aware of the time!

Expected Behaviors and Disciplinary ActionsYou have been chosen to chaperone this trip because of a well-established relationship you have with the teaching staff. They trust you to make appropriate common-sense decisions that will serve the students and correctly represent the staff.

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A copy of the Tour Permission Form appears below for your reference. Subsequent sections list specific guidelines on how to handle such situations. Read this section carefully, as it will be the primary basis of your decision-making. The staff expects you to follow through accordingly.

According to the State Education Code, the first priority of teachers is assuring the safety of their students. Therefore, the following rules as well as those outlined in the SJUSD Student Behavior Handbook will be enforced in order to meet this directive: (continued)

Students found in the possession of ANY illegal drug, including alcohol, or under the influence of ANY illegal substance will be sent home immediately at the parent’s expense. Upon return to school, the student will be suspended, and subject to an expulsion hearing at the District Office, pursuant to the rules outlined in the Student Handbook.

Students found in the possession of cigarettes, or smelling of cigarette smoke, will be sent home at the parent’s expense. Students will not burn any substance at any time during the tour. Students found with incense or herbs will be suspected of trying to cover the smell of cigarettes or marijuana smoke, will be assumed guilty, and will be sent home at the parent’s expense. There will be no leniency on this issue.

Students must travel in groups of three or more. Students who leave in groups of less than three tour participants without the explicit permission of one of the chaperones may be sent home.

Students may visit in the rooms of other students regardless of gender provided that the following rules are observed: students must be invited by the occupants of the room; no fewer than three students are in a room at the same time; visiting is done only during free time given; no visiting will occur after the curfew or before the wake-up call.

Students will be given some free time. At assigned times, students must check in with their chaperones, not the other way around. Any chaperone has the authority to alter activities or deny permission.

Students will treat chaperones with respect.

Three-Deep PolicyNever put a student or yourself in a compromising position by being alone with a student in a closed-door room, vehicle, or bathroom. If it is not possible to be in a larger group, keep the “Three-Deep Rule” in mind: one adult and two students or two adults and one student. A total of three people eliminates the possibility of a charge ending being one person’s word against another’s.

Medication and IllnessAt the time of departure, students taking medications should hand you a form that itemizes the administration of any prescription and/or over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Your job is to simply monitor the student, quietly making sure that he or she is following through with parental instructions. In some cases, a parent may ask you to hold medicines for the student. In most cases, a student’s friends are not aware of his or her situation. Therefore, it is imperative are careful to use discretion and maintain confidentiality. We strongly recommend that you have a conversation with the parent before departure to make sure you thoroughly understand the situation.

Never EVER administer a medication to a student without parental permission, not even something as “benign” as Tylenol, Benadryl, or TUMS. If an emergency situation dictates that you call a parent to get permission to administer medicine not listed on the child’s permission slip, make sure you write down the time and date of the call and have another chaperone present to witness the call.

If there is a serious medical situation, such as high fever, vomiting, restricted breathing, dehydration, or severe first-aid needs, inform the teacher of the day immediately.

Chaperone DebriefsEvery night during curfew (usually the hour before lights out), Ms. K leads a chaperone debrief. This meeting is generally in the hotel lobby or a teacher’s hotel room. Please bring your clipboard, mini-itinerary, pen or pencil, and notepad with you to jot down the plans for the next day, as things can change from day to day.

TIP:Writing on your lap on a bus is annoying at best. Bring along a clipboard for your writing (it makes check-in much easier, too!)

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Students in Groups of Fewer Than ThreeAs the Tour Permission Form clearly states, students must travel in groups of three. If you find one or two students wandering by themselves, consider whether it is a first-time infraction or chronic behavior, then:

Take one of the following actions:Ask him and/or her where the rest of the group is.Tell him and/or her to immediately get with a group.Require him and/or her to stay with you (“chap time”) at all times the remainder of the day or until you can locate a group for him and/or her to join.Report the incidences at the chaperone meeting so other chaperones can watch for similar behavior the next day.Report chronic offenders to the teacher of the day.

Room VisitationsMembers of the opposite sex can be in each others’ hotel room during free time provided they have at least three people present and the door is open. If you find this not to be the case, clear the room of all except those who belong in that room with a stern warning to all parties that according to the contract, they are in jeopardy of being sent home. Get names. If students are repeat offenders, they WILL be subject to administrative action and/or risk being sent home.

Alcohol, Cigarettes, and Illegal DrugsStudent use of these substances is strictly prohibited. If you find it and/or suspect it, do the following:

•Do NOT leave the room. Call your roommate and the teacher of the day to meet you in the room.

•Note the date, time, and names of those allegedly involved for documentation purposes.•Write down as much as you can so you can clearly remember later. If you have a digital

camera with you, take a picture.

The faculty will contact Lincoln administration for advice and further instructions.

Conflict ResolutionNone of us get enough rest on tour, and tours are very stressful for the faculty. Please keep the following in mind:

Decisions have to be made on the fly … often. This is a gentle reminder to respect the teacher of the day and/or the tour director, who will be acting on behalf of the faculty for the good of the “we.” If you disagree with any decision, please approach the faculty member or tour director privately and one-on-one. Sometimes decisions rely on factors other those that are immediately obvious.

If there is a conflict between students, work with the students involved to see if you can reestablish peace. This sometimes happens in rooms where students don’t know each other very well, and sometimes in rooms where they thought they DID know each other well—those are the worst fights of all. If necessary, call another chaperone and/or a staff member for assistance.If you have a disagreement with another chaperone or a teacher, please try to resolve it directly with that person without involving other chaperones. In other words, avoid chatting with your roommate about it! What if the other party happens to be walking by your door as you’re talking loudly? (Yes, unfortunately, it’s happened before!)

If students report difficulties with chaperones, advise the students on how to approach their chaperone. Monitor the situation carefully. If necessary, defer to Ms. K.

If you need support to approach another chaperone or teacher, ask Ms. K directly. If the problem is Ms. K, she’s always going to be ready to listen. She’s human too!

TIP:Do not go to sleep angry! All conflicts can be resolved. We all make mistakes. Let’s work to resolve them, not dwell on them or live with them.

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Inappropriate Touching and/or Sexual ActivityAll school rules apply on these trips. Inappropriate touching and/or sexual activity between students has grave consequences. If a student reports an incident to you, contact the teacher of the day immediately. Any such incident may involve local law enforcement, law enforcement once back in San Jose, being sent home at parents’ expense, school suspension, and/or loss of senior privileges.

If a student reports an incident involving a chaperone, contact Ms. K immediately.

Curfew/Lights OutStudents are expected to adhere to curfew and lights out times. Sometimes the scheduled times will change, depending on our arrival time back to the hotel. However, the following mandates apply regardless of time:

•Students may NOT be out of their rooms for any reason after curfew.•Students should not be loudly talking, laughing, and/or socializing in their rooms after lights out. The television or music should not be blaring as well. •Students may not call between rooms after lights out unless they need to call their chaperone.

All chaperones are expected to patrol halls (refer to the Chaperone Debrief section).

If you notice that violations are occurring, get another chaperone or two, knock on the door, and calmly but sternly correct the behavior, along with giving a warning that a repeat visit will involve a faculty member. If a repeat visit is necessary, call for reinforcement from the teacher of the day and/or Ms. K.

Cursing and/or Rude GesturesLincoln has a zero-tolerance policy for derogatory remarks. These comments will not be tolerated for any reason, and will be punishable by the Lincoln administration upon our return to school. If you witness such behavior, correct the student immediately. If the behavior continues, call Ms. K, who will make a decision as to the punishment based on the infraction. In addition, verbal abuse of any kind from a chaperone toward a student or other chaperone will result in the chaperone being sent home at his or her own expense.

Non-Tour VisitorsStudents who want to meet up with relatives during the trip are welcome to do so during free time in the park; however, the following rules apply:

• A student may meet a non-tour visitor during free time but may not deviate from the schedule for any reason.

• Under no circumstances can the student depart in a private vehicle with the family member during free time.

• The student’s parent must turn in a written request to Ms. K by the date stipulated at the tour group meeting. This request must include the following: family member name, contact information (names and phone numbers), and the date and time frame of the visit.

• The student must check out and check back in with his or her chaperone. Please exchange cell numbers with all parties for emergency purposes.

Requests to meet with friends of the family will not be considered; however, friends and relatives are encouraged to come support students in our competition performances!

Trip DeviationsWe strongly advise that students not deviate from the tour itinerary; however, occasionally students have unavoidable scheduling conflicts. In such cases, submit a written request to Ms. K by the date stipulated at the tour group meeting that includes the:

Name of family member responsibleContact informationDate and time of the deviation

NOTE:A copy of any non-tour visit or trip deviation request will be inyour chaperone envelope. Keep it with you at all times. If thereis no request on record, do not release a child to anyone, noteven a parent, under ANY circumstances. In addition, do notengage in a verbal or physical match with the individual. Call forback-up from other chaperones and/or staff.

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