Kassia Posted August 30, 2017 Share Posted August 30, 2017 Our district has a 6th grade trip to Hershey, PA, a 7th Grade trip to Chicago, and then an 8th grade trip to DC. I don't remember how much they are, but they are pretty expensive. Actually, I think the PA trip has been changed due to common core (didn't match with the standards). We are in OH. It's tough when you're paying for multiple kids. The high school offers trips to Europe that cost thousands, but I don't think those are well attended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2samlibby Posted August 30, 2017 Share Posted August 30, 2017 (edited) $600 seems really cheap for a DC trip. We were invited to along with a local school last year. The price was $1100. It is not sponsored by the school, but the parent's contact someone to coordinate it. Price depends on how many go on the trip and the price of the flight. Another local school added two days in NY to their DC trip this year and the price over $2000. Both prices seem cheap. I'd be thrilled with that cost. Edited August 30, 2017 by mom2samlibby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancingmama Posted August 30, 2017 Share Posted August 30, 2017 My son went to D.C. For his 8th grade trip. It was around 1k but they did fundraising for it all three years of junior high. For every whatever they sold, a portion went towards the trip so In the end we paid significantly less. They went in June after graduation. They also went to Great America in the spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threeofakind Posted August 30, 2017 Share Posted August 30, 2017 I think anything they do here is choice, but it can't be much. When I was in 8th grade we had to go on a 3 day survival camp, make shelter using tarps and had a small coffee can of food, etc.. Exotic, I know 😠2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted August 30, 2017 Share Posted August 30, 2017 8th graders have the option to go for 5 days to D.C./NY...it's $3k per person. We are opting out given the cost- that's ridiculous even considering it includes flights, busses and hotels (we are in Colorado) Yup. I was thinking you are getting a bargain at $600. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted August 30, 2017 Author Share Posted August 30, 2017 Could be the pricier school is charging an overage in order to pay for more chaperones. Which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, depending on who those chaperones are. I'd be glad to pay for part of any of my kids' history teacher costs, none of them got paid enough! Could be. Yesterday I sat in on our 7th grade meeting and they said the 7th graders are going on a day trip. Possibly $100 for students, but free for chaperones. I sat there thinking, "Man, I hope I don't have to go!" They are leaving at 5:45am and getting back around 9 or 10pm and it is a Monday! I would have to come to work the following day. I am too old to do that sort of thing anymore.....unless it is Disney.....I will suck it up for Disney! I used to Chaperone our Senior nights at Disneyland and get up for work the next day and suck it up. (Disneyland was 8pm-4am! And I would still get up the next day and go to work!) I could go for free and I could bring a friend for free, and they would feed us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted August 30, 2017 Author Share Posted August 30, 2017 (edited) 8th graders have the option to go for 5 days to D.C./NY...it's $3k per person. We are opting out given the cost- that's ridiculous even considering it includes flights, busses and hotels (we are in Colorado) Why wouldn't they choose somewhere closer? We didn't have DC trips when I lived in CA. Edited August 30, 2017 by DawnM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnificent_baby Posted August 30, 2017 Share Posted August 30, 2017 Ours does not, and I have not ever heard of an 8th grade trip. Just an occasional day field trip, if any at all. They did have an eclipse field trip to see it in totality, but obviously that was a rare event. If they did, I would try to let them go, even if it was pricey. Most of the traveling I've done was as a teen. Those opportunities slowed way down after getting married and having kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted August 30, 2017 Share Posted August 30, 2017 (edited) Why wouldn't they choose somewhere closer? We didn't have DC trips when I lived in CA. My guess would be because it's the seat of government and a lot of historical monuments are there. Also it seems to coincide with American Government curriculum - it did here at local schools at least. Edited August 30, 2017 by Liz CA 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted August 30, 2017 Share Posted August 30, 2017 One thing that concerns me is that our schools have a total focus on national government. The high school government classes do not see legislature in action in Lansing, nor take the kids to the local courthouse when civil court cases would be so easy for them to arrange to observe and our judges have openly said they would welcome meeting students. These would be easy, inexpensive, one day field trips that would have a lot of meaning and make governance come to life in a way that going to the far off national capitol doesn't. I am not against D.C. field trips per se just thinking about how much money is spent when there are very meaningful experiences right here for so little money. In that respect, our schools are abysmal about this. We have these amazing Great Lakes with fisheries, conservation areas, wild life refuges, DNR officers just begging to be heard, two National Lakeshores, and a National Park. The vast majority of school kids never visit them. The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is only 4 hours away. They could do a one night out trip, and the park service does some amazing educational stuff with groups but it is nearly always 4H and Scouts who take advantage of it, not public schools. So I guess that while I am okay with a cheap trip to D.C., I am disconcerted by expensive ones when there are so many great options here for a pittance of the cost. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyoffive Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 Ooh, and for your homeschooling connection, a homeschool friend got her charter school to cover their costs for a D.C. trip. They covered airfare (even for her), hotel, and museum entry. She only had to pay for food. Get this, they're putting together a HAWAII trip this year. wow What state is she in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted September 9, 2017 Author Share Posted September 9, 2017 One thing that concerns me is that our schools have a total focus on national government. The high school government classes do not see legislature in action in Lansing, nor take the kids to the local courthouse when civil court cases would be so easy for them to arrange to observe and our judges have openly said they would welcome meeting students. These would be easy, inexpensive, one day field trips that would have a lot of meaning and make governance come to life in a way that going to the far off national capitol doesn't. I am not against D.C. field trips per se just thinking about how much money is spent when there are very meaningful experiences right here for so little money. In that respect, our schools are abysmal about this. We have these amazing Great Lakes with fisheries, conservation areas, wild life refuges, DNR officers just begging to be heard, two National Lakeshores, and a National Park. The vast majority of school kids never visit them. The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is only 4 hours away. They could do a one night out trip, and the park service does some amazing educational stuff with groups but it is nearly always 4H and Scouts who take advantage of it, not public schools. So I guess that while I am okay with a cheap trip to D.C., I am disconcerted by expensive ones when there are so many great options here for a pittance of the cost. Our local schools do a lot of that too, but they don't require an overnight trip. They aren't considered as "big" because they can be done in one long day. It isn't an either/or situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquirrellyMama Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 We took an 8th grade camping trip. Pretty sure it was free. The highlight was burning our spelling books :) The school still does this trip. It's been a tradition for decades. Kelly 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 wow What state is she in? California Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyGF Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 Why wouldn't they choose somewhere closer? We didn't have DC trips when I lived in CA. We did despite living in CA because we were studying US history. And it was a great trip, but not mandatory. Emily 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted September 9, 2017 Author Share Posted September 9, 2017 Ooh, and for your homeschooling connection, a homeschool friend got her charter school to cover their costs for a D.C. trip. They covered airfare (even for her), hotel, and museum entry. She only had to pay for food. Get this, they're putting together a HAWAII trip this year. Homeschool charter/umbrella school? I can see how you could write it up as an educational experience, but interesting to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 Homeschool charter/umbrella school? I can see how you could write it up as an educational experience, but interesting to know. Charter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted September 9, 2017 Author Share Posted September 9, 2017 Charter Yes, a charter that is for homeschoolers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyoffive Posted September 10, 2017 Share Posted September 10, 2017 Neat I wonder if you could do that at ours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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