Before the Trip
What is the first thing staff should do before scholars board the bus?
Take attendance and ensure all scholars are accounted for.
What is the number one responsibility of staff on a trip?
Actively supervise scholars.
How often should headcounts happen?
Whenever you are transitioning locations and throughout the entire trip.
Who should be notified first during an emergency?
Trip lead/site leadership.
Should staff remain engaged with scholars during lunch?
Yes. Even though you take lunch with scholars, it is a working lunch. Supervision still needs to occur.
Name two items every staff member should have before leaving.
Attendance Roster for your class, emergency contacts, first aid supplies, asthma pumps, allergy list (any two).
A scholar says, "I'm just going to catch up with my cousin's group over there." What is the correct response?
The scholar stays with their assigned group and staff at all times unless approved through program protocol.
Why should scholars never sit in the emergency exits on a school trip bus?
To allow staff to respond quickly during an emergency.
If a scholar has a medical emergency, what information should be readily available?
Emergency contacts, medical information, and any required medications.
Why should personal phone usage be limited to emergencies or program related communication?
Staff should prioritize supervision over personal distractions.
True or False: It's okay to assume another staff member has completed the headcount.
False.
What does active supervision look like?
Positioning yourself strategically, scanning continuously, engaging scholars, and moving throughout the space.
A scholar wanders away from the group and you cannot locate them. What is your first priority?
Alert leadership immediately while maintaining supervision of the remaining scholars according to protocol.
While walking through a museum, the fire alarm sounds. What are the first two actions staff should take?
Why is arriving on time and in the proper uniform considered a safety expectation, not just a professionalism expectation?
Being on time ensures proper staffing and supervision from the start, and wearing the required uniform allows scholars, families, and venue staff to easily identify staff members in an emergency.
Why is it important to review behavior expectations before departing?
To establish clear expectations and reduce safety concerns.
You notice all four staff members standing together talking while scholars are playing. What are at least three supervision concerns?
Name three situations that require an incident report.
Injury, missing scholar, behavioral incident, medical concern
What should happen if the bus breaks down?
Keep scholars together, maintain supervision, contact leadership, and wait for instructions.
Give two examples of modeling positive behavior on a trip.
Using respectful language, staying engaged, following schedules, redirecting behaviors and demonstrating enthusiasm.
Two scholars arrive five minutes late after the bus has been loaded. What steps should happen before departure?
Notify leadership immediately, re-verify attendance, and ensure scholars are safely accounted for before leaving.
At an amusement park, a scholar tells you they don't want to ride and asks to sit on a bench alone while everyone else rides. What do you do?
A scholar is never left unsupervised. A staff member remains with the scholar or the group follows the established supervision plan.
What is the main area scholars should avoid during the annual summer games event?
The front row of the balcony
A parent arrives unexpectedly at the trip location asking to take their child home.
Follow release procedures with your supervisior and verify authorization before releasing the scholar.
A scholar begins arguing loudly with different camp scholar on a trip. What is the best response?
Calmly separate the scholars, de-escalate the situation, maintain supervision of the group, and follow behavior protocols updating your supervisor.