Why are the field trips so underwhelming?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Appropriated funds cannot be used for field trips. This means parents have to fund buses and any entrance fees. Or there have to be fundraisers and/or PTA subsidies. There are some grant funded trips such as all the fourth graders going to the Kennedy Center and all sixth graders going to the Portrait Gallery.

Different grade levels at different schools go on different trips that are connected to the curriculum. Our 4th grade visits Jamestown and 6th grade goes to Gettysburg. First grade studies animals and visits the National Zoo.

My kid's elementary doesn’t do Jamestown anymore. They went to Luray Caverns, which returned an hour after school got out. My kid is really into history so I was telling my kid that some schools do still go there for a field trip. My kid said the teacher said they can't go anymore because Jamestown has a gift shop. What?!

I thought that fcps dropped Jamestown and a lot of other cool historical fieldtrips when the school board decided the district was anti founding fathers and anti colonialism.

They used to do cool field trips like Jamestown and Richmond to see statuary row, the Virginia history museum, and the church where Patrick Henry gave his famous speech. But those field trips preesented the founding fathers and early settlers in a positive light, which doesn't align with fcps values, so they were nixed.

Where did you hear that? The school board never made such a decision and those trips have never been district-wide. Individual schools and grade level teams decide which trips they are going to take.

PP is making things up. My DC went to Jamestown 2 years ago. It was probably $80 per kid to pay for a tour bus, so I can see why all schools don’t do it.

Oh yes, they’re totally making things up. I went with my 4th grader to Jamestown a few months ago, like in May 2025. It’s amazing how people post gossip and rumors as facts.

It sounds like the schools with wealthy PTAs or good principals still go, but the other ones have been allowed to quietly cancel and avoid the hassle.

Judging from experience in a different district there needs to be parental pressure for the trips, that’s why poor schools get the short end of the stick. They have the funds just not political will or manpower to organize one

I think most parents just expect the schools to organize field trips as part of the curriculum and don't realize they are somehow (?) supposed to agitate for what used to be a normal part of the school experience.

Agree. It would never occur to me that I, a parent, am supposed to lobby for field trips.

Well now you know. You can choose to pout about it or take the matter into your own hands

If you are so keen on field trips, why don't you take your child yourself?

Believe me, they are not that valuable.

When my child was in elementary he didn’t want to go anywhere with me, for reasons unknown. He was much more amenable if his classmates were going as well.
Also I wanted poorer kids to see something they wouldn’t with their parents.
That’s why I organized field trips.
Yes it’s pain in the neck for teachers but sometimes one has to inconvenience people to get what is needed.

DP. Wouldn’t it have been better to “inconvenience” your son and make him go places with you?

Instead, you’re going to inconvenience teachers who are already providing far more than their contracts require? I’m blown away by how casually you say it’s okay to inconvenience people to get what you want.

Oh trust me I did inconvenience my kid plenty by making him go.
It would be nice to get something useful out of the system for a change. I was willing to organize the trip and there were plenty of parents willing to chaperone so I didn’t just dump it all on the poor teacher. Yes she had to do some extra work but sometimes you have to fight for what your kid needs. Just ask the SN board parents.

Your child doesn’t “need” a field trip.

- a special needs parent and teacher who takes her own children on trips, not relying on the school system to do it for me

My child also doesn’t need all the tests, should I opt them out and screw your stats?

I’m the PP.

Be my guest. I actually agree that your child doesn’t need all the tests. Opt out!

Yes but who are you to agree? You know the teachers and admin are doing what they can for the good kids to participate in testing right? Because stats? They don’t advertise opt out posssibilities.
It’s a take a little give a little situation.
If you need my child to be tested then do plan a simple trip or two. I am happy to organize it, too.

[Anonymous]

I haven't read all the pages, but just wanted to add that the kids at our high school have a ton of field trip opportunities, so many that my kid opted out of another DC museum one because she had already missed enough school. There will be another DC one later in the year I think. (The kids don't need transport, they walk to the metro from school). She's gone to see shows at various local theaters, NYC for a 20 hour field trip and also a two night field trip to NYC, and had the opportunity to go to a Latin convention in Richmond for an overnight. She did not get the Jamestown field trip that my older child got but they also went to different elementaries. I think they both did Mt. Vernon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Appropriated funds cannot be used for field trips. This means parents have to fund buses and any entrance fees. Or there have to be fundraisers and/or PTA subsidies. There are some grant funded trips such as all the fourth graders going to the Kennedy Center and all sixth graders going to the Portrait Gallery.

Different grade levels at different schools go on different trips that are connected to the curriculum. Our 4th grade visits Jamestown and 6th grade goes to Gettysburg. First grade studies animals and visits the National Zoo.

My kid's elementary doesn’t do Jamestown anymore. They went to Luray Caverns, which returned an hour after school got out. My kid is really into history so I was telling my kid that some schools do still go there for a field trip. My kid said the teacher said they can't go anymore because Jamestown has a gift shop. What?!

I thought that fcps dropped Jamestown and a lot of other cool historical fieldtrips when the school board decided the district was anti founding fathers and anti colonialism.

They used to do cool field trips like Jamestown and Richmond to see statuary row, the Virginia history museum, and the church where Patrick Henry gave his famous speech. But those field trips preesented the founding fathers and early settlers in a positive light, which doesn't align with fcps values, so they were nixed.

Where did you hear that? The school board never made such a decision and those trips have never been district-wide. Individual schools and grade level teams decide which trips they are going to take.

PP is making things up. My DC went to Jamestown 2 years ago. It was probably $80 per kid to pay for a tour bus, so I can see why all schools don’t do it.

We paid $100 to send our kids to the Baltimore aquarium but our geriatric principal will no longer allow Jamestown because it’s too far. He’s LAZY.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Appropriated funds cannot be used for field trips. This means parents have to fund buses and any entrance fees. Or there have to be fundraisers and/or PTA subsidies. There are some grant funded trips such as all the fourth graders going to the Kennedy Center and all sixth graders going to the Portrait Gallery.

Different grade levels at different schools go on different trips that are connected to the curriculum. Our 4th grade visits Jamestown and 6th grade goes to Gettysburg. First grade studies animals and visits the National Zoo.

My kid's elementary doesn’t do Jamestown anymore. They went to Luray Caverns, which returned an hour after school got out. My kid is really into history so I was telling my kid that some schools do still go there for a field trip. My kid said the teacher said they can't go anymore because Jamestown has a gift shop. What?!

I thought that fcps dropped Jamestown and a lot of other cool historical fieldtrips when the school board decided the district was anti founding fathers and anti colonialism.

They used to do cool field trips like Jamestown and Richmond to see statuary row, the Virginia history museum, and the church where Patrick Henry gave his famous speech. But those field trips preesented the founding fathers and early settlers in a positive light, which doesn't align with fcps values, so they were nixed.

Where did you hear that? The school board never made such a decision and those trips have never been district-wide. Individual schools and grade level teams decide which trips they are going to take.

PP is making things up. My DC went to Jamestown 2 years ago. It was probably $80 per kid to pay for a tour bus, so I can see why all schools don’t do it.

Oh yes, they’re totally making things up. I went with my 4th grader to Jamestown a few months ago, like in May 2025. It’s amazing how people post gossip and rumors as facts.

It sounds like the schools with wealthy PTAs or good principals still go, but the other ones have been allowed to quietly cancel and avoid the hassle.

Judging from experience in a different district there needs to be parental pressure for the trips, that’s why poor schools get the short end of the stick. They have the funds just not political will or manpower to organize one

I think most parents just expect the schools to organize field trips as part of the curriculum and don't realize they are somehow (?) supposed to agitate for what used to be a normal part of the school experience.

Agree. It would never occur to me that I, a parent, am supposed to lobby for field trips.

Well now you know. You can choose to pout about it or take the matter into your own hands

If you are so keen on field trips, why don't you take your child yourself?

Believe me, they are not that valuable.

When my child was in elementary he didn’t want to go anywhere with me, for reasons unknown. He was much more amenable if his classmates were going as well.
Also I wanted poorer kids to see something they wouldn’t with their parents.
That’s why I organized field trips.
Yes it’s pain in the neck for teachers but sometimes one has to inconvenience people to get what is needed.

DP. Wouldn’t it have been better to “inconvenience” your son and make him go places with you?

Instead, you’re going to inconvenience teachers who are already providing far more than their contracts require? I’m blown away by how casually you say it’s okay to inconvenience people to get what you want.

Oh trust me I did inconvenience my kid plenty by making him go.
It would be nice to get something useful out of the system for a change. I was willing to organize the trip and there were plenty of parents willing to chaperone so I didn’t just dump it all on the poor teacher. Yes she had to do some extra work but sometimes you have to fight for what your kid needs. Just ask the SN board parents.

Your child doesn’t “need” a field trip.

- a special needs parent and teacher who takes her own children on trips, not relying on the school system to do it for me

My child also doesn’t need all the tests, should I opt them out and screw your stats?

I’m the PP.

Be my guest. I actually agree that your child doesn’t need all the tests. Opt out!

Yes but who are you to agree? You know the teachers and admin are doing what they can for the good kids to participate in testing right? Because stats? They don’t advertise opt out posssibilities.
It’s a take a little give a little situation.
If you need my child to be tested then do plan a simple trip or two. I am happy to organize it, too.

Such an odd post.

So you’re holding your kid’s testing score hostage? I need to plan “a trip or two” in order for your child to be tested?

So it’s true: you want schools to cater directly to you.

Try homeschooling. You’ll get all the field trips you want with none of the testing. Seems like that fits you perfectly, correct?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I haven't read all the pages, but just wanted to add that the kids at our high school have a ton of field trip opportunities, so many that my kid opted out of another DC museum one because she had already missed enough school. There will be another DC one later in the year I think. (The kids don't need transport, they walk to the metro from school). She's gone to see shows at various local theaters, NYC for a 20 hour field trip and also a two night field trip to NYC, and had the opportunity to go to a Latin convention in Richmond for an overnight. She did not get the Jamestown field trip that my older child got but they also went to different elementaries. I think they both did Mt. Vernon.

My high school junior has had one field trip in all of high school, a few hours long to a DC Museum.

[Anonymous]

Field trips are supposed to be a basic part of the public school curriculum. Its not asking for above and beyond. Its basic. We live in an area with a million free activities and events.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Appropriated funds cannot be used for field trips. This means parents have to fund buses and any entrance fees. Or there have to be fundraisers and/or PTA subsidies. There are some grant funded trips such as all the fourth graders going to the Kennedy Center and all sixth graders going to the Portrait Gallery.

Different grade levels at different schools go on different trips that are connected to the curriculum. Our 4th grade visits Jamestown and 6th grade goes to Gettysburg. First grade studies animals and visits the National Zoo.

My kid's elementary doesn’t do Jamestown anymore. They went to Luray Caverns, which returned an hour after school got out. My kid is really into history so I was telling my kid that some schools do still go there for a field trip. My kid said the teacher said they can't go anymore because Jamestown has a gift shop. What?!

I thought that fcps dropped Jamestown and a lot of other cool historical fieldtrips when the school board decided the district was anti founding fathers and anti colonialism.

They used to do cool field trips like Jamestown and Richmond to see statuary row, the Virginia history museum, and the church where Patrick Henry gave his famous speech. But those field trips preesented the founding fathers and early settlers in a positive light, which doesn't align with fcps values, so they were nixed.

Where did you hear that? The school board never made such a decision and those trips have never been district-wide. Individual schools and grade level teams decide which trips they are going to take.

PP is making things up. My DC went to Jamestown 2 years ago. It was probably $80 per kid to pay for a tour bus, so I can see why all schools don’t do it.

Oh yes, they’re totally making things up. I went with my 4th grader to Jamestown a few months ago, like in May 2025. It’s amazing how people post gossip and rumors as facts.

It sounds like the schools with wealthy PTAs or good principals still go, but the other ones have been allowed to quietly cancel and avoid the hassle.

Judging from experience in a different district there needs to be parental pressure for the trips, that’s why poor schools get the short end of the stick. They have the funds just not political will or manpower to organize one

I think most parents just expect the schools to organize field trips as part of the curriculum and don't realize they are somehow (?) supposed to agitate for what used to be a normal part of the school experience.

Agree. It would never occur to me that I, a parent, am supposed to lobby for field trips.

Well now you know. You can choose to pout about it or take the matter into your own hands

If you are so keen on field trips, why don't you take your child yourself?

Believe me, they are not that valuable.

When my child was in elementary he didn’t want to go anywhere with me, for reasons unknown. He was much more amenable if his classmates were going as well.
Also I wanted poorer kids to see something they wouldn’t with their parents.
That’s why I organized field trips.
Yes it’s pain in the neck for teachers but sometimes one has to inconvenience people to get what is needed.

DP. Wouldn’t it have been better to “inconvenience” your son and make him go places with you?

Instead, you’re going to inconvenience teachers who are already providing far more than their contracts require? I’m blown away by how casually you say it’s okay to inconvenience people to get what you want.

Oh trust me I did inconvenience my kid plenty by making him go.
It would be nice to get something useful out of the system for a change. I was willing to organize the trip and there were plenty of parents willing to chaperone so I didn’t just dump it all on the poor teacher. Yes she had to do some extra work but sometimes you have to fight for what your kid needs. Just ask the SN board parents.

Your child doesn’t “need” a field trip.

- a special needs parent and teacher who takes her own children on trips, not relying on the school system to do it for me

My child also doesn’t need all the tests, should I opt them out and screw your stats?

I’m the PP.

Be my guest. I actually agree that your child doesn’t need all the tests. Opt out!

Yes but who are you to agree? You know the teachers and admin are doing what they can for the good kids to participate in testing right? Because stats? They don’t advertise opt out posssibilities.
It’s a take a little give a little situation.
If you need my child to be tested then do plan a simple trip or two. I am happy to organize it, too.

Such an odd post.

So you’re holding your kid’s testing score hostage? I need to plan “a trip or two” in order for your child to be tested?

So it’s true: you want schools to cater directly to you.

Try homeschooling. You’ll get all the field trips you want with none of the testing. Seems like that fits you perfectly, correct?

My beef is not with you as a teacher.
You are overworked and underpaid.
My beef is with the system that doesn’t shy away from hours of testing yet shorts the kids on fun that is also educational.

As to homeschooling. At first I took offence at your comment but then I thought that you are right, there was no way I could really fight the rigid public school system meaningfully. I didn’t realize it back then and I did get the kids a few fun field trips after all, so I guess we live and learn. Hopefully some parents will wise up earlier than I did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Field trips are supposed to be a basic part of the public school curriculum. Its not asking for above and beyond. Its basic. We live in an area with a million free activities and events.

I wish the same energy that’s being spent on testing was spent on field trips!

[Anonymous]

I was a parent chaperone for my kids field trip since I was a SAHM and was available (and wanted to attend) all trips.

I absolutely agree that the field trips are underwhelming and poorly thought out, for the following reasons -

- Horrible school buses. These have extremely uncomfortable seating, no AC/heat, very small windos, and all the smoke of the gas and pollution from the road comes inside the bus through the bus. The few times that the parents pooled in the money (and also donated generously) to get private buses, it was a really great experience. Still the school administration would not allow parents to fund better busses.

- Not enough chaperones. Especially when we had several special needs students with behavioral issues. There needs to be S.Ed teachers accompanying them as well as they need to understand how much does the sensory overload impacts these students.

- Kids not geared properly. Parents were not informed or given a checklist of what the kids would need to wear/carry, what lunch or snacks they would carry, why not to let kids who are sick join in, if gift shops would be visited.

- No curriculum. There was no reason to go to many of the field trips. Some of them were just DEI initiatives because otherwise some poor kids would never get to enjoy such outings. Case in point - utterly worthless and dumb "Medieval Times" which cost the school a bundle. The teachers did not have a plan, or a curriculum that connected with what the museum or field trip contained.

Since I am an immigrant and a SAHM, over the years, I have made sure that I have taken my kids to different museums and historical sites in and near DMV and we have never gone without reading about them, watching documentaries and having a clear idea of what we were going to learn. I wish I could make these packets for each museum for our public schools to follow.

[Anonymous]

You can make the packets and you can volunteer to organize the trips you deem worthwhile (within limits).
If more parents advocate for field trips and offer their manpower to make them happen we can maybe see the tide turn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was a parent chaperone for my kids field trip since I was a SAHM and was available (and wanted to attend) all trips.

I absolutely agree that the field trips are underwhelming and poorly thought out, for the following reasons -

- Horrible school buses. These have extremely uncomfortable seating, no AC/heat, very small windos, and all the smoke of the gas and pollution from the road comes inside the bus through the bus. The few times that the parents pooled in the money (and also donated generously) to get private buses, it was a really great experience. Still the school administration would not allow parents to fund better busses.

- Not enough chaperones. Especially when we had several special needs students with behavioral issues. There needs to be S.Ed teachers accompanying them as well as they need to understand how much does the sensory overload impacts these students.

- Kids not geared properly. Parents were not informed or given a checklist of what the kids would need to wear/carry, what lunch or snacks they would carry, why not to let kids who are sick join in, if gift shops would be visited.

- No curriculum. There was no reason to go to many of the field trips. Some of them were just DEI initiatives because otherwise some poor kids would never get to enjoy such outings. Case in point - utterly worthless and dumb "Medieval Times" which cost the school a bundle. The teachers did not have a plan, or a curriculum that connected with what the museum or field trip contained.

Since I am an immigrant and a SAHM, over the years, I have made sure that I have taken my kids to different museums and historical sites in and near DMV and we have never gone without reading about them, watching documentaries and having a clear idea of what we were going to learn. I wish I could make these packets for each museum for our public schools to follow.

Private busses are expensive and hard to reserve, hence the use of county busses.

There aren’t enough Sped teachers in the building to start with. They can’t leave their responsibilities behind to be extra chaperones on a field trip.

If you look at this thread, it doesn’t appear that parents want curricula-tied trips as much as they simply want experiences. Teachers who are already overworked are simply trying to provide that.

I’m grateful you were able to provide the opportunities you wanted for your children. It can’t become the school system’s responsibility to do that for you. If you want to get involved in providing these experiences for others, consider starting a site of resources to help the region’s busy parents provide these opportunities, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Appropriated funds cannot be used for field trips. This means parents have to fund buses and any entrance fees. Or there have to be fundraisers and/or PTA subsidies. There are some grant funded trips such as all the fourth graders going to the Kennedy Center and all sixth graders going to the Portrait Gallery.

Different grade levels at different schools go on different trips that are connected to the curriculum. Our 4th grade visits Jamestown and 6th grade goes to Gettysburg. First grade studies animals and visits the National Zoo.

My kid's elementary doesn’t do Jamestown anymore. They went to Luray Caverns, which returned an hour after school got out. My kid is really into history so I was telling my kid that some schools do still go there for a field trip. My kid said the teacher said they can't go anymore because Jamestown has a gift shop. What?!

I thought that fcps dropped Jamestown and a lot of other cool historical fieldtrips when the school board decided the district was anti founding fathers and anti colonialism.

They used to do cool field trips like Jamestown and Richmond to see statuary row, the Virginia history museum, and the church where Patrick Henry gave his famous speech. But those field trips preesented the founding fathers and early settlers in a positive light, which doesn't align with fcps values, so they were nixed.

You are a MAGA POS.this is not true and you know it you disgusting pig.

Those were the reasons given by fcps at the time.

Your ire is misplaced.

[Anonymous]

Parents ideally would want curricula-tied experiences. But FCPS doesn't seem able to provide that, so the parents will settle for any kind of experiences outside the classroom and away from the screens and mindless drudgery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was a parent chaperone for my kids field trip since I was a SAHM and was available (and wanted to attend) all trips.

I absolutely agree that the field trips are underwhelming and poorly thought out, for the following reasons -

- Horrible school buses. These have extremely uncomfortable seating, no AC/heat, very small windos, and all the smoke of the gas and pollution from the road comes inside the bus through the bus. The few times that the parents pooled in the money (and also donated generously) to get private buses, it was a really great experience. Still the school administration would not allow parents to fund better busses.

- Not enough chaperones. Especially when we had several special needs students with behavioral issues. There needs to be S.Ed teachers accompanying them as well as they need to understand how much does the sensory overload impacts these students.

- Kids not geared properly. Parents were not informed or given a checklist of what the kids would need to wear/carry, what lunch or snacks they would carry, why not to let kids who are sick join in, if gift shops would be visited.

- No curriculum. There was no reason to go to many of the field trips. Some of them were just DEI initiatives because otherwise some poor kids would never get to enjoy such outings. Case in point - utterly worthless and dumb "Medieval Times" which cost the school a bundle. The teachers did not have a plan, or a curriculum that connected with what the museum or field trip contained.

Since I am an immigrant and a SAHM, over the years, I have made sure that I have taken my kids to different museums and historical sites in and near DMV and we have never gone without reading about them, watching documentaries and having a clear idea of what we were going to learn. I wish I could make these packets for each museum for our public schools to follow.

Private busses are expensive and hard to reserve, hence the use of county busses.

There aren’t enough Sped teachers in the building to start with. They can’t leave their responsibilities behind to be extra chaperones on a field trip.

If you look at this thread, it doesn’t appear that parents want curricula-tied trips as much as they simply want experiences. Teachers who are already overworked are simply trying to provide that.

I’m grateful you were able to provide the opportunities you wanted for your children. It can’t become the school system’s responsibility to do that for you. If you want to get involved in providing these experiences for others, consider starting a site of resources to help the region’s busy parents provide these opportunities, too.

DP.
Why can’t it become the school responsibility? Aren’t fields trips part of the curriculum? This is ridiculous

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parents ideally would want curricula-tied experiences. But FCPS doesn't seem able to provide that, so the parents will settle for any kind of experiences outside the classroom and away from the screens and mindless drudgery.

Yet some here still think the parents are asking too much!