Board grants permission for high school trip to Peru in summer 2026

The West Salem School Board on March 20 gave permission for a proposed nine-day high school trip to Peru in summer 2026, after an advisor described the itinerary and protections built into the travel package.

Kelly, the ecology club advisor presenting the request, told the board the trip would include stops in Lima, the Sacred Valley (including Cusco and Ollantaytambo), a day at Machu Picchu, and visits to Lake Titicaca and the Uros floating islands. He said the trip is intended to combine Spanish-language practice with ecology-focused learning and cultural experiences.

"We're planning 2026," Kelly said, outlining a nine-day option chosen to keep per-student cost closer to $4,000 rather than an 11-day itinerary that approached $5,000. He described tour protections provided by the vendor, EF Tours, including a group-level "peace of mind" program that can offer refunds or rebooking in the case of terrorism, pandemic, or other large disruptions, and a 'safety first' program tied to State Department advisories.

Students who previously traveled with the advisor briefly described positive experiences and encouraged the board to approve the request. The presenter explained logistics: chaperone spots are typically provided free at a ratio of one chaperone per six paying students; fundraising (concessions, bake sales) is planned to reduce out-of-pocket cost for families; and the trip price quoted in the packet reflects included travel and group health insurance.

Board members asked whether the trip was open to all high school students (the advisor said yes), how chaperone costs are handled (one free chaperone per six students), and whether the district or families would bear any financial risk (the advisor said the vendor's programs and included group insurance mitigate common risks and that the district would not be funding student trip costs).

A board member moved to grant permission and another seconded; after short discussion the board approved the trip by voice vote.

The board's action grants permission for the district to proceed with planning, outreach to families, and vendor contract steps required for an international student trip. The motion did not include any district-funded subsidy; the presenter said fundraising is expected to help make the trip more affordable for some students. The board did not take a separate vote on fund-raising methods, which remain subject to district policy and staff oversight.

Next steps: district staff indicated they would continue planning logistics, confirm final per-student cost and fundraising options, and return to the board for any approvals required by policy before collecting student deposits.