Dear Discovery Students and Parents:

This year we will again be offering a trip to Gettysburg and Washington, D.C. for eighth grade students. Classic Tours of Auburn will be making the arrangements for us. The trip will be chaperoned by teachers and other adults as needed.

We will depart from Discovery Middle School the evening of Monday, May 26, via motor coach. We will travel to Washington by way of Gettysburg and arrive at our hotel Tuesday evening. We will leave Washington the evening of Friday, May 30, and arrive back at Discovery Middle School early the next morning, Saturday, May 31.

Highlights of our trip will include a tour of the Gettysburg battlefield; a tour of Capitol Hill; a night tour of the memorials; visits to Arlington National Cemetery and Mount Vernon in Virginia; a dinner/dance cruise on the Potomac; time in the Smithsonian Institute museum complex and much more.

Deposits are due by January 9, 2025.

Final payment is due April 10, 2025.

A billing statement will be sent via email approximately three weeks prior to the final payment due date.

The number of reservations accepted is limited by bus size and will be based on the date deposits are received.  Reservation priority is for students.  Adults may be placed on a waitlist.

Adults wanting to travel on the trip must contact Mr. Bontrager by November 1, 2024, and be a parent or legal guardian of a student going.  

We are confident that a visit to Gettysburg and Washington, D.C. will provide a unique learning experience, as well as a valuable insight into our nation's history and government. If you have questions not answered by this letter or the enclosure, please feel free to contact us at school. 

Mr. Bontrager(dbontrager@phm.k12.in.us) Mr. Hedrick(jhedrick@phm.k12.in.us)

If you find it necessary to cancel a reservation you need to notify BOTH Classic Tours, Inc. and the school. Although you may cancel by calling Classic Tours, Inc., a refund will be made only after written notice of cancellation has been received. Receipt of deposit and/or reservation form initiates the cancellation policy schedule.

SCHEDULE: per reservation

1. Until reservation and deposit due date - Lose nothing; full refund

2. From deposit due date until 30 days prior to departure - Lose $50 + any non-recoverable amounts.

3. 30 days or less prior to departure - Lose $100 + any non-recoverable amounts. 

(Non-recoverable amounts may include but are not limited to: hotel costs, meal costs and admission costs.)

THE ABOVE SCHEDULE APPLIES TO INDIVIDUAL CANCELLATIONS MADE BY PARENTS/GUARDIAN, TRIP SPONSOR OR SCHOOL AND GROUP CANCELLATIONS MADE BY CLASSIC TOURS, THE TRIP SPONSOR OR SCHOOL.  ABOVE SCHEDULE ALSO APPLIES TO TRIP CANCELLATION DUE TO ACTS OF GOD AND/OR CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND THE CONTROL OF THE SCHOOL OR CLASSIC TOURS.

Classic Tours, Inc. of Auburn, Indiana, the Tour Operator, its agents or employees, act as agents for passengers in all matters pertaining to transportation, admissions, hotel accommodations, meal arrangements, and sightseeing. Therefore, as agents they accept no responsibility in whole or in part for any delays, change of schedule or condition caused thereby, loss of or damage to baggage or any article belonging to the passenger, injuries to person or for any expenses of any kind or nature arising from any type of service booked through Classic Tours, Inc. The Tour Operator retains the right to cancel any trip without notice and in the event of unavailability to substitute hotels in similar categories.