Presentation for parents of Minooka TAP students.

1. WELCOME
TO
MINOOKA
TAP 2015

2. SOUTH AFRICAN ADVENTURE 2015
Minooka TAP
is…
 Mike Curtis
 Jackie Harig
 Cathy Tadey
 Jim Keeton
 Kris Doerr
 Angelica
Lara

3. COMMUNICATION
Minooka TAP’s Facebook
www.facebook.com/minookatap
Website
www.minookatap.com
 Blog
 Calendar
 Meeting Schedule
 Forms
Email
minookatap2@gmail.com
Remind 101
Text @17471
to 1-331-425-6062

4. MEETINGS
 We have 15 meetings
scheduled this year.
 10 of the meetings are “live”
and in person.5 of the
meetings will be done online.
 We meet on Saturday
mornings.
 We are currently homeless, so
we may meet in a variety of
places.
 With only 1 meeting per
month, we hope that every
student can attend almost
every meeting.
 Online meetings are on your
own time, so participation in
these meetings is mandatory.
 Think of TAP as an extra class
you’re taking this year. The

5. WE’RE TAKING YOUR KID TO A
FOREIGN LAND IN JUST 8 MONTHS
 15 meetings = 30 hours
 The basketball team
practices twice as many
hours before they play
their first game.
 Language Arts class has
about twice as many
hours before progress
reports.
 30 hours is only 4 ¼
school days.
Yet, in that time…

6. WE’RE GOING TO GET YOUR KIDS READY TO
TRAVEL TO A FOREIGN LAND IN JUST 8
MONTHS
We focus on four key areas.
These kids need to be
prepared…
Financially
Logistically
Socially
Academically

7. FINANCIALLY
We understand that the trip is
expensive, and we know the #1
concern for most parents is
financial.
Your payments to EF Tours cover:
 Airfare (3+ flights)
 Bus drivers/trains
 A 24/7 tour guide
 Hotels
 Dinners and breakfasts
 Entrance to most activities

8. Your payment to EF
Tours do not cover:
 Educational expenses
here at home, like paper
or books
 Tips for guides and
drivers
 Extra activities
 Souvenirs
 Lunches/Snacks/Drinks
 Our student books
FINANCIALLY

9. FUNDRAISING
TAP Teachers will run three
fundraisers
 HoopsMania
 White Sox tickets
 Little Caesar’s Pizza
If you would like to form a
fundraising committee with
other parents, please do, but
communicate with us before
using Minooka TAP’s name to
sell any products and
coordinate so it doesn’t overlap
with current successful
fundraisers.

10. FINANCIAL GOALS
When it’s all said and done, TAP spends about
$400 per student in the group.
We can’t operate at a loss.
We don’t want you to have to pay more than
just the price of the trip.
We need that money.
So, we expect each student to raise $400 for
TAP through our fundraisers.
We will keep track of the money made at each
fundraiser. At the end of the last event,
we will let kids and parents know if that
goal was met.
If it was not met, we will need to collect the
difference before departure.

11. IT SHOULDN’T ALL BE ON YOU
These kids are able bodied,
intelligent, and could be hard-working
We’ve had dozens of kids pay for
their whole trip.
 Rake leaves
 Mow lawns
 Shovel snow
 Pull weeds
 Babysit
 Housesit
 Pet sit/walk dogs
 Plant sit

12. LOGISTICS
Besides money, these logistical
concerns are what most weighs
on kids and parents…
 Phones/Skype/Wifi/Communication
 ATMs and Credit Cards
 Passports
 Foreign Currency
 Foreign Languages
 Foreign Customs
 Behavior and Expectations
 Hotels and Rooming
 Planes
 Airport Procedures and Pickup
 How and What to Eat?
We’re not going to go into detail about
these things now, but that’s why
attendance at the meetings is so
important. We will cover all of these
over the course of the 10 meetings.

13. Here’s the stuff that worries
the teachers the most…
 These are 14 year old kids,
many who will be without
their parents, away from
home for 13 days in a strange
places.
 They have to know us (the
teachers), so they trust us to
keep them safe and know that
we care.
 They have to know and trust
one another.
 We have to know and trust
them.
SOCIALLY
Another reason why being there for all 10 meetings is very important.

14. ACADEMICALLY
Here’s the stuff that worries
the teachers the most…
 This is an educational
trip.
 Teachers, not
tourists.
 Students, not
sight-seers.

15. Reading
 Throughout the year, the
students will be asked to
read books written by
South African authors,
about South Africa, or set
in South Africa.
 These reading assignments
are for their benefit, and
will help them connect
better to the things they
encounter and the people
they’ll meet on tour.
ACADEMICALLY

16. ACADEMICALLY
Writing
 We’ll each write 6-7 short
articles about the
places/people/things that
interest us most.
 We’ll publish our own travel
guide/text book/journal.
 Researching and writing like
this gives the kids an
ownership of those parts of
the trip that make them more
meaningful.
 At the end of it all, each of
these kids will be a published
author.

17.  We need the kids to be
prepared for this trip –
financially, logistically,
socially, and
academically.
 If they are not
prepared. We, as
teachers, do not feel
comfortable taking
them.
 Not fair to us, not fair
to the group.
BOTTOM LINE

18. OUR 3 GOALS
 We want the kids to
have fun. Fun is worth
100 points.
 We want the kids to
learn. Learning is worth
1,000 points.
 We want the kids to be
safe. Safety is worth
1,000,000 points.

19. OUR EXPECTATIONS FOR THE
YEAR
 The kids have to be active in
TAP.
 We don’t feel we can reach
all three of our goals on the
trip if the kids are not
prepared.
 We understand that you
can’t make every meeting.
 We understand that some of
you might have no luck
selling.
 We do need you to be there
when you can, participate in
what you can, and be an
active member of this group.

20. TAP POINTS
For participating when ever they
can, kids can earn TAP points
throughout the year. Points
will be given for:
 Meeting attendance
 Writing assigned articles
 Reading the books we assign
 Asking questions and
participating in meetings
 Participating in our five online
meetings
 Watching related movies or
shows outside of meetings
 Helping with fundraisers
 Other opportunities may arise

21.  Kids who aren’t active in the TAP
community will not travel with us.
That’s for the good of the group.
 Students must earn 75% of the
available points to travel.
 Students who earn 100% of the
points will get a free t-shirt or
hoodie before the trip.
 Students who have the most
points for each of the 4 quarters
of the school year will get a free
lunch from Mr. Curtis while we’re
on the trip.
TAP POINTS

22. QUESTIONS???
 Please introduce
yourselves to one or
more of the TAP
teachers.
 We need to have a
positive relationship with
you as much as we do
with your kids.
 If you have any
questions, please feel
free to ask a TAP
teacher on your way out.
 Please make sure we
have your contact info.