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Stafford ISD board approves student trip to Italy, France and Spain for March 2026
Summary
The Stafford Municipal School District board approved an international travel program for middle- and high-school students to visit Italy, France and Spain in March 2026 after a presentation from staff about educational value, itinerary and costs.
The Stafford Municipal School District Board of Trustees voted to approve an international student travel program to Italy, France and Spain, March 6–16, 2026.
The board approved the trip in a 7-0 vote after a detailed presentation from the travel organizer, Tim Wood, who described the itinerary, academic and life-skills benefits and the cost structure. "Students who travel tend to have higher GPAs, higher SATs, are 32% more likely to attend college, and 61% more likely to be employed full time," Wood told the board.
Wood described the proposed itinerary as beginning with arrival in Milan and visits to the Italian Riviera, Monaco and Nice, followed by Barcelona and Madrid, and a return flight to Houston. The package price Wood presented was $4,372 per student if families enroll by an early-discount deadline; he said adult chaperones would pay an additional fee (about $500 more, he said). The price, he said, includes round-trip airfare, ground transport, hotels (quad rooms), daily breakfast and dinner, most attraction fees, a professional tour director and a 24-hour emergency service.
Wood said academic credit options would be available: high school credit included in the trip price and optional college credit through George Mason University for an additional fee. He also described payment plans (monthly automatic withdrawals or installment plans), fundraising options used on prior trips and need-based support for qualifying families.
Board discussion included questions about eligibility and documentation for non-U.S. citizens. Vice President Hammarani asked whether the trip was open to students who are not U.S. citizens; Wood replied the trip is open to anyone "able to get back into the United States with whatever documentation they have." Board members encouraged fundraising options to reduce costs for families.
The board’s motion to approve the travel was made by Vice President Hammarani and seconded by Trustee Sanchez. The board chair called the question and the motion carried 7-0.
Next steps discussed were scheduling an interest meeting and public outreach to students and families if the board’s approval proceeds to enrollment.
Provenance: The travel presentation and board motion appeared in the public meeting transcript beginning with Wood’s remarks about prior trips and the itinerary and concluding with the motion and vote recorded shortly thereafter.
