Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any scholarships available?
Scholarship funds are EXTREMELY limited, as the trip is not school required. There will be a 1-2 partial scholarship (ranging from $____- $____), with the traveler paying the remaining balance. The scholarship will be awarded based on financial need, citizenship, academic achievement, two teacher recommendations, and a student essay. Applications are available on-line or in Mr. T's room. No extensions will be given on the deadline for scholarship applications. (see important documents page for an electronic copy of the scholarship letter)
Who do kids room with?
The cost of the trip is based on quad occupancy (4 students per room/2 Beds). In the Spring, kids will sign up for rooms during advisory. If there are 4 kids who know they want to room together they will sign up. If there are 2 kids who want to room together, they will find 2 other kids to room with. Once registration is full, students should start thinking about who they might want to room with and start having conversations about this. If a student isn't sure who to room with, they can stop by and see the trip list to help them see who else is going.
Note: There is a surcharge for those kids who CHOOSE to be in a room of 2 or 3 students. Each students family is responsible for paying the surcharge. If you are interested in this, please let m know.
If you have specific questions about rooming please contact Mrs. Tornquist ahead of roommate sign up.
Can parents come with?
Space on the trip is limited and in years past there have been kids who didn’t get to go because of limited space so we do not take parents as chaperones. We want as many students to experience the trip as possible, therefore, we do not want spots to be taken by parents. WorldStrides staffs the trip with teacher chaperones, at a ratio of 12:1.
****If there is a special circumstance or your child has unique needs please contact me immediately to discuss possible options. The D.C. trip involves A LOT of walking, independence and responsibility and we want to ensure that all travelers have a successful experience.
What happens when the trip fills up?
If the trip is full, you can still register your child and they will be added to the wait list. The tour company will notify you if and when a space becomes available for your child. Once the trip is full there is no guarantee or way to know if a spot will become available.
How does the fundraising program work?
TBD
What if I have questions on registration and/or payments?
Please contact World Strides- Customer Service, directly at 877-545-0070.
**The school and tour moderator can't register your child or accept payment to hold a spot.
What is PPP?
When you register, you have the option to add PPP to your child's trip. We HIGHLY recommend you include the optional PAYMENT PROTECTION PROGRAM (PPP). The PPP option provides full refund, less the cost of the protection, if the trip is canceled for any reason. PLEASE SEE THE INFORMATIONAL LETTER FOR THE COST
It is important to understand that if your child does not travel because the parent / guardian decides to cancel, the district decides to cancel, or the student can not travel because quarantined at the time of departure, the refund process and value will be the same. If you have not purchased the Payment Protection Plan, standard cancellation fees will apply. Please see WorldStrides terms and conditions for more information.
Sign up and Registration
FAQs:
When does registration for the trip open?
February 1, 2023
How do I register my child for the trip?
Go to spark.worldstrides.com/ for the fastest and easiest way to register. Once your reservation is confirmed, you'll get instant access to My Tours tools.
Pre Trip
FAQs:
How do I know my child is going to be safe while away from home?
Safety is our number one concern. Therefore, we take CMSE Staff members ranging from 6th, 7th and 8th grade teachers. The ratio of teachers to students is 12:1. There will be four teacher chaperones per bus, which means that your child should have a connection with at least one teacher and will be assigned to one teacher to be their main "go to" person. WorldStrides has hired an outside security company that is staffed from 10:30 pm to 5:30 am. There is one security guard on the girls floor and one security guard on the boys floor. All travelers are required to wear their WorldStrides lanyard at all times. This identifies them as an WorldStrides traveler. On the back of the lanyard is a 800 number for students to call in the need of an emergency. We also require students to use the buddy system at all time and will make sure that all students have a traveling companion to be matched up with. Teachers continuously take attendance to ensure everyone is present and accounted for. We will also go over detailed rules and expectations at the FALL required parent/student meeting to ensure safety, enjoyment, and well being of teach tour participant.
When will kids find out their bus/flight and small group assignments?
After signing up for rooms, the tour moderator will put kids into small groups (1 teacher:12 students). Small groups will be put onto buses/flights in early fall. Bus/Flight and small group assignments will be posted in October, as well as available at the pre-trip meeting.
How much spending money should my child take?
This amount really ranges, depending on the child (and family). We will discuss this at our pre-trip meeting.
What if my child has medical needs/concerns?
Please contact Mr. Tornquist - if they have major needs or if you are concerned. All parents will be required to fill out a medical form, before trip departure with information such as allergies, health concerns, etc.
We expect students to be self-sufficient and independent on this trip.
What should my child pack?
Jeans are the best option for kids while on the trip. Since we will be going in some very important/historical buildings, I would prefer that students NOT wear sweat pants (unless on the plane or at the hotel). Comfortable shoes are extremely important as we do a significant amount of walking over the three days. Flip flops are not something that kids should wear while sightseeing (as they can break easily). The outfit they wear on the plane Thursday will be the outfit they wear for the entire day/evening, as we will not be checking in until after our evening ghost tour. The outfit they put on Friday and Saturday morning, will be worn for the entire day, as well. I encourage students to layer. A pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and sweatshirt/fleece over will be perfect. It isn't unheard of to wear the same pair of jeans for more than one day.
What kind of luggage can kids bring?
Since this is only a three day tour, we are asking that your child DOES NOT check a bag. They are allowed a carry-on suitcase/bag, as well as a small backpack or purse. Most kids will have a bag that they put under their seat on the airplane and keep on the bus, with an extra sweatshirt, camera, wallet, etc. Please put the orange/gray luggage tag on your child’s bags.
With the new rules for carrying on, it will only force us all to plan out what we will wear and just put more thought into it. Gone are the days of bringing along many options. (which can be hard for us girls - including myself). The hotel does have a blow dryer in the room and kids are encouraged to share items if they can.
Here are the dimensions your bag should be:
- should not be more than 9 x 14 x 22 in. (23 x 35 x 56 cm) (length x width x height) or 45 linear inches* (114 linear cm)
If you could help your child (before they arrive at school Thursday morning) put all their liquids and gels in a zip lock back and in a spot that is easily accessible, that would be appreciated. This helps expedite going through security (if you can imagine a group of 50 eight graders) and ensure that students do not get their liquids/gels taken away.
Can kids bring snacks and a water bottle?
Absolutely! A lot of kids bring snacks (granola bars, crackers, etc) to keep on the bus with them during the day. Water bottles are fine - as long as they are empty when kids go through security. Water is available for purchase through the bus driver once we are in D.C.