DATE: Saturday, June 7, 1997                TAG: 9706070273

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY DENISE WATSON, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   65 lines

PRINCIPAL IS CHECKING IF TEACHERS MISBEHAVED STUDENTS AND ORGANIZER QUESTION CHAPERONES' ACTION ON TRIP.

Norview Middle School Principal Frank Steadman said he is investigating complaints of teacher misconduct during a weeklong trip to Puerto Rico taken by eight students and three teachers last month.

Students said they smelled alcohol on teachers during the trip. They also said the trip was disorganized and plans to study the rain forest and historic sites were shortened by teachers who wanted to stay on the beach.

Long-term substitute teacher Lolita Caboteja and sixth-grade teachers Nova Jean Corillo and Donna Blount escorted seven middle school students, a high school student and the adult sister of a student on a trip to study Spanish culture.

District spokesman George Raiss said an investigation of the trip would take as long as needed. School district policy prohibits employees from drinking on the job.

``Those are highly unusual circumstances and allegations of that sort would prompt an investigation,'' he said.

Steadman, the school principal, said it could take weeks to interview everyone involved, including hotel managers in Puerto Rico.

Steadman declined to comment on specifics of the investigation, such as when it began or particular incidents, but he said he's ``looking at the entire trip.''

``People are subject to certain expectations regarding themselves as professionals,'' Steadman said.

Blount didn't return calls by Friday and Corillo hung up the phone when contacted.

But Caboteja, who was in charge of the excursion, said there's plenty to look into.

Caboteja began planning the trip a few months ago while substituting for a Spanish teacher on maternity leave. Caboteja said she asked several teachers at the school to help chaperone, and all but Corillo and Blount said they would be busy.

Problems began shortly after the group arrived in Puerto Rico on May 25.

Caboteja said the group had to change hotels twice before finding rooms. The first hotel had no record of reservations for the group, she said, and the second would have taken several hours to prepare rooms.

She said the three teachers argued because of the problems. Students said they stood by and watched.

Caboteja said that was the first of many confrontations.

Student Gordon Meekins said there were arguments throughout the week about which sites to visit and how long to stay. He said they visited one rain forest for a short time and El Morro, a historic fort. But he said they spent a lot of time on the beach.

``We went to the beach almost every day. I thought we were supposed to . .

His sister, Tabitha Meekins, 20, went along on the trip because she thought the $525 cost of airfare and hotel was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

She said she went to a bar with the two sixth-grade teachers where they drank margaritas.

But she said their drinking, while they were responsible as chaperones, as well as the constant tension between Caboteja and the teachers, bothered her. Meekins called her mom.

``I was getting very upset. The (teachers) acted like there were no children there,'' Meekins said.

Parent Darlene Meekins said she was so upset she considered flying to Puerto Rico to get her children. KEYWORDS: NORFOLK SCHOOLS FIELD TRIP INVESTIGATION

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