The district periodically takes students on field trips for educational purposes. A parent must provide permission for a student to participate in a field trip. The district may ask the parent to provide information about a student’s medical provider and insurance coverage and may also ask the parent to sign a waiver allowing for emergency medical treatment in the case of a student accident or illness during the field trip. The district may require a fee for student participation in a field trip that is not required as part of a basic educational program or course to cover expenses such as transportation, admission, and meals; however, a student will not be denied participation because of financial need. The district is not responsible for refunding fees paid directly to a third-party vendor.

Students who participate in school-sponsored activities/trips are required to use school-provided transportation to and from the event. However, in accordance with campus procedures, a parent may provide written consent for his or her child to ride with or be released after the event to the parent or another adult designated by the parent.

The district makes school bus transportation available to all students living two or more miles from school and to any students who are experiencing homelessness. This service is provided at no cost to students. Bus routes and stops will be designated annually. Any subsequent changes will be posted at the school and on the district’s website. For the safety of the driver and all passengers, students must board district vehicles only at authorized stops and drivers must unload passengers only at authorized stops. The district has identified the following areas where hazardous traffic conditions and/or a high risk of violence exist for students who live within two miles of the campus: train tracks and Interstate 20. Because students in these areas might encounter hazardous traffic conditions or be subject to a high risk of violence when walking to and from school, the district will provide transportation to these students. For additional information, please contact: Dr. Kenny Border, Chief Operations Officer, at 325-235-8601

A parent may designate a child-care facility or grandparent’s residence as the regular pickup and drop-off location for his or her child. The designated location must be an approved stop on an approved route. For information on bus routes and stops or to designate an alternate pickup or drop-off location, contact 325-235-4181. Students are expected to assist district staff in ensuring that buses and other district vehicles are clean and safe. Students must: follow the driver’s directions at all times; enter and leave the vehicle in an orderly manner at the designated stop; keep feet, books, instrument cases, and other objects out of the aisle; not deface the vehicle or its equipment; not put head, hands, arms, or legs out of the window, hold any object out of the window, or throw objects within or out of the vehicle; not possess or use any form of tobacco or e-cigarettes in any district vehicle; observe all usual classroom rules; be seated while the vehicle is moving; fasten their seat belts, if available; wait for the driver’s signal upon leaving the vehicle and before crossing in front of the vehicle; and follow any other rules established by the operator of the vehicle. Misconduct will be punished in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct, including loss of the privilege to ride in a district vehicle.

Sweetwater ISD uses Grave Enterprise for all inspections on vehicles located at 813 West Broadway.