R-II School Board Approves March Field Trip To Germany

Ste. Genevieve R-II School District social studies teacher Rhett Oldham and up to 12 students will miss some regular classes in March to take part in a history class trip to Germany.

The R-II School District Board of Education voted at its November 19 meeting to approve the trip.

Oldham, who has done considerable work in the virtual classroom field to link his students with peers around the world, said this would be a great opportunity for the students. They will be attending a German school in Rostock, formerly part of communist-controlled East Germany. Rostock is on the Baltic Sea in northeastern Germany.

Oldham said the students already are working with the host school.

“We have some virtual things we’re getting ready to do with them,” he said. “We did a Christmas box with them. We’re getting ready to do some things where we actually look at topics about Germany, looking at Angela Merkle and their election, and our election in 2020. Their kids are talking about it with our kids. We’re already having that collaboration.”

Oldham said the town is two hours north of Berlin and two hours east of Hamberg.

“It’s a neat place,” he said.

He said summer trips to Europe have been organized in the past for students in the R-II School District, but Oldham didn’t want to see this year’s seniors left out. Also, he said, airline prices would be much cheaper in March than during the summer.

The trip would require students to miss five days of classes. Oldham said it would be eight to 12 students with him as the lone adult. They would fly out of Chicago and stay with host families in Rostock.

See complete story in the November 27 edition of the Herald.