Overnight Trips

Sometimes activities like field trips, scholastic events, or sports will require an overnight stay. However, sleeping arrangements can present challenges for schools: how to keep your students and employees safe while providing a rewarding experience.

Make sure chaperones are screened and trained on your school’s supervision guidelines. The goal should be to prevent any opportunity for unsupervised one-on-one interaction. The rule of three or two-adult rule apply for sleeping arrangements, too. For purposes of the policy, an adult staff member must be at least 18 years of age and at least five years older than the oldest student being supervised.

Adults should sleep separately, but in close proximity in case of an emergency, if possible. You may consider having adults monitor sleeping quarters throughout the night as an added layer of safety.

Students sharing the same room should of the same gender and age to reduce the risk of peer-on-peer abuse.

Schools should communicate sleeping arrangements to parents/guardians and students as a part of its overall safety policies and procedures.