POLAND – Months after a baseball coach failed to show up for a Florida trip with his team and neglected to send money for transportation and lodging, Poland Regional High School has created a new protocol for overnight trips.

Under the rule, trips must be approved by the School Committee, fund raising must be OK’d, and all money must be deposited into a school account. Parents must receive a day-to-day itinerary at least 30 days before the trip. The co-curricular director must receive confirmation of the trip and must meet with the group’s adviser at least 15 days before the trip to complete plans.

Although teachers and staff followed general guidelines for overnight trips, this is the first time they have received a written protocol.

“It tightens up and leaves less gray area,” said Co-curricular Director Susan Robbins. “They are steps to follow through so everyone is on the same page.”

The new protocol will apply to all overnight trips taken by sports teams, clubs and other student groups. Between 10 and 20 trips occur each school year.

The new rules were created after the school’s varsity baseball team was left stranded in an empty school parking lot last spring. Varsity baseball coach Charlie Green had failed to show for a spring training trip to Cocoa Beach. Transportation to the Boston airport didn’t arrive because of a scheduling glitch. And while deposits had been made, the final $5,400 check to the spring training facility and the final $300 check to the Florida rental car agency weren’t sent.

About 12 hours after his players began waiting for him in an empty high school parking lot, Green was found uninjured. Citing confidential personnel issues, school officials would say only that Green was dealing with personal problems.

Both checks had been made out to the proper people and were found uncashed.

Green resigned shortly after the incident.

The high school’s new protocol was put in place over the summer. It is in effect this school year.