4th Grade St. Mary's Field Trip - Does Your School Go?

[Anonymous]

Does every 4th grade class in MCPS go on this field trip?

DD is on a soccer team with lots of girls from two other ESs and they have gone. Said it was fun! And, my nephew's ES does this trip. But our ES has not. Wondering if this is county-wide?

[Anonymous]

Yes, my child went in 4th grade last year.

[Anonymous]

My kid at Forest Knolls went. It's a long day - they got back around 6 - but they had a great time.

[Anonymous]

Our school goes tomorrow. I know another school that didn’t do it one year out of concern for the cost.

[Anonymous]

Yes, our 4th grader is going in May.

[Anonymous]

What is it?

[Anonymous]

Yes for Woodlin and Pine Crest.
No for Oak View.

[Anonymous]

What's so interesting abotu St. Mary's?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is it?

The kids go to Historic St. Mary's City, MD. It's kind of like a living outdoor museum where you can learn what life was like for the colonists (and Yaocomaco Native Americans) in the 1600s. The trip involves touring four sites - The Yaocomaco Indian Hamlet, The Godiah Spray Plantation, The Town Center, and The Waterfront (kids get to go on board the Dove, a recreation of the cargo ship that made the original voyage to Maryland in 1633-1634). (Fun fact...Did you know that St. Mary's City was the first capital of MD?)

4th grade students learn about colonization in social studies. The trip fits with the curriculum, as kids learn about political, religious, and economic reasons for colonization. It's a great trip! If your school normally takes 4th graders there, but didn't this year, it may be due to cost. Specifically, charter buses must be used because it's an extended day trip. ALL of the approved bus carriers on the MCPS approved list raised their prices. Most of the prices rose significantly. This really impacts the affordability. The only reason I was able to get the 4th grade kids from my school there this year was through the help of my principal. She came up with the funds to pay for a large portion of this trip. This brought the overall cost down significantly per child.

[Anonymous]

No for Barnsley - at least so far this year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our school goes tomorrow. I know another school that didn’t do it one year out of concern for the cost.

Is this why some schools don't do it?

We are at a FOCUS school that pays for kids who can't afford field trips. Why would this one be any different?

For those who do go, how much does it cost?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is it?

The kids go to Historic St. Mary's City, MD. It's kind of like a living outdoor museum where you can learn what life was like for the colonists (and Yaocomaco Native Americans) in the 1600s. The trip involves touring four sites - The Yaocomaco Indian Hamlet, The Godiah Spray Plantation, The Town Center, and The Waterfront (kids get to go on board the Dove, a recreation of the cargo ship that made the original voyage to Maryland in 1633-1634). (Fun fact...Did you know that St. Mary's City was the first capital of MD?)

4th grade students learn about colonization in social studies. The trip fits with the curriculum, as kids learn about political, religious, and economic reasons for colonization. It's a great trip! If your school normally takes 4th graders there, but didn't this year, it may be due to cost. Specifically, charter buses must be used because it's an extended day trip. ALL of the approved bus carriers on the MCPS approved list raised their prices. Most of the prices rose significantly. This really impacts the affordability. The only reason I was able to get the 4th grade kids from my school there this year was through the help of my principal. She came up with the funds to pay for a large portion of this trip. This brought the overall cost down significantly per child.

Also...this is a very popular trip. Dates have to be booked very early in the school year. It's highly unlikely that any openings are available at this point in the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school goes tomorrow. I know another school that didn’t do it one year out of concern for the cost.

Is this why some schools don't do it?

We are at a FOCUS school that pays for kids who can't afford field trips. Why would this one be any different?

For those who do go, how much does it cost?

Historic St. Mary's City charges $7 per kid. Very reasonable. It's the charter buses that create the problem. Some of the quotes I got would have averaged out to anywhere between $46 - $50 per kid. Maybe that's possible at some schools, but there is no way we could ask parents for that amount of money where I work.

[Anonymous]

Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is it?

The kids go to Historic St. Mary's City, MD. It's kind of like a living outdoor museum where you can learn what life was like for the colonists (and Yaocomaco Native Americans) in the 1600s. The trip involves touring four sites - The Yaocomaco Indian Hamlet, The Godiah Spray Plantation, The Town Center, and The Waterfront (kids get to go on board the Dove, a recreation of the cargo ship that made the original voyage to Maryland in 1633-1634). (Fun fact...Did you know that St. Mary's City was the first capital of MD?)

4th grade students learn about colonization in social studies. The trip fits with the curriculum, as kids learn about political, religious, and economic reasons for colonization. It's a great trip! If your school normally takes 4th graders there, but didn't this year, it may be due to cost. Specifically, charter buses must be used because it's an extended day trip. ALL of the approved bus carriers on the MCPS approved list raised their prices. Most of the prices rose significantly. This really impacts the affordability. The only reason I was able to get the 4th grade kids from my school there this year was through the help of my principal. She came up with the funds to pay for a large portion of this trip. This brought the overall cost down significantly per child.

Sounds like a fantastic trip!

Bummed that our school does not go.

And, for the posters who keep saying that MCPS is one singular school system. This is obviously NOT true. Seems that some kids DO get a different educational experience depending on how wealthy the ES population is.