WASHINGTON D.C. 8TH GRADE TRIP The Trip Advisors: Stacy Blaskowski: Kristie Saterstad:

Purpose of the Trip Enhance the Curriculum Provide a Team Bonding Experience Demonstrate and Practice our Wildcat Values

Planning Process Brightspark Travel – Insured tour operator with over 40 years experience, focused on youth travel, with SAFETY & SECURITY in mind We have a working relationship with Brightspark, as they have coordinated other OCS trips OMS has reserved 5 buses and 60 hotel rooms for our group of 262, our 2016 trip maximum 5 Seats will be held until the fall for new-to-district students

What is Included? Round-trip motor coach Clean and safe hotel rooms – Quadruple Occupancy for Students Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily 24 Hour Brightspark Staff tour director & Emergency Hotline Sightseeing tours led by licensed expert guides Air-conditioned motor coach Student drawstring backpack, lanyards and travel ID badge Bus driver and tour director gratuities & all taxes “Help Me Travel” Online Fundraising Tool

Departure & Return Dates Depart from OMS: Tuesday, November 1 st, 2016 at 7:00pm Return to OMS: Saturday, November 5 th, 2016 at 8:00am

Tour Highlights Our custom itinerary has been planned to include the following tour highlights: Guided Tour Of The Memorials Museum Only at the Gettysburg Visitor Center Smithsonian Museums U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Wreath Laying Ceremony 2-Hour Battlefield Tour in Gettysburg Capitol Building Tour U.S. Supreme Court Central Photo - Grant Memorial - Group photo included George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens - Film, Mansion, Grounds and Museum Guided Tour Of Arlington Cemetery U.S National Archives

Important Details Supervision A student to chaperone ratio is 1:8 Safety Brightsparks to provide hotel security each night for our students and staff

Hotel Accommodations Hyatt Regency Crystal City

Roommate Requests Students will select groups of 4 for their rooms. If they cannot agree on a group of 4, they will be allowed to choose a group of 2 and will be paired with another group of 2. Students will be able to list 1 student they are unable to room with for whatever reason. ALL roommate requests will be made during the first 2 weeks of the 2016 school year Room assignments are due to Brightspark by September 30 th and cannot be changed once submitted

Fundraising A fundraising opportunity will available for all 7 th graders April (Family Delights and Popcorn) Any fundraising money earned in 7 th grade that has not been used for Michigan Adventure will be sent to Brightspark by the end of June, This means you must be signed up ONLINE for the Washington DC trip before June 1 st, 2016 If registered after June 1st then you will have to pay balance in full and any fundraising money will be refunded after the trip by Brightsparks. Brightspark will refund parents depending how you paid. If by check, they will issue you a check, if by credit card, they will credit your cc.

Interested in chaperoning? Students will be given an opportunity to enroll in their 8 th grade class trip first A limited number of parent chaperone seats will open on Monday, April 11th. This number depends on our number of students enrolled as of 4/10/16 We anticipate a second round of parent chaperone seats opening before the end of the school year. Details will be communicated via . Chaperoning includes; excessive walking, flexibility, two 12-hour bus rides; responsible for at least 8 students

Payment Plan - $ (this price will not change) Tour Web Code: ● $100 Deposit is required upon ONLINE REGISTRATION Adult Tour Price: $ RGP (Refund Guarantee Program) – Double occupancy mytour.brightsparktravel.com

NEXT STEPS … ❑ Register your student online ($100 is due with the registration) at this link ❑ ❑ Registration goes quickly! Reserve your student’s seat – the 2015 trip filled up by May ❑ Keep an eye out for the fundraising materials (after Spring Break) ❑ If you are planning to use your student’s 7 th grade class fundraised money, contact Brenda Brown