School Overnight Trips Debated By Hillsborough Board Of Education

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ — Factors surrounding school overnight trips were debated amongst the Hillsborough Board of Education, including student costs, missed instructional time and how the approval process should work.

The discussion followed a motion on the Monday night BOE agenda for conceptual approval of anticipated 2026-2027 overnight trips.

Assistant Superintendent Dr. Lisa Rebimbas explained that the request was for the board to consider a list of anticipated overnight field trips earlier in the school year, before staff complete the full planning process.

Rebimbas said staff were asking for approval so teachers and advisers could begin organizing costs, nursing coverage, food, lodging and other details, while each trip would still return to the board later for formal approval.

Board members questioned what that early approval means in practice.

Board President Joel Davis said the intent appeared to be to let the board raise concerns sooner, before staff put in extensive time on a trip that might later be rejected.

"The intent behind this is to just get the ball rolling sooner in part so that the board can have more of an opportunity to voice concerns if there are such," said Davis.

Several members focused on the financial burden for families and the effect of travel on classroom time.

Board member Jane Staats noted that all of the trips have value and are "wonderful."

"But I look at two things. One is if they lose a significant number of days of instruction or any days of instruction and also the cost to the individual students because it is the students that bear the cost whether it's their own cost or through fundraising or a combination," said Staats.

Discussion included concerns about show choir trips because students in that class may be required to participate, and about higher-cost travel for activities including dance team, marching band and FBLA.

Student representative Isabella Alizinger defended the value of the trips.

"I'm a member of the dance team. I've gone to nationals. This is my fourth year going to nationals. And from a student perspective, it's honestly like it's the best experience ever. And it really provides you more than just like a competition," said Alizinger.

She also said the trips provide networking opportunities, help students build responsibility and have helped students represent the high school on a broader stage.

"I think we, maybe from a student perspective of being in the arts, sometimes we feel a little overlooked and these competitions are a way to stand out and a way to represent our school in a way that many people don't often recognize," said Alizinger.

Board member Cindy Nurse said the trips are about "doing what's best for the students, for the staff, for the district."

She noted that teachers take the trips because they see the value in it versus staying in the classroom.

"We do this because we know the value in going to these places, in taking part in this and like our students say, there's so much other value in connecting with other people, not just within your sport, within your dance, your competition, but with people around the whole country and the camaraderie that comes with it," said Nurse. "Teachers will not be planning these things if they did not believe in the value."

Henry Goodhue, President of the Hillsborough Education Association, cited board policy, reading: "the board of education recognizes that field trips properly planned and integrated with the curriculum are educationally sound and important and an important part of the program of the schools that can supplement and enrich classroom instruction by providing learning experiences in an environment outside of the school."

The Board ultimately approved the motion for conceptual approval of anticipated 2026-2027 overnight trips.

The conceptual approval allows planning to move forward, with individual trips set to come back to the board for final approval.

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