Field Trip Permission Form – Caving Trip

Tuesday, November1st; ORWednesday, November 2nd, 2011

Ninth grade students from the Commonwealth Governor’s School will be participating in an all day field trip on 11/01/11 or 11/02/11. Each day part of the ninth grade CGS students will be traveling to Grand Caverns and FountainCave, Grottos, VA, as part of an Earth Science unit on karst topography. North Stafford, Colonial Forge and 15Riverebend students will attend on Tues. Nov. 1st; Stafford, Spotsylvania, and 15Riverbend students will attend on Wed., Nov. 2nd.

Parents –we are leaving and returning late so please make arrangements to drop off and pick up your child!

Estimated Schedule

Tuesday, November 1st– 8RiverbendStudents All North Stafford High Site – Bus 1

6:15AM / Pickup Students at North Stafford Site
6:45 AM / Pickup Students at Riverbend Site
8:30 AM / Arrive at Grottos, Virginia
5:30 PM / Leave for Home
7:00 PM / Arrive Back at Riverbend Site
7:30 PM / Arrive Back at North Stafford Site

Tuesday, November 1st– 7 Riverbend Students & All Colonial ForgeSite – Bus 2

6:15 AM / Pickup Students at Colonial Forge Site
6:45 AM / Pickup Students at Riverbend Site
8:30 AM / Arrive at Grottos, Virginia
5:30 PM / Leave for Home
7:00 PM / Arrive Back at Riverbend Site
7:30 PM / Arrive Back at Colonial Forge Site

Wednesday, November 2nd – 8 Riverbend Students & All Stafford High Site – Bus 1

6:15 AM / Pickup Students at Stafford Site
6:45 AM / Pickup Students at Riverbend Site
8:30 AM / Arrive at Grottos, Virginia
5:30 PM / Leave for Home
7:00 PM / Arrive Back at Riverbend Site
7:30 PM / Arrive Back at Stafford Site

Wednesday, November 2nd – 7 Riverbend Students & All Spotsylvania Site – Bus 2

6:15 AM / Pickup Students at Spotsylvania Site
6:45 AM / Pickup Students at Riverbend Site
8:30 AM / Arrive at Grottos, Virginia
5:30 PM / Leave for Home
7:00 PM / Arrive Back at Riverbend Site
7:30 PM / Arrive Back at Spotsylvania Site

Understand that conditions may delay our return. In that case we will try to notify parents through cell phones.

Your Caving Trip Checklist:

  1. You will be doing a lot of walking outside. It is suggested you wear jeans, t-shirt, a sweatshirt, and comfortable shoes.
  2. You need to take the following items for the wild cave exploration:
  • Big garbage bag
  • Boots for wild cave & shoes or boots for the hiking portion (NO FLIP FLOPS!)
  • Gloves for wild cave—garden/leather style
  • Extra socks, pants, sweatshirt—remember we are going to have you change clothes after you have completed your tour of the wild cave
  • It is best if these are clothes you can put on over what you are wearing!
  • Any outer clothing will need to be removed and stored in the garbage bag upon exiting the wild cave.

3. It is a long day. You will need to take the following:

  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Water—for the day
  • Snacks if you desire them

***No peanut products are allowed due to student’s severe allergies them!!***

**DO NOT FEED THE HODAGS!**

The cost of this trip is $10.00. Please pay your science teacher at your CGS site NO LATER THAN MONDAY, October24th. Checks can be made out to your site (see teacher for particulars). CGS will pay the cost of the bus.

FOOD–Since we will be gone for 13 hours, students are asked to bring both a lunch and dinner. Students need to pack their lunch and dinner in separate containers, so we can put their dinner on ice. Eating is allowed on the bus. Students might want to bring some snacks. Due to a student’s severe allergy to peanut products, no one should bring any peanut products whatsoever on this trip!

SAFETY – Students will be entering a non-commercial cave, andthe teachers leading the wild cave activities, Mr. McCloud and Mr. Morris, are both accomplished cavers.The risks are minimal: there is no lighting and some paths have minimal grading. There will be no rappelling; however, students have the option to participate in a fairly tight crawl. Helmets and lamps will be provided.

EQUIPMENT–Students should take stout hiking shoes or boots to wear that may get wet in the wild cave. Jeans, tennis shoes, and a sweatshirt are appropriate for all activities except for the wild cave. Clothing for the wild cave should include something OLD whichWILLLIKELY GET MUDDY. Coveralls are recommended. Students need totake a complete change of clothes to change into after their wild cave experience and a garbage bag for the muddy items. The bus company will charge an extra fee for a dirty bus. For the protection of the bats, students must change shoes after completion of the wild cave exploration.

Teacher Permission

______will be on a CGS caving field trip on ______and will miss their 1 & 2 block classes. Students are aware that they need to make up any work missed.

Home Room ______1st ______2nd ______

Parent Permission

I give ______permission to travel by charter bus to Grand Caverns on ______. I understand that students will spend time in a commercial cave and a non-commercial cave. They will also be hiking with handheld GPS and performing water quality tests. A nurse will not be present to administer medication. You will need to pick-up your child after the event.

(signed) ______(date) ______

(day time phone) ______

Any heath concerns you would like to share with the CGS teachers:

Note: You & your student MUST fill out & sign the Grand Caverns/Fountain Cave "Release of All Claims Form!" No student may enter the caves without this document. SEE ATTACHED

Release of All ClaimsForm for Grand Caverns and FountainCave, Grottos, Virginia

I, the undersigned, hereby request permission to enter FountainCave, located at GrandCavernsRegionalPark, Grottoes Virginia, and to participate in the exploration of FountainCave this day. I know the general nature of cave explorations and I know the risks and dangers involved in such activity, and that unanticipated and unexpected dangers may arise during such activities, in and about the premises.

In consideration of the permission granted to me to enter the premises and participate in the stated activity, I hereby, for myself, my heirs, administrators and assigns, release, remise and discharge the owners, operators and sponsors of the premises and activities therein and their respective servants, agents, officers and officials, and all other participants in the stated activity of and from all claims, demands, actions and causes of action of any sort, for injury sustained to my person and/or property during my presence in and around the premises and my participation in the activity due to negligence or any other fault.

I represent and certify that my true age is ___ years.

I certify that my attendance and participation of the stated activities is voluntary, and that I am not, in any way, the employee, servant or agent of the owners, operators or sponsors of the premises and the activity therein.

I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE FOREGOING REQUEST AND RELEASE.

In Witness Whereof, I have executed this request and release at Grand Caverns on

______, 2011.

(Date)

______

(Cave Visitor)

______

(Parent or legal guardian must sign for minors.)