Middle School trips -how did/do yours work?

[shortbun]

Tell me about your child's middle school trip. I'm talking away from home for a week or at least a long weekend. My son's 7th grade teachers are proposing an 8 night trip with 45 kids and 9 adults. They are planning to stay in Red Roof Inn type accomodations and stay in three spots. It's a trip to study ecosystems. Im thinking 8 nights in non secured hotel rooms occupied by 13yo children only is a little much and I'm tempted to 'helicopter parent' my son out of the trip. There is a parent meeting tonight. I emailed some of my concerns to the teachers-non secure hotels, 8 nights alone in a room with just 13yo kids, how to deal with sickness, how discipline will work and so forth. Their response? "We are not going to talk about that stuff at the meeting, we want to discuss the itinerary and the academic value of the trip."
Um, I do not doubt the academic value, I want to know your plan to care for my child. Last year when our family went on a two week vacation, we visited the dentist once and a clinic twice for accidents and illness so I know how travelling with children can go. What provisions for these issues were made for your children?

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

My understanding is that your son is in a small school, near DC--is that correct? It may be different because of the small size.

We lived in a "100 kids per grade" district until this year, now we're in a "400 kids per grade" district.

In the old district, the 5th grade went on a 2 night camping trip with their teachers, extra teachers, principal, many parents. maybe a 2:1 ratio, in the wilderness. It's a great rite of passage.

In our new district, it's a trip to DC in the 8th grade. I don't know the ratio, but they keep the kids pretty busy every day. It's for 3 nights, I think. I should probably know more, DD is going in April. I did get a typical schedule and of course a payment schedule.

The trip you describe sounds long and under-chaperoned, IMHO. Not to mention expensive, but that's not my problem! Maybe they're thinking that, because it's such a small group, they know who the troublemakers might be, I don't know, but I wouldnt' be in favor of it. I can't imagine they couldn't do something "almost as nice" closer/shorter. I'm a fan of field trips, but it's sounds like someone isn't thinking it all the way through.


And, i hear you on things happening on vacation. Our worst was when our DD(then)17mo had a febrile seizure in Jamaica. What do you do? We got through that, but any kid could take a fall, get sick, get lost, etc. And with such a low parental ratio, that would take an adult or two out, making the ratio even worse.

I think your instincts are right on with this one, and I'm not much of a helicopter parent generally.

 

[bellebud]

My kids are only 9 and 7, so I'm not there yet. I know when they're teens they need some more freedom than when they're kids and tweens, but in my current frame of mind, I cannot imagine letting my kids go, at least without me.

A friend told me a story where her nephew was on his highschool class trip (I don't know what grade he was in) to NYC (a day trip), and his mom got a call saying "come pick me up" (they were from PA), so the mom says "you're back at the school already????", and he says "No, I'm in NYC... they left without me." Yes, the teachers left him in NYC. Apparently someone in charge can't count to make sure all the kids were on the bus. Things like that can happen anywhere, anytime. The teachers and parents in charge are human beings, and make *mistakes* just like we all do everyday. But making a mistake on a class trip like that can be disasterous. I don't think any of my friends would allow that type of trip either.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My dd went to DC in 8th grade. And other places for band in HS. She is going again for the Presidential inauguration in Jan. She is 17 now.

She was born ready to travel, if that makes sense.

I don't know....it depends on the kid.

My 6th grader wanted to go to their trip to Yellowstone and I did not pursue that. She is not ready. When she starts displaying some level of maturity for personal care then I will think about it.

So really for me bottom line it is dependent on your child.

 

[ZuZugal]

My kids' junior high takes 2 trips. (125 is the class size)

The first is to DC. It's through WorldStrides so everything is planned for them. The total cost falls on the family. The families know about the trip at least 2 years out and a meeting is held on fundraising well in advance so those who really want to go can go. About 40-50 kids end up going every year. It's a 4 night/5 day trip. 2 teachers and numerous parents attend as well.

The second is basically a "camping" trip. The trip is paid for by the school auction every year. The kids still have to "earn" their way to go by behavior/school work/attendance. it's a 3 night/4 day trip. The accommodations are pretty nice and they get to do a ton of great stuff. I think there have 1 teacher per 10 kids (approx.)

 

[golfgal]

The 8th graders in our district can go to DC. The trips are all planned through a travel company, I don't know how many chaperones go or any details because I couldn't get past the $2500/student cost for a 5 day trip . With 2 8th graders, that is the cost of a VERY nice trip to Disney for our entire family. We will be taking the kids to DC as a family. I am not opposed to school trips at all, our son went to China with the band (and that only cost $2200 for a 10 day/all inclusive trip), I went on a high school trip, when we were in junior high we had a 2 night camping trip. I think they are great ideas if well done.

 

[MI mom of 3]

I would NEVER let my kid stay in a hotel/motel with exterior corridors. Our middle school takes 2 trips. 7th grade 3 days/2 nights to Chicago. 8th grade 5 days/4 nights to D.C.

They always hire a security guard to sit in the hall all night separating the boys rooms and the girls rooms to make sure no one leaves or enters a students room for any reason.

Of course the chaperones rooms are scattered through out that hall also.

 

[clarabelle]

My children go to a small private school. Every grade beginning in 5th goes on an over night. Usually two nights. They go to camps. Space camp, ropes courses, sea kayaking.
They have teachers from the school -plus a couple of parents. The big thing I think is that they are going to places equipped for these kinds of groups. Places that have staff that help as well.
The first year my daughter didn't want to go -now she looks forward to it.
I think an overnight is good for their feelings of independence ect...
It does sound like yours is going to be long though- 8 nights? Have they done one this long before?

 

[bellebud]

here's another thing... my dd will enter 7th grade at 11yo. No way, no how would my 11yo be allowed to go away w/out me. but that's just me.

 

[TEENEE]

My son has gone on hs band trips where they have stayed in similar hotels. Our band directors policy is that at least one chaperone will be awake all night watching the rooms to make sure none of the kids sneek out. We do a bed check every night. Once we know the proper kids are in their room we put tape on the outside of the door. If the kids open the door we know they have been outside. The tape can not be reapplied from the inside of the room. Although the tape is not necessary since the rooms are being watched all night. We also try to have a parent on the trip with a medical background, just in case.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

here's another thing... my dd will enter 7th grade at 11yo. No way, no how would my 11yo be allowed to go away w/out me. but that's just me.

Yikes! My dd was 11 in 5th grade.

 

[Pixiedust34]

My dh is a middle school teacher. Years ago, they used to do an overnight trip where they did various team building activites with an academic twist. They no longer do the overnight trips now. Field trips are confined to daytime school hours.

Eight nights sounds like too long for a school trip to me. That's the length of a family vacation!

 

[disneyjunkie]

here's another thing... my dd will enter 7th grade at 11yo. No way, no how would my 11yo be allowed to go away w/out me. but that's just me.

When I was in middle school, each year the 7th grade had a weekend trip to the Pocanos. The sixth grade went on a camping trip in the Catskills. My nephew attends the school now and they still go on these trips.

The secondary school my son attended for a while (which includes grades 6-12) takes over night trips each year.

6th grade- DC
7th grade - Boston
8th grade - PA
9 grade - GA

One year the 7th graders in the Japanese club also went to Japan during spring break.

Both schools are inner city public schools.


My son was also 11 when he entered 7th grade. He turned 12 the following month. 12-13 are the normal ages for 7th graders.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My son was also 11 when he entered 7th grade. He turned 12 the following month. 12-13 are the normal ages for 7th graders.

My dd will be 12 entering 7th and then turn 13 the next month.

Big difference between 11 & 13 regarding taking trips imo.

As far as your trips....WOWEEE!!!! How lucky. My oldest would kill to go to Japan.

 

[freckles and boo]

Eight days? That is way too long to expect kids that age to be on their best behavior once they started getting run down and tired. Heck, that is too long for me to be on my best behavior if I am tired. I think I would want to know the itinerary. Three days in DC in eighth grade kicked my fanny. We were CONSTANTLY on the go with very little down time. I was in a room with girls who were considerably more "mature" than I was and they made me very uncomfortable with some of the things they were interested in. It was worthwhile in the long run, but if it was my child I would ask all the same questions you are asking.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Well, my memory may be a bit hazy from that time period, but:

I know when I was a 5th grader my entire class (two elementary schools worth of 5th graders) went to sleep away camp for a week. My year was the first (and last) time it was done during the winter. There was a terrible ice storm and we kids didn't get to do half the activities that were planned (if we had stayed home that week, we would have had 2 snow days). However, security was not a problem because it was a camp in the middle of the woods. Counselors were in the cabins with the students at night, so there was no sneaking out. There was a nurse at the camp.

Slightly more on topic, the 8th grade class at my school always went on a week long trip to DC and the surrounding area. In my recollection we stayed at 2 different hotels, though I think they were of the Holiday Inn variety, as opposed to Red Roofs. There were slightly more than 100 of us kids...I'd say probably one chaperone per every 7 of us...they were all of our teachers and a few parents. We filled one full bus and one extended bus.

I don't remember anyone getting sick, but some of the teachers had basic training, and I'm sure there was some sort of basic plan for handling those things. Security was: boys and girls on alternating floors (4 to a room), tape was put over your door at lights out so that it could be determined if anyone snuck out, and a chaperone was posted (supposedly all night) at the end of each hallway. I believe there were bed checks too, at some point. When walking around the city and visiting sites, everyone had a buddy they were required to stick with. Everyone had times when they had to meet up with their chaperone at a designated spot. No one, that I recall, wandered off.

In my experience, kids that age are on better behavior when they're run down and tired, because they just want to sit quietly and go to sleep. I remember it being deadly silent in the bus when we visited Gettysburg towards the end of the week. Everyone was just exhausted. No one was going to raise a fuss.

I hope my children go to a school where they have overnight excursions like this. I learned so much, and not just from the educational sites. I learned about being independent. I had to keep track of myself and my buddy. I had to take the money that was given to me and buy my own food at the food court. I had to make sure I made it back to the check point at the right time. I had to watch out for myself and my friends as we crossed a busy street. I had to explain to the guard at the national archives that I thought I had turned the flash on my camera off so that he would give it back to me. A museum or a zoo or a battlefield you can visit during the day, learning to live away from your parents requires living away from your parents for more than a day.

 

[mjkacmom]

That's a long trip! Dd12 went on a 2 night camping trip last year, and will be doing a 2 night Hershey trip this year, but they're very strict (they put scotch tape outside the doors, and if it's moved, they get kicked out of choir with a failing grade). I'd want to know a lot more about security!

 

[kellyg403]

When my kids were leaving 8th grade, they had a trip for the 8th graders called Crossing the Carolina's. The first year the trip was 5 days when the school first opened. It is now down to 3 days. It is too long of a trip for the chaperone's and teachers at 5 days! Plus the expenses in the last few years with the buses and hotels etc.

That being said, this trip is the highlight of all my Middle Schoolers. Like the end of chidhood trip for them! I do think 11 year olds are a little too young for this kind of trip, sometimes that leap from 7 to 8th grade comes with a bit of maturity.

I have not gone on the trip, 8 of my children have gone on the trip, all alone. It was something I wanted to go on, but really I needed to let go. High School was coming around the corner with more freedom, I had to see if they could survive and be good without me around everyday telling them to brush their teeth!

Kelly

 

[bgirl29]

My daughter will go on a 6 night trip to DC and Boston in the spring. This is right after 8th grade. My son did this a couple years ago so I am familiar with the trip. They do not allow parents to be chaperones. The only ones that can be chaperones are teachers, the school figures that teachers are used to handling groups of kids. I believe there is 1 chaperone to about 8 kids. They do the tape on the doors at night and a security guard. During the day they must wear a lanyard with their name tag in it which has phone numbers on the back in case of emergency.

They are required to remain in at least pairs. The last stop on their trip is Hershey Park. If the children do not follow the rules, such as wearing their lanyard at all times they recieve "Hershey time" which means they must stay by the bus with a teacher for X amount of time before entering the park. Since they must always be in pairs they have to hope that a friend is willing to wait for them to enter the park. I know that the will have very little sleep. The teachers say that it makes them behave better. I also know this from chaperoning a trip to Chicago where I was lucky to get 3 hours of sleep a night.

 

[mom2travel]

In our district the trips vary by school. Our elementary school does a 3day/2night trip in 5th grade. DS's year they went to DC. The 5th grade teachers, the principal and other specials teachers went, as well as a number of parents. They made sure that there was an adult in each of the rooms - 1 adult, 3 children. DH's name did not get pulled to chaperone but DS was with one of our neighbors so we were comfortable. I think the cost was somewhere around $200 per child with donations, etc to help fund those who could not afford the trip.

In middle school, they now only do day trips. Some are ALL day - DS had a trip a few weeks ago that left school at 5am and got back at 9pm. Had a similar one in 7th grade last year.

My children have travelled quite a bit and are comfortable with and enjoy it. But even well-behaved, well-travelled children can have an accident/illness, or get caught up in the moment with other kids. I can't imagine letting mine go away for that long with that number of chaperones. Maybe there is something they haven't told you yet about safety, precautions, back-up plans, etc. but you are absolutely right to question it. Good luck finding out the facts and making your decision