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We welcome parents who accompany us on our field trip. Because of limited space on the bus, we must ask that parents provide their own transportation. We also ask that if you bring a younger child along, you do not drive to our first stop, the Silver Mine, hand off your 2 year old child to your 4th grade child and expect them to carry the child through the mine so you can slip uptown for some shopping or a ‘pick-me-up’ at the ‘Bucket of Blood' Saloon. |
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After we tour the mine, we walk to the park for lunch. Since it’s about a mile to the park, your 4th grade student gets very tired carrying your baby and by that time your baby probably needs a diaper change and doesn’t smell so good. |
4th Grade students generally find the situation unpleasant and when they tire of carrying your baby, they ask the teacher taking them on the field trip to carry your child. We don’t want to quibble here, but three teachers are in charge of 70 or so 4th grade children. We prefer not to be responsible for your 2 year old as well. We hope you understand. We feel that you should be responsible for any children you bring along on the field trip. That would include the train ride as well. Your 2 year old needs to sit with you in the enclosed rail car and not with the 4th grade student, even though your child is ‘very sad’ about not being able to sit on the lap of your 4th grader in an open air car.
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One other note about the train: our primary concern on our field trips is the safety of your child. Therefore, we ask that you not run out and place coins on the tracks when the train is approaching, in front of the 70 or so students who we are trying to keep back from the tracks for their safety. |
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We understand watching a train smash several quarters you’ve placed on the track is quite exciting, but we cannot allow the children to do this and we feel it is unwise for you to encourage this behavior. |
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Additionally,
the conductor
of the train gets very upset with this unsafe activity. He will express
that displeasure by blowing the train whistle repeatedly at you, wave
at you using obscene gestures, or yell at you using colorful language
best reserved for the ‘Bucket of Blood' Saloon. This might
embarrass
you and it is certainly not appropriate when considering the vast majority of the
attending audience is under twelve years of age. |
It is important to remember that trains will injure you if you initiate contact with a moving one. We emphasize safety with our students and the importance of thinking ahead about the unintended consequences of your unsafe actions (severed limbs and crushed toes come to mind) and we would appreciate it if you would use common sense in these situations.
We appreciate your cooperation, The 4th Grade Teachers
I, ______________________ promise to:
1. Provide for my Own transportation
2. Care for any children I may bring with me.
3. Save the trip to the 'Bucket of Blood' Saloon for the weekend.
4. Exhibit at least as much common sense as my 4th grader.
5. Refrain from playing 'Chicken' with locomotives.
________________________ _________________
(Signature Required) (Date Required)
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