Title: CLS2-Jupiter High School's Field Trip to Costa Rica

Recommendation:
Recommend that the School Board approve Jupiter High School's field trip to Costa Rica during Spring Break, March 17 through March 27, 2006.

Description:

Sixteen Jupiter Environmental Research & Field Studies Academy sophomores and juniors will be chaperoned by two Palm Beach County District teachers and their spouses, along with naturalist/guides from Fundacion Neotropica, their in-country hosts.  Since this trip will occur mostly over Spring Break, only one day of classes will be missed by the students and teachers involved.  This is a repeat of a very successful educational trip taken in 1999 and 2001, in addition to two trips to Belize and one to Panama made with the same organization.  This trip will allow students to experience first hand the wildlife, ecosystems, and conservation efforts of tropical rainforests in the Osa Peninsula region of Costa Rica.  Students will stay in facilities managed by Fundacion Neotropica, the most highly regarded conservation organization in Costa Rica, whose instructors will guide our travels and studies.  Included will be visits to various natural areas and community-based initiatives to conserve rainforest resources.  The cost of the eleven-day trip will be $1875 per participant, which will cover all costs of airfare, ground transportation, lodging, meals, instruction, and fees.  Students are asked to bring an additional $100 for snacks and souvenirs.  Every effort is made to assure that students in JERFSA are not deprived of the opportunity to participate in special activities such as this one because of financial hardship.  The benefits to the District include:  ecological, geological, and cultural instruction for students and teachers; broadening of personal experience for students and teachers; first-hand experience in a variety of natural ecosystems and geological settings that will improve instruction in Biology, Environmental Science, AP Environmental science, and Ecology classes.

Financial Impact:
The Academy parents' organization works to acquire financial assistance for especially needy students; they also sponsor numerous fund-raising efforts during the year in which students may work to defray costs of special activities.  Substitute teacher expense for two teachers for one day ($154) is the only cost to District.

For Additional Information, contact:

Ann Killets  akillets@palmbeach.k12.fl.us

Marisol Ferrer

Paula Nessmith

Attachments (list):
JupiterHSData2.pdf
JHSFTR.pdf
JHSDoc.pdf
Q&ACLS2.doc