Christine,
We also use a 1:10 ratio for elementary students.  However I try to get a
ratio of closer to 1:5 for pre-school & Kindergarten aged
children--especially if there is a hands-on activity involved.  We have more
of a problem keeping the chaperones limited to the ratio than meeting the
ratio.  The last museum I worked at actually went to a policy of charging a
small fee for chaperones in excess of 5 over the required number.  (The
required number of chaperones were admitted free.)We were starting to have a
problem with all the extra adults carrying on their own (unrelated)
conversations in the background, which was distracting the children.  We
found that with fewer adults, they were more likely to focus on their
chaperone duties than socializing with each other.  I have never turned a
group away for not having enough chaperones.  On one or two occasions, I
have called in an extra volunteer to assist with a group if I was really
worried about not having enough assistance.

We have three historic structures in addition to the museum.  We use three
docents  when touring the buildings & divide larger school groups into three
groups that rotate through the buildings.  So as long as we have three
chaperones, no child is left alone with museum staff/volunteers.  Smaller
groups may only need to be divided into 2 groups or not at all.  We don't
have the problem of the intersection that you do, as our buildings are on
the same lot.

Edith W. Brady
Curator of Education
High Point Museum
1859 E. Lexington Ave.
High Point, NC  27262
(336) 885-1859
(336) 883-3284 fax

Date:    Fri, 28 Jun 2002 16:48:56 -0400
From:    Christine Dwyer <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Chaperone Ratio

Hello,

We are considering adopting a policy that specifies how many adult
chaperones must accompany a visiting school group, i.e., one adult per x
students.  This is important for numerous reasons, one being that groups
must cross a busy intersection to visit one stop on the tour, another being
that museum staff (paid or volunteer) should not be alone with a student(s).

I'd be especially interested in hearing from those who have tours with
multiple buildings involved --

What ratio do you use for groups -- 1:5, 1:10, 1:x?
How strictly do you enforce your policy? Have you refused a group for
insufficient supervision?

Obviously, this policy would be aimed primarily at elementary school groups,
summer camps, or similar.

Thank you,
Christine Dwyer
Stanly County Museum

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