I’d like to go over the terms as I presented them when we first talked in August:

— honorarium $1600/day or $850/half-day. I do four presentations in a day, two in a half-day. (Important note: I only book half-days if there is another half-day to match with it for the other half of the day; the two schools have to be close enough to make this feasible, although that doesn’t mean they have to be next door neighbors because there is usually at least 1.5 hours  between morning and afternoon presentations.)

— airfare covered by me

— ground transportation: schools will cover my local ground transportation, either by sharing the cost of a rental car or giving me rides. (Getting rides only works if all the schools do it. I can’t rent a car for some days but not for others. Although I’m happy to get rides, it is usually a lot more convenient for everyone to rent a car.) 

— accommodations: I may be able to find accommodations with friends in CT, depending on various factors, including the locations of the schools. But we shouldn’t assume this will work out, so the contract will specify that if it does not, schools will provide one night of accommodations for each day of school visits. This can be at a hotel or at a private home if a host with a guest room can be found. (I actually prefer staying in homes to hotels and I’ve had many nice experiences over the years.)

— meals: we didn’t discuss this but it is typical for schools to cover a guest speaker's meals. I will take care of breakfast, the schools are expeted to provide lunch while I am there, and for dinner the school will either reimburse for a reasonably priced meal or someone will provide one (at a home or restaurant). 

It is worth noting that for this trip I am offering a special rate, down from $2000 per day plus ALL travel expenses. I did this for a few reasons, including my fondness for Connecticut, which is where I lived when How Much Is a Million? was published in 1985 and where I started my school-speaking career, thanks to the Southern Connecticut Library Council (namely, Sheila Wartel).

I’d also like to mention that I have age-appropriate presentations for all grades from K-8. I used to do mostly elementary schools but lately I have also been visiting a lot of middle schools.

Finally, the Unconference. I am eager to participate. You mentioned contracting with me but we never discussed the subject of $s. For most presenters, fees for professional development are usually much higher than for school visits, and there are fewer presentations in a day (usually one, sometimes two). I’m willing to keep it the same: $1,600 for up to two presentations (or non-presentations in keeping with the m.o. of the event). I could also do book signing and maybe something informal like a meet and greet. Please tell me what you think. 

All the best,

David