Washington D.C. Trip Information

Day 3 Pictures Posted (Final Set)

DAY 2 PICTURES POSTED!!

Friday at 12:05 AM Mr. Sowders says
"We ate a lot of food for breakfast.  See the pictures.
Check out the pictures of our bus drivers, they are the
one's that make the trip exciting.  Bobby Bowden 
and Joe Barber.
We visited the Lincoln, Vietnam, Korean, FDR Memorials.
 See pictures.
We went to Arlington Cemetery.  See pictures.  Students
saw the changing of the guard, wreath laying ceremony and
afterward went to the amphitheater to listen to Bobby speak
about the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  See pictures.
 Also saw gravesites of JFK, Joe Louis.  Saw the Lee
Mansion.  See all the pictures.
We then went up in the Washington Monument.  See pictures.
We also went to the Holocaust Museum and went through the
Daniel's story display. 
We went to Pentagon Mall to eat and shop.
Night tour of the monuments see pictures."

Questions? janelle.sowders@southwestschools.org

shawn.sowders@southwestschools.org

"Everything went well.  Both flights arrived on time and
everyone is safe and sound in the hotel.  It is 11:50 pm.  The pictures are of the students waiting 
to board their flights and getting ready to go . 
You will see more pictures tomorrow.  We will be at Arlington Cemetery where our students will lay the
wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and then we will
be going to Mount Vernon (Washingon's Plantation). "
Mr. Sowders, 11:50 PM, Wednesday, April 9th, 2003

Flight Information

March 25 Info
March 18 Info

March 25, 2003

Dear Parents,

            As we are all aware, these last few weeks have been a trying time in our country and in our own minds as all of us continue to wait to make the final decision about this year’s DC trip.  Although it is too early for anything definite, we are, at this time, planning to go!  We will continue, of course, to access the situation with the information that comes available to us.

            We did want to dispel the rumor that Washington DC is closed.  All the monuments are open, as are the Smithsonians and memorials.  The White House and Capitol Building have closed at times due to events and situations, and there is no way to know if they will be open on certain days until we arrive.  One great thing about using a tour company and having our annual World Strides bus drivers, Bobby and Joe, is that we have quite a bit of flexibility about seeing other sites as well.  If the Capitol is closed, then we will move to plan B and visit, let’s say, the National Cathedral and try again the next day.  Our main goal will be for your student to see as much of DC as possible, even if that means rearranging the daily schedule to accommodate changes in the city.

            Also, as was mentioned in the last letter, we have several security measures in place.  We have begun working on the emergency phone chain, so if you have not yet turned in your name and number, please do so immediately.  We have things underway to make a diary of daily events on the school’s website, which will hopefully aid in some apprehension.  We will be in continual contact with our school’s office, and on the parent information meeting, you will receive emergency numbers you can contact, including the World Strides number, our hotel information, and even our cell phone numbers. 

            You will be receiving a letter from World Strides this week concerning the Full Refund Guarantee policy.  The letter states that due to the travel companies being hit so hard, they may enforce a fine print clause that states that the insurance policy does not include “an act of God, war, or terrorism.”  We realize this will come as a shock to you, because it did to us as well.  We have already investigated this and talked to several people, including World Strides representatives, and have found out the following things:

First, they will decide if they will use this disclaimer after they can assess how much money their company lost.  However, since we are one of their largest, and oldest, accounts, they are trying to work with our group to ensure our business for the following years.  Lastly, we will do everything in our power to make sure that your money is not wasted.  However, as many of you have expressed, money is a second concern to your child’s safety.

            Rest assured that you are not the only parents in our district to have to make the decision as to whether or not your child will attend a school trip.  Other Southwest groups have travel plans in the works and those too, are still on at this point.  However, we will continue to keep you informed as we are made aware of new developments so that you can make the best decision for your student.

            Again, please remember the very important parent meeting Wednesday April 2^nd at 7:00 PM.

Shawn Sowders                                               Janelle Sowders

shawn.sowders@southwestschools.org janelle.sowders@southwestschools.org

March 18th Info

 Dear Parents,

            We are now four weeks away from our Washington DC Trip, and we are sure the events with Iraq are on everyone’s mind.  Although we will be monitoring the situation, at this point we are still going on the trip. This letter is to let you know of security features that are in place for the safety of your child.

As of this date, our numbers have stayed constant at 102 students and 8 chaperones. 

On this trip with World Strides, we are in constant face-to-face contact with a representative from the company to ensure all safety matters.  One reason we have chosen World Strides is because of their experience.  They have worked through various events (most of these Mr. Westrich can vouch for as he began this trip in 1980) like Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination, the protests and demonstrations in the 1970s, the 80s airline strike, the first Gulf War, the bombings in Oklahoma City and also both bombings at the World Trade Center, and, most recently, the sniper in the DC area.  Through all these events, safety has always been their- and our- first concern. 

            In addition, World Strides has unmatched resources.  They employ one of the major intelligence firms in the DC area, and have numerous former CIA, FBI, and Secret Service agents as heads of their safety department.  Through their contacts, they are aware of events before they are released to the general public. 

            Lastly, US citizens have been encouraged by Attorney General John Ashcroft to go about their business as usual and to not change their travel plans.  At this point, we will not change ours either.  In fact, this trip may be more educational- and patriotic- than usual because of the unusual events.   If you, the parent, choose otherwise, we respect that decision.  Just as you have to do what you think is best, we also will do what we think is best.

            With all this being said, we will also be placing a few precautionary methods into place.  For example, we would like to design an emergency phone chain for the parents back home.  We implemented this last year and it worked well, even though the only time we used it was when we landed Wednesday night to say that we had arrived safely.  If you would like to be a part of this emergency phone chain, please fill out the form.  We are also looking into sending information to our school’s website via digital camera and the internet so that you can keep daily tabs on your child’s trip.  In addition, we will be giving each student a Harrison Jr. School ID and an emergency card that will contain a toll-free emergency number to contact World Strides (that will then contact our bus drivers), the hotel information, and other important safety numbers.  Lastly, we will be in daily communication with our school’s administration, so any concerns can be addressed through our schools office while we are on the trip. 

You will want to reiterate the conversation we will have with your child about the amount of security that will be in place.  This might mean longer lines, more thorough security checks, and less tolerant guards.  In other words, they will need to be responsible for how they act and what they say because they will be held responsible for how they act and what they say, not only by us but by the security we will encounter. 

Lastly, we would also encourage you to choose their departing and arriving outfits with care.  Airports are recommending passengers to stay away from loose bulky attire (like their hooded sweatshirts), outfits with lots of pockets, and shoes with metal eyelets.  These are some of the items that cause problems with the security checks and they run the risk of being searched.  Students are not allowed any carry-on for this very reason. 

Also, we once again remind you that students will not be bringing their CD players and cell phones as their electronic components can hold up security checks at luggage boarding.  Cellular phones are also an incredible high-theft item in the DC area.  Unfortunately other schools have reported incidents where fellow classmates have stolen or used someone else’s cell phone, charging the family with high bills so they can talk to their friends back home.  Even though they are nice for individual use, they cause more problems than they help when you are taking 102 junior high students.  (Think about how much trouble you have at home with your phone line and one teenager.  Now multiply that by 102!)  Anyway, in case of emergency, cell phones will probably not do anyone any good as the lines would just get blocked, as we saw on September 11^th, 2001.

If these precautions do not ease your peace of mind, if you disagree with the rules of the trip, or if you simply do not want your child to attend this trip due to these new developments, then you may want to discuss using the insurance policy that was recommended at the beginning of the year and cancel out your student.  If you do choose this option, after canceling with World Strides, we ask that you also give us a call as we are in the middle of organizing the last minute details of the trip.

As always, if you have any concerns or questions, please contact us through our e-mail. Also, please mark your calendar for our Parent Meeting that will take place on April 2^nd at 7:00 PM.

Shawn Sowders                                                           Janelle Sowders

shawn.sowders@southwestschools.org                           janelle.sowders@southwestschools.org

_____  Yes, I would like to be a part of the emergency phone chain.  I realize that this will post my phone number to the other students’ families that are on the list.  I further agree to the etiquette of the phone chain which states that when I get a call, I will call the next number on the list until I personally talk to another parent.

Parent Name:

Student’s Name:

Phone Number to be listed:

Return to Mrs. Sowders by Wednesday, March 26^th

Questions? janelle.sowders@southwestschools.org

shawn.sowders@southwestschools.org