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School Committee approves Panama language and culture trip for Wayland high school students

2107597 ยท January 8, 2025
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Summary

The committee approved a teacher-led, weeklong trip to Panama focused on Spanish language immersion and Afro-Latino culture; presenters outlined plans for chaperones, fundraising and scholarship opportunities.

The Wayland School Committee approved a teacher-led international trip to Panama planned for February break 2026 that administrators described as a Spanish immersion and Afro-Latino cultural experience.

Spanish teacher Nicole (identified in the presentation as the trip's lead) and colleague Latoya described a seven-night itinerary based in Panama City, with planned visits to the Panama Canal, an Afro-Latino museum, a rainforest excursion and an indigenous village. They said the group would be capped at about 20 students with a target chaperone ratio of 1:6.

Presenters said the travel company ACIS is the tour operator; ACIS offers payment plans and student scholarship opportunities and provides a fundraising platform that families and students can use. Nicole said earlier groups have benefited from company scholarships and monthly payment plans; she described typical monthly payment amounts and fundraising tactics she's used in prior trips to keep costs manageable.

Cost and access: presenters estimated the trip cost at about $4,210 per student and said they will pursue fundraising, company scholarships and grant opportunities to expand access. They also said the itinerary deliberately avoids homestays to keep the trip supervised and to broaden participation for families who do not want homestays.

Questions from committee members covered chaperone staffing, the number of chaperones identified so far, and scholarship/fundraising strategies. Committee members expressed support for the cultural emphasis and for structuring pre-trip activities (a culture club) so students build group cohesion and engage in collective fundraising.

Motion and vote: A committee member moved to approve the Panama trip as presented; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote with no recorded opposition.

The presenters thanked the committee; administrators noted that school activity accounts, principal-approved fundraising and external grants are usual ways to support student travel and said the district will provide guidance about approved fundraising options.