Clark Planetarium

Dear Parents,

                The sixth grade is planning an exciting field trip this year.  With the second half of the science core focusing on space, each year we take a trip to the Clark Planetarium.  This year, it will be a little different, adding a new level of excitement.  Rather than renting busses, which get more and more expensive each year, we are going to take the Frontrunner.  This does add a couple of challenges though. 

First off, rather than meeting at school, we will be meeting at the train station in Clearfield.  Getting to the station does present the first challenge as we know some parents rely on carpool to get their students to school.  Please return this form as soon as possible so we know if you will be able to get your student to and from the station, or if we need to arrange a carpool for you. We will then create a carpool committee which has a volunteer (possibly the class captain) from each class to help arrange the rest of the carpools needed for each class.

Since we are taking the train, we need more volunteers to go with us.  We are looking for 5 parent volunteers per class.  Each parent will be assigned to a group of students, allowing the teachers to supervise and make sure order is maintained.  If you would like to volunteer for the day of the trip, please return this form as soon as possible.  Due to the Planetariums’ constraints, no younger children will be allowed on the field trip.  We will take the first five volunteers. To keep it fair, if there are more than five that turn in on the same day, we will pull five names out of a hat.  Thanks in advance to anyone who is willing to volunteer.

The field trip will take place on February 14, 2013.  It will cost us $8 per person (volunteers included), but this cost will cover the train, the planetarium, and lunch. Home lunches will not be allowed due to storage.  Field trip uniforms still apply: white top, blue bottom. Students who show up with anything other than field trip uniforms will be sent home with the carpool that brought them.   We will meet at the Clearfield train station (1250 South State Street) beginning at 8:00.  We leave on the train at 8:30.  Please arrive by 8:15. The train leaves promptly at 8:30, and so do we.    

Weather permitting we will either walk the few blocks to the Planetarium or take the Trax. We are scheduled for events at the Planetarium from 10:00 until 12:00. The plan is to arrive early enough that we can spend some time looking at the exhibits as well. 

After the Planetarium, we will walk over to the Gateway’s food court where Subway will be catering our lunch.  There will be sandwiches, chips, water, and possibly a cookie. Lunch is included for volunteers as well.  After lunch, we will make our way back to the train station to board the 1:55 train getting us back to the Clearfield train station around 2:30.  The students will need to be picked up from the train station through the same carpool arrangements.  Parents who volunteer are required to wait with the teachers until the last student is picked up.

There is one final volunteer opportunity.  We will need one parent, who is willing to deliver the chips, drinks, and cookies to us at the Gateway.  You would need to meet us at the food court at 12:00 with the additional food.  This cannot be a parent who is coming to volunteer at the Planetarium as they will be assigned a group of students the entire time. This volunteer only needs to par for their own fuel; their lunch is free.

It has taken quite an effort to pull this together, but we are really excited about this field trip.  The train will add a new experience to the field trip that we think the students will really enjoy.  Please be sure to return all of the required paperwork as soon as possible.  This includes the permission slip, the $8 fee (per person), and the form letting us know if you are willing to help with any of the volunteer opportunities.  Thanks again to anyone who is willing to help us out.

 Sincerely,

The Sixth Grade Team

 

***If you need new copies and any of the documentation, please e-mail Mr. Pratt ~ apratt@syracuseartsacademy.org