Dear Parents,
We are looking forward to our class trip in May (Monday, May 18th-Friday, May 22nd). Our week-long spring trip is an opportunity to extend our learning outside of the classroom, further strengthen our community, and stretch ourselves. We are excited to be participating in programming at Nature’s Classroom Institute (NCI). NCI is a Montessori school and outdoor education program with sites in multiple states. We will be staying at their center in Jefferson, MD. Hannah and Pearl will be chaperoning the trip. Hannah’s cell phone number is (202) 306-0479, and Pearl’s is (301) 661-1016 in case you need to reach the group in an emergency while we are away.
Transit
Luis will be driving us to the site on the bus departing from school on Monday, May 18th, at 9:30 AM. Students should arrive at school at the regular arrival time. We will return to school on Friday, May 22nd, in time for regular dismissal. If we are delayed by traffic, we will provide arrival updates along our route.
Activities
While we are at NCI, students will be participating in a range of activities in large and small groups. They will have opportunities to explore the local environment and participate in educator-guided classes and activities. Because Nature’s Classroom Institute is a Montessori program, students will have a choice in many of the activities that they participate in. You can see a sample schedule here. We have also attached a letter from NCI with additional information about Staffing, Health & Safety, Food & Lodging, and a packing list. Please read over the letter and list carefully.
Registration
You will be responsible for registering your student for this trip using NCI’s registration portal, which you can access here. For the registration, you will need to list emergency contacts, dietary restrictions, and medications (which will be administered by Pearl and Hannah), as well as sign a waiver. There is a video tutorial at the top of the page to help you with the registration procedures. Registrations should be completed no later than Thursday, April 30th.
Trip Cost
The cost of the trip is $550 per student. We are covering much of this cost with our class budget, fundraising, and the class activity fee. The cost to families for the trip is $175 per student to be submitted by Thursday, April 30th. Payments may be made by check or credit card; we will send a jotform link for credit card payments. We do not want to exclude any student from the trip for financial reasons. If you are unable to afford this cost, please email Karen, Hannah, and Pearl as soon as possible to discuss financial aid.
If you have any questions or concerns about the trip, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We are looking forward to this exciting adventure with your adolescents.
Sincerely,
Hannah and Pearl
