I was told at our school that the coach buses were actually cheaper than the school buses, mainly because of the amount of students coach buses hold.

Also I have ridden on a yellow school bus for an hour and a half long ride for a second grade field trip. The other poster is correct, they were smelly and very uncomfortable.

The last time I went on a trip to the zoo, and our school is in Chevy Chase, there was so much construction on Connecticut that it took an hour and a half for the buses to arrive, so it is not necessarily a 10 minute ride.

I don't have kids at Westland but I would assume that the teachers and administration had a valid educational reason to take 7th graders to the zoo. Kind of ridiculous when people view the zoo as not being educational.

For a lot of families $13 to go to the zoo is not money well spent, and I totally agree, 7th graders taking a field trip to the zoo? My recollection from my own kids is it had no connection to any class, just something the school does every year, just as they do in 4th grade where it seems more appropriate. Silly waste of class time and silly waste of money.

Anonymous wrote:Aren't 7th graders a little old for the zoo?

+1 I'd be more concerned about the waste of time than the waste of dollars.

Anonymous wrote:The MCPS buses CAN leave the county, but they are only available for use for field trips between the hours of 9:30-1:30, and they still cost money (I believe $4-6 per student). So, if you want to go anywhere that will take longer than 4 total hours, spending the extra $7-9 per student and getting a charter bus is the only way to go.

This is indeed the main reason the school requests a coach bus. Last year one of our field trips had to be shortened because the admin decided not to use coach buses because they thought it looked extravagant. I think they made the wrong decision for the wrong reason.

Anonymous wrote:Is that Somerset person for real??

No. But I always enjoy the Somerset posts.

Anonymous wrote:Is that Somerset person for real??

Really??? Clearly, it was sarcasm.

Is that Somerset person for real??

Anonymous wrote:Aren't 7th graders a little old for the zoo?

I had field trips to the zoo in college for biology class.

Anonymous wrote:This is an issue for you? Back in the 90s we took these coach buses to sporting events and field trips. Not unusual or a new thing.

We took them in the 80s.

Anonymous wrote:At Somerset ES, we have town cars and Range Rovers transport all of the kids. The poorer students ride in a 2010 3 series (without XM, of course).

The MCPS buses CAN leave the county, but they are only available for use for field trips between the hours of 9:30-1:30, and they still cost money (I believe $4-6 per student). So, if you want to go anywhere that will take longer than 4 total hours, spending the extra $7-9 per student and getting a charter bus is the only way to go.

The students went to the zoo for a field trip (science) and yes, the families paid for the buses. Covers insurance, etc. for the kids.

I would rather pay a bit more and have the field trip at more than 2 hours because the buses have to leave to pick up the HS kids.

At Somerset ES, we have town cars and Range Rovers transport all of the kids. The poorer students ride in a 2010 3 series (without XM, of course).

What are you whining about??? $13??? I paid $40 for the first field trip of the year. $13 is a bargain.