We arrived at 9:00 AM

It was a slow go coming through Pennsylvania last night so it took us every bit of 12 hours to get into town. After a breakfast at Union Station our first priority was getting our picture in front of the Capitol. We're doing it today since it's supposed to snow on Monday. If any of our students didn't know what wild chill factor means, they certainly do now😀

Post-trip Reflections

Tuesday Morning

For the 11^th time, Oakview students have returned from a successful trip to Washington, D.C. As we know, Mother Nature has given the eastern U.S. two of the most brutal winters in history so our February D.C. trip has been affected both years. This year we were affected more in D.C. whereas last year we were affected on the way home. I preferred this year even though we didn't get to do a couple things on our itinerary. The main loss was the dinner cruise on the Potomac River. The high winds and frigid temperatures quite literally froze the river which would have been the main reason for the cancellation. Sometimes in life, nature slows you down for a reason. The night before, we didn't check into our rooms until after 1:00 A.M.; therefore, our Sunday dinner at Bucca del Beppo was that lower-key evening that we all needed. We all had a nice dinner and were able to get back to the hotel at a much more reasonable time. What makes D.C. so great is that there will always be many more things we can’t get to do so if we lose something, there are dozens of more things that can take its place. From a lack of crowd perspective, February is an ideal time to go but I plan to meet with the Waldon D.C. teachers next week to discuss if February is truly the best option considering we can only go when school is not in session.

The success of this trip is never a coincidence and is attributed to far more than just luck. As in the past, we were blessed with having seven paying parents come along who could be seven more sets of eyes. This year’s parents handled themselves with the utmost professionalism every step of the way and for that I’m eternally thankful. It’s my fellow staff members, however, who are truly the lifeblood of this experience because all are veterans of the trip and/or D.C. and utilize that experience to its fullest potential. This year’s staff members were Carl Z., Dan Steakley, Joyce Falls, Bill Hitchcock (one of our eighth grade football coaches) and me. All staff members were great for a variety of reasons but most notably their flexibility, high level of professionalism with students and ability to see problems way before they could ever be problems. The weather, in particular, could have caused many issues but the proactive nature of the adults on this trip made things go seamlessly. We had a special bonus addition on this year’s trip which was Bill’s son Brennan who is an Oakview alum but currently a 10^th grader at the International Academy. Though we did not expect any supervision duties of him, he was able to explain some of what we were seeing to students in a way that we adults would not be able to do and for that we’re all very thankful.

I also owe a very special thanks to the students who, once again, were abnormal. Normal for some eighth grade groups that we see in D.C. is acting irresponsible, being rude and having a negative attitude. As usual, we didn't have that issue so I’m proud of our abnormal group. I would also like to thank all of the parents who spent a considerable amount of money to send their child (and in three cases two children) on this trip. Thank you for entrusting me with your most precious possessions. I hope we delivered even more than we promised despite the weather.

Another successful year means I’m enthusiastic to get next year’s trip up and running. If you had a good experience, please spread the word.  

-Jim Maxfield

Monday Afternoon

We all found out how cold it was when we posed for the group photo in front of the Capitol without our coats. Afterward we took the Capitol tour and finished our sightseeing with the National Art Gallery.

Wheels are up!

We're on our way home. It's currently snowing but there's only about an inch. Once we get a couple hours north of the city we'll be out of the teeth of this storm.

Monday Morning

We just officially checked out of the hotel and on the road on the way to the National Cathedral.

We're well aware of the snow system coming into the city and will gauge what time we're leaving once we know a little more. I have all the confidence in the world in our drivers so even if we leave once the storm begins, we'll be safe. The good news is that once we get about two hours north, we should be clear of it. 

Sunday Dinner

We had a great dinner at Bucca del Beppo. The kids really seemed to enjoy it.

Sunday

This morning we started off souvenir shopping which seemed to be a hit and then we went to Ford's Theater to hear the story of Lincoln's Assassination.

After that we went to the Holocaust Museum and then spent the rest of the afternoon at the Smithsonian Museums. We're currently at the National Portrait Gallery.

We recently got word that due to frigid temperatures and high wind that our dinner cruise is cancelled. This is a bummer but after getting in so late last night might be a blessing in disguise. We're all going to Buca del Beppo which is a fun Italian restaurant and then having a night bus tour of the memorials.

I don't have a ton of pictures today but will try to get more from the students.