School Absence Letter

Dear Teachers & Administration:

I am writing to let you know that the student providing you with this letter will not be in attendance from October 12 – October 21, 2026.

During those dates, the student will be participating in a cultural exchange trip to Västerås, Sweden with a group of kids from Minneapolis. The exchange is made through the sport of bandy, a very popular sport in Russia and Scandinavia, and the student will be travelling as a member of the United States National junior team.

This is our tenth cultural exchange trip to Sweden with Minneapolis hockey kids where they will not only get to play hockey and bandy in Västerås, but also have some amazing experiences with their Swedish peers.

During the trip, our group will go to a team-building center where they work with their Swedish friends on solving challenges, do a one-night home stay in a Swedish home, visit Stockholm and the Viking Warship Museum, tour Viking burial grounds, participate in a local "Fire Night" Run, and take part in a "ghost tour" in Stockholm. It's a packed week.

Academics are important. Please work with the student to make sure they know what homework and other lessons they need to work on while they are traveling. On past trips, teachers have tasked students to come back and tell their classmates about many of the things they will experience – from Swedish money, to what a Swedish home is like, to the food (like ketchup on spaghetti!). Please feel free to ask your student to share something about the trip when they return.

If there are any questions you have about the trip, please feel free to contact me.

Sincerely,