Libertyville — District 128 staff described several upcoming student educational and athletic trips Sept. 8 and asked the Facilities & Finance Committee for guidance on whether to make optional an additional cancel‑for‑any‑reason insurance for a planned Scandinavia social‑studies tour.
Tour details and cost: staff described a district‑sponsored social‑studies tour to Finland, Sweden and Denmark organized by Education First Tours and intended for students with interest in AP or college‑prep psychology and geography. The staff member said the base trip cost is $4,700 per student. The district also described routine athletic and academic trips to South Bend, South Carolina and Scottsdale, Ariz.
Insurance and protections: district staff told the committee that Education First provides a range of built‑in protections — from a 24/7 emergency service and a “Peace‑of‑Mind” flexibility program to global travel protections that include refunds under certain conditions — but that those protections do not equal a separate cancel‑for‑any‑reason policy. Staff said the optional cancel‑for‑any‑reason insurance for the Scandinavia trip would cost an additional $590, increasing the trip price by more than 10 percent; that insurance would reimburse roughly 90–95 percent of trip cost if a covered cancellation occurred up to 48 hours before departure, staff said.
Board guidance sought: staff asked whether the board would be comfortable offering the cancel‑for‑any‑reason coverage on an optional basis so families who wanted lower up‑front cost could decline the extra insurance. Committee members asked staff to include the vendor’s specific coverage details in the upcoming board packet so trustees could review the protections and the optional insurance terms before the item is placed on the consent agenda for approval. The staff member said the district will provide the company’s full protections and the optional‑insurance terms for board review prior to a vote.
Participation thresholds and logistics: staff said the Scandinavia trip targets about 30 students (the travel company’s price tier assumes a 30‑student target and the company would accept fewer students at a higher per‑student cost). Staff said the trip requires a minimum of about 30 students to hit the listed price; if fewer students participate the per‑student price would rise. The district also said teachers and trip sponsors would consider offering the tour in a subsequent year if uptake is insufficient this year.
Next steps: the administration said the tour sponsors plan a parent meeting after the end‑of‑month board discussion but would not formally enroll students until board approval. Committee members asked that staff clearly communicate to families the risk and trade‑offs if the district makes the cancel‑for‑any‑reason insurance optional.