Weather

2 days to go!! I just wanted to let you know the weather for while we're in DC and New York.
Tues.- 88
Wed.- 90
Thu.- 84
Fri.- 84

So far there is no chance of rain. It does get chilly on the bus, though, so bring something to keep you warm there!

See you soon!!!!

Final Payment

Hello! Just a reminder- the final payment for the DC trip is due Wed., April 8th.

Just think- in a little more than two months you will be standing on Liberty Island looking up at this beauty!!

Payment Due

Hello! Just a quick reminder that your first ½ of your DC trip payment is due by Sunday. If you have any questions about it let me or the company know and we will try to help you to figure it all out! J

Happy Monday!

T-Shirt Money/Checks

If you are writing a check for your T-shirts, please make them out to me (Lisa Thummel.) I will be writing one big check to Anthony Walter Designs when we have all the money/sizes in.






I will let you know when I have all t-shirt orders and money in and have placed the order. :)


Have a great week!

Last Call

If you or your child has a preference in who you room with, please let me know by tomorrow (2/10/15.)

Also, please get me your shirt size and money ($8.25 per person, extra $2 for anything larger than XL.) ASAP.

Thank you!

Students on Tour

Just an FYI- some people have been asking what the website is for the tour company. (This is where you go to make a payment, etc.)

The website is studentsontour.com.

Have a great week!!

Blog

Thank you for taking the time to view the blog! I haven't put much on here yet, but as we get closer I'll put reminders on here, and while we are on the trip I'll blog about what we have done while we are out there. Take a look at old posts if you'd like to see what we did on the last trip!

Have a great day!

Questions/Announcements

Hello again! We are getting closer to our trip date! I have a few questions for you and a few announcements/reminders….

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS/REMINDERS

1.)    $ The first ½ of your trip deposit is due on March 8^th. That is just a little more than a month from now.

2.)    We are starting to work on rooming lists (see below).

3.)    We now know which Broadway show has been chosen for us and I am excited! It is an AMAZING show- Wicked!! You will soon learn the TRUE story of the “Wicked” Witch of the West in a hilarious yet heartbreaking way. A lot happened in Oz before Dorothy dropped in…

http://www.wickedthemusical.com/the-show

 QUESTIONS

1.)    We need to start working on rooming lists so I need two things from you. Please respond to me regarding the following things:

      -  Adults going on the trip -

                   1.) Did you sign up for a room with four people (a quad) or a double/triple room?

                   2.)Do you have an idea of who you want to room with? If you do, let me know. If not, tell me that too and I’ll assign you a roommate/roommates.

       -  Students going on the trip -

                    1.) Did you sign your child up for a room with four people (a quad) or a double/triple room?
                    2.) Please have them write out their name and their top two choices for roommates. I will do my best to ensure they will room with at least one of those two people. J

2.)    We will be having t-shirts made for our trip. We do this for safety reasons so that when we are in these big cities we can spot our Spooner students/parents easily. These t-shirts in the past have been around $10 each. I will be calling the designer later this week, but I will eventually need to know t-shirt sizes of everyone. Please let me know the t-shirt sizes of each participant going to DC/NYC.

3.)    I have a blog for this trip (SpoonerDCTrip.blogspot.com) but have been leery of only posting information there because I’m not sure you are all signed up to get reminders. Can you please let me know if you are currently accessing the blog?

Thank you for getting me all your information and have a great day!!

 

 

Payments

Hello! Just a quick reminder from the tour company- please keep paying on your accounts! Most people only have the registration fee paid. You can make payments at any time. Don't wait for a reminder- just pay whenever you can. 1/2 the money is due by March 8th and the other 1/2 by April 8th, so be sure you continue to pay. I don't want you to get to the last minute and not be able to pay/go!!

Have a great day and stay warm!

Waiting List

Hi everyone! Quick note- I've been told people signing up are now being added to a Waiting List. Feel free to keep signing up despite this! If we get another approximately 10 people signed up (in addition to the ones who have already talked to me about intending on going) we could take a second bus at the same cost! This means more leg/sleeping room and more people to experience this with! Keep signing up and I will keep you updated on the waiting list.
Have a great week!

We have enough people to go!

Hello parents! We have met the minimum requirement to guarantee the lowest pricing ($889 per student) for our DC trip!! We currently have approximately 15 more seats available for this trip at this pricing. If you would like to sign your child up (or if you want to send them and a family member even) and do not have information on how to sign up, email me, Mrs. Thummel (thummell@spooner.k12.wi.us) and I will email it to you. There is still time to sign up! The company has just informed me that there will be no late fees and they will not cut off registrations after tomorrow’s due date. Feel free to register when you can!

Thanks and have a great day!

Lisa Thummel

DC Trip Organizer
thummell@spooner.k12.wi.us

2015 DC Trip

Hello! Here we are again, getting ready for a DC Trip! We've had 8 people sign up already and sign up date is still 3 weeks away! WOOHOO!! Just a reminder, all registrations are due by October 8th. The white discipline policy forms should be brought back to the school signed also. Students can hand them in to either their social studies teacher (8th graders) or Mrs. Drew (9th graders.) If you are going and you attend St. Francis please get the forms to the office there. Thank you!!

Also, if you are planning on going with us for this trip, please feel free to add your email into the box on the right. This allows you to get an email every time this blog is updated. I will be sending out all trip updates through this blog.

Have a wonderful day and have fun planning!
Lisa Thummel

 

PS- If you are still logged in to get emails about this blog from the last trip, feel free to unsubscribe! :)

On Our Way Home

We are on our way home!! We've had quite the couple days!!! And thank goodness- we missed all the weather!!  Just a few sprinkles. Yesterday started out with Mount Vernon- Washington's home and burial place- then ended with our INCREDIBLE Broadway shows!! Both shows surpassed expectations. The kids talked about them all day today, so you know they liked them.

Today was an all NYC day. We went on a harbor cruise, went shopping, saw Ground Zero, road the subway, and saw the entire city from the Top of the Rock. All day we were in awe, walking around this incredible city. We had some mishaps with dinner, but everyone took it in stride.

I am very proud to be a part of this group- at every location we have gone we have been complimented on the manners and well behaved nature of our kiddos! You can be very proud of the people you have raised!!

Have an excellent day and we'll see you soon!

Amazing Wednesday

Wow- what an amazing day we had yesterday!!! We started out the day with the Holocaust museum. It was Anne Frank's birthday so it was a perfect day to be there. We also got the rare opportunity to talk with a survivor of Auschwitz. She answered all the kids' questions, posed for pictures and was incredibly gracious.

From there we all split up and went through the Smithsonians. Since each student went somewhere different (with an adult) I'll let them tell you about their experiences when you chat with them! From there we went to Ford's Theater, where President Lincoln was shot. We saw the gun, learned about John Wilkes Booth, and sat in the actual theater in which it happened. We were able to look directly into the area where it happened and see some of the actual furniture from the time.

After eating supper, we went on a 2 hour walking tour of the monuments. We saw the WWII memorial, Lincoln Memorial, and the Vietnam and Korea memorials. We then boarded the bus and visited the Jefferson, Martin Luther King Jr, and Iwo Jima memorials. It was an incredible tour of the monuments and the kids were often in awe!!

Today we are making our way to Mount Vernon, then it's on to New York and Broadway! We're doing our best to avoid the worst of the rain that is expected today. Keep your fingers crossed for us!

Have a great day!!

Arlington, the Capitol, and great weather

We're gearing up for our second day of touring. Yesterday we had a fantastic day. We started off our DC trip with viewing the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Magna Carta. We ate (and shopped) at the Old Post Office, then made our way to the Capitol. After this we saw the Air Force Memorial, which was incredible, and the Pentagon. Ask your child about the two different color bricks of the Pentagon. From there we went to the Arlington National Cemetery. The kids were impressed with the precision of the changing of the guard.

Due to a wrong turn and traffic on the way to the pizza place, we weren't able to see the Marine Corp Band. We were, however, able to fit in the White House last night. (Group picture!!) Because of this, this morning we'll head straight for the Holocaust Museum, then get an extra hour or so at the Smithsonian Museums.

It's been a great start to the trip. The weather has been amazing (we keep talking about how much better this is than our May 2nd snow day!!) and the kids have been fantastic. Our tour guide is amazed at how punctual these guys are!

If I can figure out how to get pictures on here I'll do so . We've gotten some great ones!!

Have a great day!!

Day One

Well, we've survived our first night on the bus. :) We're getting ready to stop for breakfast and enjoying the view of the Mountains! First stop today is the National Archives- we'll hit the ground running!!

Green Trip T-shirts

Let's wear our trip t-shirts the day we go to the Smithsonians- which I believe is Wednesday.

Another FYI

If technology allows, I'm planning to blog throughout the DC trip. Check back for updates while your child is gone!

Departure Time

Just in case it didn't get passed around to those of you who weren't at the meeting- the Departure time on Monday the 10th has changed. We will be loading buses at 11:30 and leaving at 12:30.

See you soon!!! :)

Trip Rules/Packing Tips

Some people were asking for the trip rules/packing tips to go on the blog, so here it is!

Washington D.C. / NYC Trip Rules and Packing Tips:

ENROUTE AND BUS RULES:

·         Students and parents should arrive at least 45 minutes prior to departure from SMS.  Departure time is 12:30 pm SHARP!

·         One (1) piece of luggage is permitted along with one backpack or small carry-on.  Please have your name on all pieces of luggage. 

·         Glass bottles and containers and prohibited.  Small plastic bottles with caps are okay.

·         Radios, CD players, iPods, etc. must be of a small size and accompanied by earphones.  NO iPODS DURING TOURS!!

·         When the tour guide is on the microphone, look forward and pay attention for the commentary and instructions.  This is very important.

·         Before boarding the bus, you must go to your assigned chaperone groups for a head count.  After everyone has been accounted for, we will board the bus.  It is important that you are seated right away.

·         DO NOT SCREAM OR YELL.  “12 inch voice” only.

·         Obey the bus driver’s requests.  Loud noise or movement in the aisle is a safety risk that must be avoided.  Do not play with the curtains or the shades.  If the sun is beaming into your eyes, you are more than welcome to close the shades, but don’t goof around with them.

·         No standing while the bus is moving. 

·         No standing on the seat to remove packages from the above rack.  If you need help reaching something, just ask.

·         Each individual is responsible for picking up trash and articles in their personal area.  The bus is equipped with a trash can.  The bus will act like our home for a few days.  You are responsible to keep it neat.

·         Forbidden items (food): chewing gum, sticky candy. Also, coolers are not allowed on the bus.

·         Permitted items (food): snacks, dried fruit, bottled water or soda with caps, etc.

·         Restroom: Rest stops will be provided.  The bus is equipped with a restroom.  Please use only in emergencies.  Never put trash or any other items in the toilet.

·         No flash photography on the bus, especially at night.  This is for safety purposes.

·         Boys and girls will not be allowed to share seats on the bus.

·         Movies: We will be providing movies that will be shown on the bus.  There will be no movies with ratings beyond PG-13.  If you have appropriate movies you would like to bring, feel free.  However, please note that if Mrs. Thummel, Mrs. Walker, Mr. Smith and/or Mrs. Olson-Rosenbush find the movie to be in any way inappropriate, it will not be played – even with a PG-13 rating or lower.

·         We do have Wi-Fi capabilities on the bus.  

·         Lights out means lights out!!  The lights on the bus will go out at 10:30 pm so people can sleep. We have a FULL schedule the next day, so do your best to GET SOME SLEEP!  You will need it.  J

 

HOTEL RULES:

·         Enter the hotel in an orderly manner and as quietly as possible. Remember that we are not the only guests and to be considerate of other travelers.

·         No running or horseplay in the lobby, halls, or rooms.

·         No loud talking or screaming (think library voices).

·         Use the elevator in a safe and orderly manner (no jumping or pressing alarms).

·         Students are to check each room for any damage or shortage of towels, etc. and report it to their chaperone immediately.

·         No one will be allowed to swim in the hotel pool.  Don’t pack a suit. The pool will be closed.

·         The telephone in your room will be cut off so that you will not be able to make long distance or local calls.  Please do not try to use the phones in the rooms!!  Cell phones are permitted, please use those instead.  ***Reminder***Charge your cell phones at night and pack your charger in the morning when you unplug your phone.  You don’t want to forget your phone or charger!

·         Security Guard:  A private off-duty police officer will be assigned to monitor the hallway at night from 11:30 pm until 6:00 am.  Any student that misbehaves, makes loud noises, or leaves their room will be reported to Mrs. Thummel.  Doors will be taped so that the officer can recognize if the door has been opened.

·         Curfew: Students must be in their rooms 15 minutes after returning to the hotel. We will announce a “lights out” time on the bus before we enter the hotel.  Remember, that we have long days ahead of us!  The security guard and chaperones will be doing periodic hall checks.

·         Boys are only allowed in other boy rooms.  Girls are only allowed in other girl rooms.  NEVER let anyone outside of our Spooner group into your room or go into their room!!!!

TOUR RULES:

·         All SMS rules apply on the trip, just as if you were in school.

·         Any students possessing or using weapons, alcohol, cigarettes or drugs will be sent home immediately at the parents’ expense. 

·         You are being supplied with a general itinerary for the trip.  It is a MUST that you and your group abide by the posted times.  We have scheduled appointments at attractions; if the group is late they will not be able to do the full program as designed.  We recommend wearing a watch and not relying only on your cell phone.

·         BE ON TIME!!!!!  This is very important in order to allow us to follow the itinerary.

·         Please note that our itinerary is flexible.  Some things will change due to a number of reasons like traffic, security concerns, etc.  Trust that the trip advisor will do their job to make sure that we all have the best trip possible. 

·         Everyone must visit all sites on tour.  You cannot stay on the bus because you are tired or for any other reason.

·         Never wander off on your own!  If given free time, you must always stay with a partner and be aware of the time to return to the bus or meet the group. If at any time you get lost, remain calm, stay where you are and look for security or a policeperson and ask for help.   If you have your cell phone, use it!

·         Be courteous and polite.  A “please” and a “thank you” go a long way!  J

PACKING / TRAVEL TIPS:

·         Please make sure your name is on your luggage and belongings.

·         Wear comfortable shoes and clothing.  Wearing socks will help to prevent blisters.  There will be a lot of walking!

·         You need to be dressed properly at all times.  Remember, you are representing Spooner.  This means:

o   NO SPAGHETTI STRAP TANK TOPS

o   NO SHORT SHORTS

o   NO CUTOFFS

o   NO MUSCLE SHIRTS

o   NO BATHING SUITS

·         The same rules at school apply to the trip.  Follow the dress code.

·         Only one suitcase and one backpack per person are allowed.

·         Remember that this is a group tour.  You will be told when you can go on your own.

·         Try to GET AS MUCH SLEEP AS POSSIBLE.  You will not enjoy the trip at all if you are overly tired.  We will follow the itinerary regardless of your conditions.

·         We recommend bringing a blanket and a pillow to help make the long bus ride more bearable.

·         You will want to bring some spending money and some money for food.  We recommend bringing around $150.  Don’t put all of your cash in one spot.  

·         Carry your cash in your front pocket.  It is more difficult for someone to pick your pockets if you carry your valuables in your front pocket than if you carry them in your back pocket.

·         Never carry all of your cash at one time.  Ever.

·         You will want at least 4 lightweight outfits for the days we are touring.  It is also recommended that you bring a light jacket or sweatshirt and pair of long pants in case we run into some cooler weather.  However, it is typically very hot in Washington D.C. and New York City in the month of June with average temperatures around 85©.  Please make your wardrobe choices accordingly. 

·         Pack your outfit for Day 1 of touring (Day 2 on the itinerary) along with your toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, hair brush, face wash, make-up, etc. in your backpack or carry-on.  We will NOT be opening the bottom of the bus to get these items for you and we will NOT be stopping to shower.  You will have a chance to freshen up when we stop for breakfast on the morning of Tuesday, June 11^th.  However, there will not be a place to shower.  We will not get to a shower until the night of Tuesday, June11^th when we check into our hotel.