Poughkeepsie City School District officials are still coping with the aftermath of a field trip that went awry in October. Nicole Morrison, a senior, told school board members at a Nov. 28 meeting that the learning process has been disrupted by a revolving door of substitute teachers since Peter Mobijohn, the teacher responsible for the field trip, was suspended.
“We have learned nothing. It’s ridiculous,” Morrison said.
After several students got lost during a science field trip to Catskill Park in Ulster County, Mobijohn was disciplined and suspended and has not returned to work.
It could take some time before a permanent teacher is found. The hearing review process, entitled to suspended teachers under state law, can drag on for months before the individual is terminated, tying the board’s hands to find a replacement.
While officials have the option of hiring a long-term substitute, science, along with math and foreign languages, are the fields generally more difficult to fill, according to board president Raymond Duncan.
Some parents at a meeting in November were outraged over the field trip debacle and wanted to know what was being done to prevent similar scenarios in the future.
In response, the board is changing its field trip policy to add a suggested ratio of students to chaperones. No chaperones attended the field trip to the Catskills, but the new policy proposes ratios of 5 students to one chaperone for younger students and 10 to one for those in fourth grade or higher. Exceptions could be made, depending on the nature of the trip, with the principal’s approval.
Additionally, updated permission slips will now require two contact numbers for guardians in case of an emergency, and teachers must fill out a checklist before and during each trip to remind them about key details, including students’ attire – some were reportedly not dressed appropriately for the hiking trip.
As the board reconsidered the policy Nov. 28, the question of funding for trips also arose. By law, trips that are part of the curriculum must be funded by the district, but determining which fit that definition is trickier. One parent questioned the fairness when parents are required to pay. Duncan said the board is consulting with its attorney, and will continue refining the policy at its Dec. 12 regular board meeting at the administration building.
Lost students
The Oct. 18 incident occurred during Mobijohn’s field trip with more than 40 science students. According to sources, the trip had been rescheduled, and none of the parent chaperones who had initially promised to attend showed up. Midway through the hike, a group of about five students asked permission to explore on their own for 10 minutes while the others rested at a clearing. Students have said that when they returned, the class was gone. Trying to find their own way back, they got lost and came to a road where they flagged down a resident who was driving by. They were reunited with their classmates at the location where the bus was parked. State police were called in to assist.
Athletic policy
The board will also reconsider its athletic policy at the Dec. 12 board meeting. Officials are setting tighter standards for grades required to play sports, and they are also making sure that rules are consistently recorded in policy, regulation and student codes. Under the new policy, students will be suspended from sports for failing more than two classes. If their grades slip below 65 in two subjects, they will be placed on probation where their weekly progress will be monitored, and they will be suspended if grades do not improve.
Athletic director Matthew Cameron expressed concern over making the guidelines too strict, saying that some students needed the motivation of sports to even attend school.
“If the hook is sports, that’s great,” said parent Shirl Susser, adding that extra help for troubled students was also required. “They should be given whatever help they need to pass,” she said.