Thank you for your interest in scheduling an in-person field trip with the Howard B. Owens Science Center. In-person field trips are two hours in length with the exception of some primary programs that may only be 60-90 minutes in length as indicated next to the title. All field trips are FREE for for PGCPS students.
HOWEVER, there is a transportation (bus) cost that is the responsibility of the school requesting the field trip. Please see the section listed below titled "BUS FEES". Prior to scheduling a program, please get approval for the cost from the administration in your building. This will avoid last minute cancellations or unintended costs to your school.
We are exempt from Administrative Policy 6153 Administrative Procedure 6153 (See Section III.H) .
Once your request has been submitted, you will receive a confirmation email including a date and time for your in-person field trip. Then, you will need to contact the PGCPS bus lot ,or other private bus company, and arrange for the bus(es) needed for your trip. Keep in mind, the pick-up time for a PGCPS bus is 9:30 a.m. HBOSC field trips are scheduled from 10:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
HBOSC does not have a lunch facility. Please make arrangements with your school to eat prior to your trip or upon returning to your school.
We are looking forward to seeing you and your students at the Howard B. Owens Science Center. If you have any questions, please call 301-918-8750.
BUS FEES: To calculate the cost of ONE PGCPS bus, the length of the field trip and travel time are added together and then multiplied by the cost of the bus per hour ($106.00/hour). Most field trips are two hours in length and include about two hours of travel time to and from the science center. Travel time also includes the time of the bus traveling to and from the bus lot to the requesting school.
Example: 2 hour program + 1 hour travel time to the Science Center + 1 hour travel time back to school/bus lot = 4 hours of bus time. (4 hours of bus time x $106.00/hr= $424 for a field trip)
Schools may choose to use private buses and calculate the rate as provided by the private company.
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