Old Sturbridge Village getting more money for field trips, from state budget

STURBRIDGE — Nearly a year after the Worcester School Committee voted to request an end to field trips to Old Sturbridge Village Museum, state Sen. Ryan Fattman, R-Sutton, along with state Rep. Todd Smola, R-Warren, have secured $15,000 in state funds to support student visits to the museum.

The money comes from the state budget for the current fiscal year and was presented as a check to museum administrators on Dec. 14.

The entirety of the state grant will go toward funding the museum’s annual “Worcester Days” in the spring, field trip days dedicated to Worcester schools, said Old Sturbridge Village representative Christine Freitas. Students visiting on Worcester Days, primarily third and fifth graders, can total as many as 1,500, she said.

Traditionally, field trips for Worcester students have been subsidized by the schools through a foundation grant and fundraising. In April, the School Committee unanimously voted to request that the Worcester Public School administration stop sending money to Old Sturbridge Village via field trips. While the item did ask that the administration find an alternative to the Old Sturbridge Village field trip, it did not actually ban school visits to the museum.

The calls for a boycott arose after concerns about public education funds were not only being diverted to Old Sturbridge Village's affiliate Worcester Cultural Academy Public Charter School, but how those funds were being used. The charter school opened in August despite the opposition of Worcester school and union officials.

A couple months later, in June, the School Committee voted on two follow-up motions related to finding alternative field trip destinations, which are currently under review by the school administration.

Following the School Committee’s vote in April, Fattman told the T&G that he would “ensure complimentary admission to the village” for educational visits by local families “through the state budget process.”

According to Worcester Public Schools, "field trips to Old Sturbridge Village remain part of the grade three experience," but the administration continues to review all field trips in line with the School Committee's June request.

Freitas said: "We’re actively booking Worcester dates for this year."

Freitas said that the school funds came to about $14,000, which combined with this year's new state grant would be approximately $29,000 in total.

Worcester Days for 2024 are currently scheduled for March 13 to 15.

“There are a number of gems within my district and there is no doubt that Old Sturbridge Village is one of those. Allowing students to visit and experience Old Sturbridge Village is critical to their understanding of the history of our area,” he said in a press release from the museum.

This is the first budget earmark by Fattman for the museum since redistricting in 2021 placed the Town of Sturbridge in Fattman’s district.

Any surplus will go to "next year’s Worcester Days, to make field trips more accessible to everyone," said Freitas. "We're happy to receive this grant and give it back to the community.”

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Politicians secure funding for field trips to Old Sturbridge Village