Educational Travel Program Update
Dear Ottumwa Families and Community,
Our goal in sharing this update is to provide our families and community with a clear and accurate understanding of recent events involving the Educational Travel Program, a long-standing, external organization supporting the Ottumwa Community School District, and the status of upcoming student trips.
Recently, we became aware of a serious situation that threatened several upcoming student trips from occurring. On Monday, April 20, the director of the Travel Program came forward, informed district leadership, and self-reported to law enforcement that travel funds had been used for personal purposes. This prompted an immediate response.
Upon learning of the situation, we began working closely with local law enforcement and the Travel Program Board to support the investigation and help stabilize the organization. Following the director’s resignation, the Travel Program Board quickly assumed responsibility and began addressing three trips scheduled to depart within a short timeframe:
- St. Louis Trip
- East Coast Trip (scheduled for April 30)
- Discovery 21 Trip (scheduled for May 18)
As the Travel Program Board conducted its review, it discovered that, in addition to missing funds, several critical components of these trips had not been secured. It also became clear that the costs previously communicated to families did not accurately reflect the true expenses required, jeopardizing the upcoming trips.
Despite these significant challenges, the priority of both the Travel Program Board and the school district has remained the same: ensuring that trips move forward and that families do not lose any money they have paid.
While the Travel Program operates independently of the school district, we have provided full support to help the Program identify solutions. This has included exploring cost-saving measures, such as alternative transportation options. In some cases, such as the East Coast trip with 19 students signed up, transporting students in district vans was a more cost-effective approach. However, with the Discovery 21 trip, which had 45 students, it was determined that a charter bus was the most cost-effective and efficient option.
This situation is further complicated by the deep roots of the Travel Program in our community. For nearly 50 years, these trips have provided meaningful, life-changing experiences for generations of Ottumwa students.
While this moment presents challenges, it has also highlighted the strength and integrity of our community. The Travel Program Board, in partnership with the school district and our local police department, has remained focused on doing what is right for students and families. I am pleased to share that the Travel Program Board has been able to preserve all trips scheduled for this school year and has only had to cancel one trip scheduled for the following school year due to low enrollment.
Looking ahead, the Ottumwa Community School District is actively exploring future travel opportunities to ensure these valuable experiences continue in a responsible and sustainable way.
I want to thank Brian Custforth with the Travel Program Board, Maria Lantz, the District Director of Curriculum, and Police Chief Chad Farrington with the Ottumwa Police Department, for their efforts to achieve a positive resolution for families.
It took time to fully understand what occurred and determine the best path forward in this very challenging situation. While the Educational Travel Program is an outside organization, it does exist to support district students, and we feel transparency is essential and that families and the community deserve timely communication. The investigation into the former director for misappropriation of funds remains ongoing.
Thank you for your understanding, patience, and continued support of our students. My door is always open. You may also reach me by cell at 515-460-2915 or by email at michael.mcgrory@ottumwaschools.com if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Mike McGrory
Superintendent, Ottumwa Community School District