This article is a ready-made kit for organizers of school trips to Kraków. You get a complete parent-communication system: which channels to use, how often, what to write, ready message templates and scripts for difficult situations. It works for grades 1–3, 4–6 and 7–8 with small adjustments to tone and the number of messages.
1. One command center — one lead person answers parents and sends group messages. Other adults write only to the internal carers' channel.
2. Time windows instead of exact minutes — give time ranges, not precise minutes. This reduces pressure for overly detailed updates.
4. One source of truth — all decisions and changes first go to the lead, and only then are sent to parents as a single communication.
5. Privacy and moderation — do not publish lists of children in open groups. Photos only after agreed rules and either without recognisable faces or in a closed classroom space.
Main parent channel — e-diary (e-dziennik) or class mailing. Use this for documents, consent forms, the schedule, costs and decisions.
Quick channel — SMS to all parents only on the departure day and for changes. One message, max 160 characters, no images.
Backup channel — closed class messenger with comments disabled. For short updates 1–3 times a day.
Adults' channel — internal carers' group. We coordinate here before anything goes out to parents.
Roles: Lead sends messages; Liaison answers calls and organizes questions; Closer collects photos for the report; Floating adult helps gather questions on site.
T-30 to T-21 — invitation to the trip and a draft programme. Send 1 message with purpose, date, time windows, estimated cost, payment rules and consent deadline.
T-20 to T-14 — confirmations and data collection. Send a form for allergies/accessibility/emergency contacts and a short packing checklist.
T-13 to T-7 — daily schedule and rules. One message: route, breaks, lunch, tickets, students' phones, supervisors, and the contact point on the departure day.
T-6 to T-3 — finances and last consents. Short reminder about payments, waiting lists, confirmation of participant numbers.
T-2 to T-1 — final briefing. Meeting time, place, clothing, weather, phone numbers, things not to bring. Also send the photo policy.
T0 morning — departure. One sentence confirming the trip started as planned.
T0 during the trip — maximum 2 updates: after a key programme point and after lunch. Only status and next steps.
T0 evening — message with the return time window.
T+1 — thank you, a one-page report and 10–15 selected photos according to the agreed rules.
Initial invitation T-30: Dear Parents, we are planning a trip to Kraków on [date]. Educational goal: [goal]. Time window: [x–y]. Estimated cost: [amount]. Attached: draft programme and rules. Please send a preliminary confirmation by [date].
Data collection T-14: Hello, please complete a short form: allergies, medicines, accessibility needs, emergency phone numbers. Deadline: [date, time].
Briefing T-7: Dear Parents, we send the day's schedule with breaks and lunch. Students' phones should be silent; photos according to the rules at the end of the document. Send questions in one email to [address] or via the e-diary by [date].
Final T-1: Reminder: meeting tomorrow at [time] at [place]. Layered clothing, comfortable shoes, water 0.5–1 L, raincoat. Day contact: [name, phone].
Departure T0: We departed at [time]. The programme is running as planned. Next update around [time].
Update T0: We completed [item]. We are having lunch; the next stop is [place] at [time]. Everything is on schedule.
Return T0: Planned return window [x–y]. Please pick up on time at [place].
Post-trip T+1: Thank you for your cooperation. Attached: a one-page report and photos from the day. Please send any comments by [date].
Decide before departure whether photos are published only in the closed class channel or also in the school chronicle.
If posting to the parents' channel, choose shots without recognisable faces or photos taken from behind, in wide shots. Always avoid including bystanders.
One designated photographer per group. No selfies while walking. Photos should be taken at gathering points, not in transit corridors.
Store material in one place and label it with the date and programme point. Access only for supervisors and the class teacher.
Pocket money: symbolic amounts in small notes are best. Purchases allowed during allocated 10-minute windows.
Students' phones: silent mode, photos only by the group's photographer, contact to the child via the supervisor during breaks.
Allergies and medicines: all details reported in the T-14 form. Medicines are issued by the designated supervisor at agreed times.
Clothing: layers, comfortable shoes, raincoat. In heat: hat and water; in cold: gloves and a warm sweatshirt.
Lunch: pre-order in 3 set options, water provided. Allergies are prioritised.
Tickets and travel: group tickets or 24-hour passes. Children walk in pairs; a supervisor closes the column.
Day contact: only via the duty number. We reply after the sightseeing block ends.
Disable comments on the day of departure so messages don't get lost. Collect questions in one thread until [time] and answer them together.
Do not publish children's personal data in the chat. Do not post room lists or students' phone numbers.
For individual contact, parents should write privately to the Liaison after the sightseeing block ends.
Delay of 15–30 minutes: Hello, we have a delay of approx. [time]. Children are in shade, water is available, programme unchanged. New return window [x–y].
Change of programme due to crowding or weather: Hello, we are swapping the order of points. Comfort and safety are our priorities. Next update after [time].
Minor injury not requiring 112: Hello, [name] had a minor injury, dressing applied, feeling well. Programme continues as planned. We will report after the block ends.
Escalation of questions: if threads multiply, we publish 1 consolidated message with answers and close discussion until the next update.
Before departure: 1 SMS to parents confirming we left. Photos only to the closed channel after the first programme point.
During the trip: maximum 2 updates. Each is 3 sentences: what was done, what is happening now, what's next.
Before return: message with a time window and a request for punctual pickup. For significant changes we send a second SMS only after the vehicle has stopped.
T+1 send a 1-page PDF: goals, execution, what we learned, what worked, what to improve, 10–15 photos and a thank you.
If Parent Council funds or sponsors were used, attach a short financial summary table and a thank-you note.
Collect feedback with 3 questions: what was most valuable, what to change, would you recommend repeating the trip. One time window for answers and then close the topic.
Communication list T-30 to T+1: channel, content, deadline, responsible person.
Template pack: invitation, data collection, briefing, final, updates, return, post-trip.
Photo rules: where allowed, who photographs, how files are stored.
Day contact card: numbers for supervisors, driver, lunch venue and a backup sheltered point.
Quiet time plan: hours during which we do not reply because we are supervising the class.
Grades 1–3 — more preventive messages to parents, shorter and simpler. Photos mainly in wide shots.
Grades 4–6 — fixed update times and simple tasks for children that we later report to parents in one sentence.
Grades 7–8 — fewer communications but more concrete. Add 1–2 students' quotes in the T+1 report.
Accessibility needs — a separate one-to-one channel with the parent of the child with needs. No sensitive data in the group.
Too many tiny messages — better 2–3 concrete updates than eight short notes.
No single decision-maker — appoint the communication lead before T-14.
Posting lists of children in the group — avoid. Room numbers or subgroup lists are shared individually.
Photos in crowds and while walking — move photography to gathering points.
Emotional discussions — close comments and reopen them only after a consolidated message.
An experienced guide provides tested time windows and daily scenarios, which simplifies messages to parents. A guide also helps prepare the message pack, photo rules and scripts for difficult situations. Book a tour with Małgorzata Kasprowicz — we will set channels, roles and templates so communication is short, calm and effective.
Must-see: Wawel Castle, Main Market Square (Rynek Główny) with St. Mary's Church, the Kazimierz district and Schindler's Factory Museum — plan realistic time windows for each.
Food to try: obwarzanek (street pretzel), pierogi, zapiekanka; school groups often use set lunches or student menus. If you order on-site lunches, confirm allergy options in advance.
Transport: Kraków's public transport is trams and buses; consider group tickets or 24-hour passes. For coach parking and drop-off use designated coach bays near the main attractions.
Emergency and practical numbers: emergency number 112; keep a list of supervisors' phones and the coach driver number. Carry a small first-aid kit and water.
Timing and crowds: summer and holiday periods get busy — plan early starts or late-afternoon visits for more comfort. Indoor attractions may require pre-booked time slots.
