The Schreiber Times believes that safety is a top priority at Schreiber. However, when it is possible to keep kids safe and also save money, excessive worry is unnecessary. While taking field trips may be a fun escape for a day, sometimes people do not get the opportunity to enjoy them due to unnecessary costs due to “safety” reasons.
A recent field trip to Jeanne Rimsky Theater, more commonly known as the Landmark, required students to pay a fee; the price was for the coverage of bus fares. Even though there is less than one mile separating the two buildings, students were unable to walk with teachers supervising the trip and had to pay.
Once, students who attended an orchestra trip to Black Violin at the Landmark were able to go to the event free of charge thanks to the organization called HEARTS, a grassroots not-for-profit community organization.
Many students expressed their frustration regarding this matter. Though the Landmark is in walking distance, students are required to take buses which wastes unnecessary time, increasing missed classwork.
As a result, even though the Jeanne Rimsky Theater is a great spot for field trips especially during the fall and the spring when the weather is pleasant, most teachers do not plan a field trip to the Landmark.
Timing certainly would not have been an issue, as we are all aware of how long it takes for students to get on and off of the bus, and for teachers to make sure everyone is there.
The Schreiber Times believes that if students are allowed to walk together to the Landmark instead of spending money on a bus, perhaps an additional trip could have been arranged for a farther location that would require one.
Nearly one hundred Schreiber orchestra members were able to enjoy the field trip, and walking would not have hindered the experience.