Regulations of the State of Pennsylvania provide that, upon written request from the parents/guardians of the pupils involved, pupils may be excused from school attendance to participate in an educational tour or trip not sponsored by the school when the trip is evaluated by the Superintendent as educational and if the adult supervision is acceptable to both the Superintendent and the pupil’s parent/guardians. In the East Penn School District the building principal has been designated by Superintendent to make the initial decision, based on the information provided. In order to clarify such absences, the following procedure for non-school educational trips/tour is established:
1. The proper form available in each building and online must be submitted to the principal a minimum of five (5) school days prior to the trip (except in an emergency). Parents/guardians will be notified in any case in which the request is denied.
2. Requests will be approved only if it can be determined that such trip/tour is of educational value to the student.
3. Unless there are unusual or emergency circumstances, such requests will NOT be approved for the first ten (10) school days of the year or during the district’s standardized testing period or the state’s testing periods.
4. If more than one child in a family will be taking the trip/tour, one request may be submitted for all children. If separate schools are involved a copy will be sent to the additional schools for approval.
5. No more than ten (10) requests in any school year. (Special requests with unusual circumstances or exceptional opportunities for learning should be discussed personally with the building principal well in advance of requested dates for absence.)
6. Satisfactory academic achievement will be considered in the approval of such a request.
7. All schoolwork missed during the trip/tour must be made up at the initiation of the student immediately upon returning to school.