Dear Parents,

This letter should answer most question you may have regarding the Tallahassee field trip. There are a lot of rules, but we feel they are necessary either for safety, teacher and chaperone sanity, or because they are a requirement of the tour company. This will be our fifth Tallahassee field trip and although a few have felt the rules to be excessive, the kids have always had a wonderful, memorable and learning-filled time. Feel free to e-mail Mr. Roemer for additional information.

ELIGIBILITY:

• Fifth grade students who have shown consistantly throughout the year that they have completed their homework, classwork, and projects on time and to the best of their ability, and who have demonstrated good citizenship skills with their classmates and adults at the school. Also, students who want to go on the trip should be willing participants in our fund raisers. Consistantly missing work, excessive classroom behavior difficulties and referrals, and lack of participation in class may disqualify a student from attending the trip. We may elect not to allow a student on the trip for any of the above reasons after a conference with parents.

• Tuesday, May 21st  and Wednesday, May 22nd, 2002

• Students start boarding the bus at 6:15 a.m. The bus departs at 6:30 a.m.
• Parents need to be at the school at 7:45 p.m. to pick their child up on Wednesday evening.  The bus returns approximately from 7:30 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.  Please be prompt in picking up your child. (Note: The trip goes so smoothly some years that we arrived back at school almost an hour early. You don't have to be at the school early, but please be by a phone after 7:00 p.m.)

There will be opportunities for students to purchase items (museums, the mall, etc.). We are asking that students do not bring more than $31.00 (One dollar is for a tip at Golden Corral).  Students are responsible for their own money and for any items they might purchase on the trip.

WHAT TO PACK: (Pack three outfits. One for each day, plus an extra in case of a spill. Please remember a light jacket and changes of socks and underclothing.)

• Appropriate clothing
• Sneakers MUST be worn at all times due to the activities involved on the field trip (no sandals, no open-toed shoes, etc.) If you can't wear the sneakers to PE, you can't wear them on the trip.
• Shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, deoderant, soap, brush/comb, medicine if needed, any other necessary personal items 
• Light jacket
• Optional items: camera, film, sunglasses, hat, pillow for the bus

• One suitcase per person


• One small carry on per person (example: bookbag, shoulder bag)


• No coolers allowed

• No gum on the bus


• No candy on the bus


• No drinks on the bus


• No snacks on the bus


• No personal coolers on the trip


• Snacks and drinks will be provided by Mr. Roemer. Meals are included in the cost of the field trip.

• Stay with your chaperone at all times
• Listen and follow directions at all times
• Be respectful to adults at all times
• Use appropriate language
• No yelling and/or screaming
• Use manners
• No running (for safety reasons)
• Wear name tag at all times
• Must stay with designated chaperone and group at all times
• Keep hands, feet, and objects to self
• Students are responsible for their own items
• Stay in your motel room - no room hopping or cruising the halls

• Same as student rules listed above
• Must remain seated on bus
• Listen and follow directions of bus driver, tour guide, and all adults
• No food, drinks, gum, candy are allowed on bus or trip
• Students may bring hand held CD players, cassette players, radios, but they must have headphones (No portable stereos)
• Students may bring electronic handheld games (ex. Game  Boy), but they must have headphones

We will be staying at the Cabot Lodge North - (850) 386-8880. We will also have a few cell phones with us and will send home the numbers shortly before the trip.

ITINERARY:

Day One

• Leave school at 6:30 a.m. for destination
• Arrive at Wakulla Springs for a picnic lunch (which will be provided by the school)
• Take a Jungle Boat Tour down the Wakulla river to view abundant wildlife (gators!) and lush vegetation
• Next we travel to the Tallahassee Jr. Museum and Discovery  Building
• Then we visit the Natural Habitat Zoo and Nature Trail 
• Check into hotel - Cabot Lodge Hotel (Briefly - no time for showers!)
• Eat dinner at the Golden Corral
• Shop at the Governor's Square Mall
• Return to motel for the night

• Eat breakfast at the motel
• Tour the Old Capitol and learning historical facts
• Visit the New Capitol and explore the Heritage Chapel (we get to dress up in old clothing styles and take pictures)
• Visit the Museum of Florida History (we learn about the  sunken trasures of old Spanish Galleons, and march into battle in imagination under Florida's Civil War Battle Flags)
• we will visit FSU (this is a bonus and is based on overall behavior of trip per tour guide)
• Eat lunch at CiCi's Pizza and then head back home
• Eat dinner at McDonald's near Ocala
• Arrive back at school between 7:30-8:15 p.m.