Parents and students in Newington will talk about a canceled trip to our nation's capital on Tuesday night.
The district staff makes the decisions, not the Board of Education, but the board is willing to hear parents out, who are upset and disappointed that the annual trip has been canceled.
"I want to see the trip keep going. I mean, it has been going on for, I just found out, 30 plus years. Why are we stopping it? Why?" said Melissa Fusco, who created the petition.
The interim superintendent Pamela Muraca said there have been several reasons for the change. She said it costs $400 to $500 per student and that can be prohibitive for some families. The need for chaperones created additional needs for substitute coverage. There was also increased liability and the trip no longer aligns with the 8th grade curriculum.
The district decided this year's trip will be the last.
Parents said they're upset they were not consulted about the decision. More than 1,200 people have already signed a petition on Change.org to keep the trip going.
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The superintendent said they are exploring other options like day trips to Boston, New York and various other Connecticut locations.
The board meeting is at 8 p.m. and will be held in the Town Hall in the Helen W. Nelson Meeting Room.
