Washington, D.C. Trip: Class of 2027

Registration

All registration materials and money is handled by WorldStrides, not Novi Middle School.

Cost

Option 1: Register before December 3rd, 2021

$935 base trip price (4 students per room)

$50 Early Bird Discount

$50 Extra Discount

Total: $835

If you register before December 3rd, you will not see the $50 additional discount taken off of the price. It will be taken off later by World Strides. If paying in full, only submit a payment of $835.00.

Option 2: Register before January 31st, 2022

$935 base trip price (4 students per room)

$50 Early Bird Discount

Total: $885

Option 3: Register after January 31st

$935 base trip price (4 students per room)

To be guaranteed a spot on the trip you must register and submit a $99 non-refundable deposit to WorldStrides before January 31st. The $99 is applied to the cost of the trip.

*The prices above do not include the optional $125 Full Refund Program

Payment Plan

There are two ways to make payments.

Option 1: Mail, phone, or online.

There is a $6 additional charge for each payment

All checks should be sent directly to & be made payable to: WorldStrides

Option 2: EZ Pay (recommended)

EZPay is an automated payment plan through WorldStrides. Through EZPay, your trip payment installments come directly out of the bank account or debit card you authorize us to use. There are no additional charges to use this service.

Payments of $200 are due 2/20, 4/20, 6/20

Remaining balance due at final payment which is due 8/25/2022

Late Fees:

$15 late fee for missed installment, $60 late fee for missed final payment

Full Refund Program

Participation in the Full Refund Program is optional and is an additional cost of $125. It insures you a full refund of the cost of the trip in the event that your student cannot attend. For it to be valid, you must cancel prior to the group’s departure.

Please read registration letter carefully for more information regarding F.R.P.

The full refund does not include: $125 Full Refund Program cost, the $99 initial deposit, or any handling and/or late fees

Over 50% in Novi, and up to 70% across U.S., choose to do this plan.

Without the Full Refund Program, WorldStrides retains 100% of tour price if you cancel less than 44 days prior to departure.

Special COVID-19 Flexibility Plan

If closures, government regulations, or travel restrictions due to COVID-19 prevent the trip from taking place, and it is determined by the school that the trip cannot be postponed, then participants will receive all money back (minus any late charges or handling fees) other than $149 (goes to Worldstrides) and a $10 administrative fee (goes to the school).

If you had purchased the Full Refund Program (which would allow you to cancel for any reason), you will receive the full refund available under that policy, minus the amount paid for the program and the $10 administrative fee.

Financial Assistance

Below are two ways to access financial assistance for the trip. You may apply for both opportunities. The Novi Scholarships offered are from a collaboration of resources from Novi Youth Assistance, Novi Middle School Parent Teacher Organization and the Novi Educational Foundation. The FLAG Scholarships are offered through WorldStrides, our tour company.

FLAG Scholarship
Novi Scholarships

FLAG Scholarship

FLAG Scholarships are made available through WorldStrides to families with an annual adjusted gross income (AGI) under $85,000. The money is awarded on a sliding scale that compares your AGI to the price of the trip. It is also awarded on a first come, first served basis so we encourage you to apply early. For more information on this opportunity, please contact WorldStrides.

Novi Scholarships

So that as many Novi students as possible can attend the annual 8th grade trip to Washington DC, Novi Youth Assistance (NYA), the Novi Educational Foundation (NEF) and the Novi Middle School PTO (PTO) will be pooling our resources to provide scholarships to students in need. The three entities will coordinate awards based on this one application.

Because the NYA uses Community Development Block Grant funds to offset the cost of some of its programs, it is a bit more limited in who can receive funds (per chart on following page). However, the NEF and PTO have more flexibility to assist families whose incomes exceed certain levels, but still struggle to cover the expense of the DC trip. Additionally, the NYA can only provide funds to residents of Novi, but NEF and PTO can provide assistance to any student attending Novi Schools.

*Note: Priority given to Applications received by January 10th.

Please apply for the FLAG Scholarship in addition to completing the Novi Scholarship form.

8th grade Washington DC Trip Novi Scholarship Application

No High School Credit

My Trip!

Accomodations

Medication

Meals

Meals will be eaten in a variety of places including food courts, buffets, and family-style restaurants. We are able to accommodate a variety of dietary needs and restrictions such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, and allergies. It is helpful if we are notified of dietary needs in advance of the trip. The list of locations for meals will not be finalized until August.

D.C. Trip Restaurants (tentative)

DoubleTree Crystal City, buffet breakfast

Mount Vernon breakfast, pre-set menu for groups

Reagan Building Food Court

Pentagon City Mall Food Court

Ballston Quarter Market Food Hall (there are other restaurants available that are not listed on website)

Crystal City Sports Pub, dinner, pre-set menu for groups

We the Pizza Crystal City, dinner, pre-set menu for groups

Pizzeria Uno, dinner, pre-set menu for groups

Firehouse Subs, box meal, pre-ordered before trip

Trip Security

The trip is chaperoned by Novi School District Chaperones. These are generally teachers but have also included principals, the superintendent, student resource officer, district nurse and board members. We keep a ratio of one chaperone for every twelve students.

WorldStrides provides nighttime security chaperones who are stationed on each floor on which we have students housed. They are stationed from 10:00 pm until 5:00 am.

WorldStrides also provides us with a 24-hour contact service. Each student will be issued a wrist band with the contact number as they get on the bus in Novi. We do this so that in the event they may need it, they will have a number to contact someone 24 hours a day.

While touring the city, each bus will have an assigned licensed tour guide to help our groups navigate and learn the history of the city and the nation.

We also have doctors on call in the event of a medical need. We also carry trip liability insurance.

Novi Attire

Included in the cost of the trip, each student will receive a Novi Washington D.C. t-shirt and sweatshirt. Shortly after you register, expect an email from WorldStrides (and our representative Tina Desimone) requesting your child’s size for the t-shirt and sweatshirt. We offer adult sizes small, medium, large and extra-large. Do not order the shirts while you are registering for the trip. Wait until the company contacts you after you register. Please remember that your child will likely grow from the time you select sizes until the trip, so order accordingly.

Behavior Contract

Students will complete a behavior contract at the beginning of September. Violation of this contract will cause the student to be removed from the trip. If a student violates this contract prior to the trip, the student will be removed from the trip. If a student violates this contract while on the trip, we may send the student home on an airplane at the parent/guardian’s expense.

Washington, D.C. Trip: Class of 2027

The 2022-2023 Washington D.C. Trip: November 8-11, 2022