1. Martin County School District Electronic Field Trip Request Form Guide
Risk Management and Educational Technology
August 21, 2017

2. Why The Change?
Risk Management was asked to review all class field trip requests for safety and risk exposures
Deputy Superintendent’s Office, Risk Management, and the Educational Technology Departments worked collaboratively to create an electronic field trip request form on Focus in order to review potential safety concerns for all class field trips

3. What Does It Mean For Teachers and Secretaries?
Discontinue use of paper field trip request form #369
Submit all field trip requests electronically at least 30 days out
Teachers will create and input their class field trip requests through the Focus SIS
Exceptions: Environmental Studies Center field trips and in-state FHSAA Sanctioned events will not require a field trip request form to be completed (only out-of-state FHSAA events will require this form to be completed)
Club Sponsors for District-sponsored club activities and trips that are more than 75 miles (one way) from the school will be required to complete this form
Club activities & trips that are less than 75 miles (one way) from the school will not require a field trip request form through Focus SIS

4. What Does The Approval Chain Look Like? See Notes
Teacher
Secretary
Principal
Risk Management
Field Trips That are 75 Miles and Under (One Way)
Teacher or Club Sponsor
Secretary
Principal
Risk Management
Deputy Superintendent
School Board
Field Trips/Club Activities that are Over 75 Miles (One Way)
Once the teacher has submitted a field trip request, the next person in the approval chain will receive both an notification and an alert on their Focus homepage to view the request and approve it.

5. How To Complete a Field Trip Request Form: Step 1
Log on to Focus SIS
Click on Forms
Click on Field Trip Request

6. Step 2: Complete First Page
Step 2: Complete Page 1. As you can see, the form is very similar to the old Form #369

7. Step 3: Complete Page 2 if Necessary SEE NOTES
If Question #12 and/or #13 was answered yes, then page two of the form will be required to complete. For question #12, if a student attending the trip has been identified as needing special medical attention or medicine administration, then the medication or allergy for each student will need to be listed as well as who will be attending the trip that will administer that medicine. For trips such as end of the year trips that final student attendance lists will not be finalized until immediately prior to the trip taking place, please make note of this in the comment box at the bottom of the form. Risk Management will check in with the creator of the field trip request approximately two weeks before the trip takes place to verify the status of question #12. The next slide will show you how to upload files pertinent to the trip as well as how to type in notes in the comments box that will be pertinent to Questions #12 and #13.

8. Final Steps See Notes For Instructions
Upload Supporting Documentation/Files and Submit a Comment (If Necessary)
In the Upload File box, please include any and all pertinent information. For example, information regarding activities such as a daily itinerary for multi-day trips should be included. For out of town and state trips, information regarding transportation and drivers to and from the airport should be included as well as transportation within the town or state they will be visiting once they have landed. If a Form #10 should be required, please upload the completed Form #10 in the File Upload section. Please provide as much information as possible during the initial request in order to expedite the approval process!
Once Complete, Either Save Draft or Submit Request.

9. Checking the Status of Your Field Trip Request
Check on the status of your field trip request by clicking on the Approval History tab.
Hover your mouse over your request to check the status of it in the approval chain
Once your field trip has been approved, you will receive an notification as well as an alert on your Focus homepage!

10. Secretaries and Principals: How to View and Approve/Deny a Field Trip Request See Notes for Instructions
Once the teacher/club sponsor has submitted the field trip request, the next person in the approval chain will receive an notification from Focus stating that a Field Trip Form Request is pending their approval.
In order to view and approve/deny a field trip, log into Focus SIS and click on the Forms tab. Click on Field Trip Request. Click on the Pending Approval tab and click on the specific field trip request. Click on View. The field trip request form will now be displayed. Review the request and ensure the appropriate documentation is attached. Click on the Deny or Approve button. Once approved, the next person in the chain will be notified. Once the field trip request has been approved by all in the chain, the teacher/club sponsor will receive an notification from Focus stating that their field trip request has been approved.

11. Final Thoughts….
Remember…with any new process, we will experience a learning curve and may need some minor adjustments along the way.
We appreciate your patience and welcome your feedback and look forward to working with staff to make this new form a success !
Don Calderone Paul McGuinness,
Risk and Benefits Specialist Director of ET