Mr Eklund

First message - Sent September 20, 2024

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Hi Everyone,

Thank you so much for signing up to join me on this amazing adventure.  I will be emailing you from time to time throughout the year with updates, planning advice, tips and other items related to our trip. Please make sure you read each email.   If for some reason you do not want to receive communications at this email address or would like to add another address, please do not click unsubscribe.  Instead, please send me a message and I will be happy to make any necessary changes.  Thanks.

Sometimes I will be requesting information. I will greatly appreciate it if you can respond to my requests right away.  Since I am no longer in my classroom or even on campus most of the time,  it will be a lot harder for me to follow up so please get back to me right away if I am requesting something from you.  Thank you.  

We only have a couple of spots left.  If your friends want to join us they need to sign up soon.  Chances are they will be put on a waitlist and we will take them if we can.  You can see the list of who is signed up on my website at  https://meklund1.wixsite.com/kjhs  

Be sure to bookmark my website.  This is where I will post important information such as roommate assignments, chaperone groups, flight times, etc. Knowing where to find it quickly could be very helpful for you.

That is all for today, however in each message I will include a fun fact about something related to our trip.  I hope you find them interesting.

Mr Eklund
mreklund@gmx.com

Fun Fact: The Smithsonian Institute has approximately 156 million artworks, artifacts and specimens, of which only about 2 percent, or approximately 3 million, are on display at any one time.  There 17 Smithsonian Museums in Washington DC. We will visit some of them on our trip but I cannot tell you exactly what we will see since they rotate what is on display all the time. For example, they used to have an original Dumbo from the ride at Disneyland that was our "go to" meeting spot in the American History Museum but it is no longer there. I do not know if it is on display somewhere else in the museum so if you do find it, please let me know.  We shall have to pick a new meeting spot when we visit that museum this summer.

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Second Message  - Sent October 12, 2024

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Hi Everyone,

I hope your school year is going well.  I have to admit, it is very strange for me not to be in the classroom anymore.  I will be on campus later October 21st and 22nd to make presentations to the seventh graders about the 2026 DC Trip.  I will be in Mr Radke's classroom on Tuesday, October 22nd at lunch so you can come see me if you have any questions or would just like to talk about the trip.   In the meantime, here is the latest.

Sold Out
The 2025 DC Trip is now booked full.  Thank you for signing up.  If you have any friends or family members who would like to join us, there is still a possibility they can.  We do have people drop out from time to time and if they do I will invite people who are on the waitlist.  To be on the waitlist, you must sign up with Worldstrides via the telephone.  Their number is (800) 468-5899.  They will need the Trip ID#  213615  and you will need to give them a deposit to be waitlisted. If a seat opens up I will let the waitlisted person know.  If we end up not being able to take the waitlisted person they will get ALL of their money back, including the "non-refundable" deposit.

Email List
If you are receiving this message then you did return your contact information to me and I greatly appreciate you doing so.  There are a number of people who did not so, I will be sending notices to them at school.  I am just letting you know so you don't panic that someone is getting a note about the trip and you are not. They didn't get back to me yet. You were responsible and I appreciate it because it truly does make my job easier.  

How does student travel benefit students?
I ran across the results of a recent survey about student travel.  Turns out it is a good thing for students for a number of reasons.  Make sure your parents see this because it shows that they are doing a real good thing by sending you on this trip. It shows that students who travel feel they are:

1. Being more outgoing (40% of respondents)

2. Better Self-Expression (42% of respondents)

3. Stronger cooperation/collaboration skills (43% of respondents)

4. Increased sense of tolerance and respectfulness (48% of respondents)

5. Higher levels of adaptability and sensitivity (49% of respondents)

6. Increased tolerance of other cultures and ethnicities (52% of respondents)

7. More intellectual curiosity (55% of respondents)

8. Increased independence, self-esteem, and confidence (56% of respondents)

9. Desire to travel more (60% of respondents)

10. Increased willingness to know, learn, and explore (60% of respondents)

By the way, there is a meeting in the multi at 6:30pm on Wednesday evening October 23rd.  Don't panic.  You do NOT need to attend. This is for seventh graders regarding the 2026 Trip. 

Have a great weekend. Mr Eklund.

Fun Fact:
On September 18, 1793, George Washington laid the cornerstone to the United States Capitol building, the home of the legislative branch of American government. Every state has the opportunity to place two statues in the building honoring important Americans from that state. One of the California statues was replaced just a few years ago and the other is being considered for replacement as we speak.  Be on the lookout for both California statues when we tour this amazing building. The new statue is of Ronald Reagan, the one that is being considered for replacement is of Father Junipero Serra.

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Third Message   Sent November 25th

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Hi Everyone,

Important Message for all the adults on the trip.
Travelers who do not present a REAL ID-compliant license or acceptable alternative beginning May 7, 2025 will not be permitted through the security checkpoint.
 
Effective May 7, 2025, U.S. travelers must be REAL ID compliant to board domestic flights and access certain federal facilities.  In other words, all adults and chaperones MUST have the REAL ID or a valid passport to travel. 
If you need the Real ID, visit the California Department of Motor Vehicles website to find out exactly what documentation is required to obtain a REAL ID. At a minimum, you must provide documentation showing: 1) Full Legal Name; 2) Date of Birth; 3) Social Security Number; 4) Two Proofs of Address of Principal Residence; and 5) Lawful Status. All details are on the DMV website. All adults MUST have a REAL ID to travel with us in June 2025!

This is only for the adults.  Students...please bring your KJHS student ID cards. 

Emails
Just a reminder, if you want to email me a message you must use a non-petk12.org address.  The Sonoma County Office of Education controls the school's internet and they do not allow students to receive emails from anyone outside of the schools.  

Previous Messages
Some of you were not on my email list or the messages did not get delivered so if you missed my first few messages I have posted the text of the previous emails on my website.  meklund1.wixsite.com/kjhs

Have a great weekend and a wonderful Halloween.
Mr Eklund.

Fun Fact: 
Almost every place we will visit in Washington DC also has a website, including all of the Smithsonian Museums.  On the American History Museum website check out the Greensboro Lunch Counter story.  You will be amazed at the courage shown by these young people. Checking out stories like this really bring the artifacts alive when you see them in person. Part of that lunch counter was removed from the Woolworth's in Greensboro, North Carolina and is now on display in the museum.  Be sure to look for it when we visit.

 

December 16, 2024

 

Hi Everyone,

There is a lot of prep work behind the scenes to get ready for this adventure. You can help me out immensely if you respond quickly and accurately to my requests for information. Thanks in advance for your help.

Coming up early next year I will be asking you to fill out emergency forms as well as sign a behavior contract.  I will also be putting together the roommate assignments, the chaperone and bus splits, as well as the flight and hotel information.  I will send email messages about these items as well as posting most of the details on my website as they are needed and/or created. The website address is 

 https://meklund1.wixsite.com/kjhs

I recommend you bookmark it 

Cell Phones - Since this seems to be the number one question I get, let's talk about cell phones. Yes, I want you to take your cell phone with you on the trip.  We do ask that you be respectful and put them away when the tour guides are talking on the bus. There are also places where you will not be allowed to take them inside with you. We will let you know where this is the case. Please follow the instructions if we tell you to leave them on the bus. Security in DC does not mess around. If they take your phone away you most likely will never get it back. You have been warned.

Speaking of phones as well as cameras - It is against the law to take flash photographs on the bus in DC.  No, I am not kidding. I will repeat it. It is against the law to take a flash photo inside a bus in Washington DC  Don't do it! Ever.  If it is seen and the DC police pull us over, you will lose your phone, our bus driver will be fined (not to mention be furious with you and it is never good to have the bus driver mad at us), plus you or your parents will end up having to pay the fine (which is around $500). ABSOLUTELY NO FLASH PHOTOS ON THE BUS!

Questions / Concerns
If you have any questions or concerns please email me at  mreklund@gmx.com     Remember I cannot respond to a petk12.org email address. If it is something you need immediate help with, ask Mr Radke in room 18

Have a wonderful Winter Break.  No matter what or how you celebrate I hope you have the best holiday ever.  Take care.  Talk to you in 2025.

Yours truly,
Michael Eklund
DC Trip Coordinator

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January Update  2025

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Hi Everyone,
I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and the beginning of your last semester of junior high school is going well. Welcome back from the extra week off. Here's the latest regarding our trip.

Roommates:
I will stop by campus on Monday morning March 3rd to drop off the roommate request forms. They should be delivered to you in class at some point during the day.  Please be sure to read the instructions and fill in the form carefully. While I try to match you up with your choices as best I can, it is not always possible for me to fulfill everyones requests. That being said, for the most part I do a pretty good job of matching everyone up but I ask you to be understanding and flexible if I cannot accommodate your wishes. 

The instructions on the form will tell you how and where to turn in your requests.  You can name up to three possible choices but be advised, if you have a group of four that all want to room together all four of you MUST bring your forms to Mr Radke TOGETHER - IN PERSON!  Roommate request forms will be due March 12th! 

By the way, I have a teacher friend who takes four buses of students from the Chicago area to DC every year. Not only does he not let them pick their roommates, he doesn't even tell them who their roommates will be until the day before the trip departs. Just sayin'.
I will do my best to fill your requests.

Emergency Release Forms:
Soon you will receive an Emergency Release form that needs to be completely filled in and signed by a parent or guardian.  This form will have all the emergency contact information as well as gives us permission to get you treated medically should the need arise.  Hopefully, we will never need to use these forms but I must have them if you are going on the trip

Behavior Contract:
When you receive the Emergency Release forms you will also be given a behavior contract.  This contract outlines how we expect you to behave on the trip as well as spells out the consequences should you choose not to behave properly.  You and your parent/guardian both need to read and sign the contract if you are going on the trip. 

Cell Phones
Yes, I want you to take your cell phone with you on the trip.  If you are taking a cell phone, I need to have your cell phone number. I will compile a phone list for all the chaperones to be used in the case of an emergency.  I will ask for these numbers a little closer to our departure date.

Waitlist:
In case you were not aware, this year's trip is completely sold out.  I have cleared some people from the waitlist but we are still awaiting openings for the rest.  If you are on the waitlist, please complete all the forms as if you are going on the trip, that way we don't have to scramble to get things together at the last minute.  I promise, if spots open up, I will let you know as soon as possible.  

Take care and make sure you turn in all forms in a timely fashion.
 
Yours truly,
Mr Eklund.
mreklund@gmx.com

FUN FACT:
As you may know, the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl. One of our drivers, James Hill, is a HUGE Eagles fan!! Our other driver, Tony Layne, has his own bus and security company and drove Taylor Swift around the country on one of her early concert tours.  Tony is a Baltimore Ravens fan but I know he is also a Swifty, so there may be some good natured rivalry going on when we are together this summer.  I can't wait! 

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March 3, 2025

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Hi Everyone,
Happy Monday.  Here's the latest about our trip.

Roommates - I dropped off the roommate request forms at Kenilworth this morning.  Hopefully yours was delivered to you during class.  If not, check with your teachers. Be sure to follow the instructions on the roommate form and turn your requests in by the March 12th due date. 

Shoes -  In DC we will be doing a lot of walking.  I would recommend getting a good pair of walking shoes relatively soon.  This will give you time to break them in so they are comfortable.  There is nothing worse than getting horrible blisters on the first day of the trip because you want to be stylish with a new pair of shoes.  Make sure you get a good closed toe shoe such as a walking, cross trainer or tennis shoe.  You may NOT wear sandals or Crocs, except in the hotel.

Payments - For most of you this doesn't apply but if you have not finished paying off your trip, all accounts need to be paid in full by March 31st.  Please contact Worldstrides if this is going to be a problem. They might be able to help.

Save The Date -
Planning ahead, there will be a mandatory meeting for everyone going on the trip on Thursday evening May 29th.  More details to follow but I wanted to get it on your calendar.  

Emails -
I am usually really good at returning emails but I think I may not have been receiving all of my emails lately. Please continue to use mreklund@gmx.com to contact me. If you do not hear from me within 24 hours, contact me via my back up email meklund1959@gmail.com  Just remember, I cannot answer at all unless you use a non-petk12.org address. Also, my old school email address will still let you send a message but it will not reach me.  Sorry if you have sent me a message there and never got a response.  Thanks for understanding.

Closing notes - 
I will be posting the roommate list on my website as soon as I can after the forms are turned in. While I will do my best, I apologize in advance if I cannot fulfill your requests. My website is at  meklund1.wixsite.com/kjhs

Have a great week.
      Mr Eklund

Fun Fact:
The city of Washington DC is built in quadrants with all of the roads leading to the center of the quadrants.  At the very center is the US Capitol building, home of the United States Congress. So, by design, all roads in DC lead directly to the Legislative Branch who are the only ones who can make the laws that govern our nation.

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March  13.2025

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Hi Everyone,

It was nice to see some of you when I was on Campus Wednesday.  While retirement is nice I sure miss hanging out with my junior high peeps everyday. Enjoy your time at Kenilworth. It truly is a great school.

Roommates
Thank you to everyone who submitted their roommate request forms. The roommate list has been posted on my website.  Fortunately, I was able to match everyone up with at least one of their choices for roommates, and in most cases, more than one. If you see an error please let me know right away.  Once I submit the list to the tour company it is not possible for me to make any changes.

Waitlist
If you are on the waitlist, I promise to let you know immediately if a spot opens up.  Unfortunately we are limited by the number of seats on each bus and that is something we cannot change. If a spot opens up I will let you know what options are available as far as roommates at that time. 

Forms
In a couple weeks I will be dropping off at KJHS an envelope for each of you.  In the envelope you will find the following three forms to complete.
* Medical Release - This form provides the information and authorization for medical treatment should the need arise.
* Behavior Contract - This form outlines the behavior expectations that you must agree to meet while you are on our trip.
* Cell Phone Request - If you are bringing a cell phone with you on the trip, I need to have your number.  I will compile a list for the chaperones so we can reach you during the trip.

Once you receive these forms please be sure that you and a parent/guardian read them, fill them out completely, then return them to 1) the student window so they can put them in my box in the office, 2) to Mr Radke or 3) mail them to my home by the requested deadline. 

This is just a heads up that the forms are coming. All the details will be in the envelope with the forms.  These forms are important. If you do not return these completed forms you cannot go on the trip so be responsible and get them turned in on time. Thank you.

Those not returning
I know that some of you will not be returning from DC with the group.  That is fine however two things you need to know.  One, our plane tickets are on a group manifest so you will have to purchase a completely new ticket if you are not flying back with us. Two, there is a form I need to have filled out before we leave.  If you will not be completing the entire journey with us (from the time we leave KJHS on Sunday morning until we return to KJHS on Friday Night), please let me know if you need one of these forms so I can include it in the envelope.

That is all for today. Have a great rest of your week.
Mr Eklund.
Website Address  https://meklund1.wixsite.com/kjhs

Fun Fact:
Movies have been shown at the White House since 1915. A small movie theater, which can seat up to 42 people, was built in 1942.  During the four years President Carter was in office, 480 movies were shown (more than any other president) although we need to remember that he had a teenage daughter living there as well so it wasn't just the president watching the films.

 

March 23, 2025

 

Hi Everyone,

Happy Spring!  I hope you are doing well.  Here is the latest regarding our trip.

Roommates
The roommate list has been posted on my website. I will post the bus split and chaperone groups soon. There will be four chaperone groups on each of our two buses. You may get a roommate request form in the mail directly from Worldstrides but you do NOT need to fill that out. We have already taken care of roommates on our own.

Forms to Fill Out
Tomorrow,  Monday, March 24th I will drop off an envelope with some VERY important forms enclosed for you and your parent/guardian to complete. In the envelope you will find:

* An Emergency Release Form.  This allows us to get you medical attention should the need arise.
* A Code of Conduct Contract. This spells out the behavior that is expected from you as well as the consequences should you choose to misbehave.
* Cell Phone Notice - If you are bringing a cell phone, I need this form back with your cell phone number
* Authorization and Release Form - This form needs to be completed if you will be leaving us at some point prior to coming back on the bus to KJHS on Friday night June 13th.  NOTE: This form is only included if you told me you needed one. 

Make sure that you and a parent and/or guardian read, fill in and sign all of these documents. 

Final Payments/Waitlist
Accounts need to be paid and current by March 31st. If you have a problem, need an extension or have some other financial issue or question, you need to contact Worldstrides directly prior to March 31st.  Failure to bring your account up to date could mean a cancellation of your trip and your spot would be given to a waitlisted traveller.  If you are on the waitlist, I would like to thank you for your patience.  If a spot does open up, I will let you know as soon as possible.  That being said, we should be able to give you a definitive answer one way or the other within the next couple of weeks. 

That's it for today.  Please remember to complete those forms and return them to me no later than Friday, April 4th. 

Mr Eklund
mreklund@gmx.com

** Plan ahead: Mandatory meeting in the KJHS Gym 6:30pm May 29th **

Fun Fact
Did you know that Abraham Lincoln was very close to losing re-election for a second term. His opponent had promised to end the war and let the south go if he was elected.  Prior to the election, Lincoln wrote a letter stating that he would support the man who defeated him 100% and would do his best to help him in any way he could. He sealed that letter in an envelope, had multiple members of his cabinet sign across the seal then put the letter away. Fortunately, Lincoln won the election and there was no need for him to deliver that letter or to fulfill his promise to help George McClellan split the country in two. Lincoln understood that the peaceful transfer of power is one of the most important aspects of our government. 

 

April 1, 2025

 

Hi Everyone,

Just one quick reminder.  The Cell Phone and Emergency Medical Release Forms as well as the Behavior Contracts are due this Friday April 4th. You can leave them in the office, give them to Mr Radke in Room 18 or Mail them to me in the envelope provided (remember to add a postage stamp if mailing).  Don't forget because if I do not get these completed forms, you cannot go on the trip. If you already turned yours in, thank you very much!

Oh, and I hope you enjoy some marshmallows today. Hopefully we will see some still on the vine when we go to Monticello.

That is all for today.  Thank you!
Mr Eklund
mreklund@gmx.com

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April 11, 2025

 

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