CONDITIONAL COURSE OPERATIONS

This is an evolving situation and our practices may change as we gain new information or as recommendations change. VOBS will decide when and under what conditions any courses will operate using medical advice and our best judgment. If course dates need to change, or VOBS decides to cancel a course, your Course Advisor will reach out to you with more information.

For answers to common questions please review our COVID-19 FAQ's Page. 

Updated 11/3/20

The Voyageur Outward Bound School is committed to responsibly running programming in the age of COVID-19, and we are asking all students and families to help us make this possible by following the requirements listed below. These requirements are designed with several goals in mind:

• To keep students and staff healthy
• To prevent the unintentional spread of communicable disease
• To keep our local community healthy
• To allow students to experience an Outward Bound course with the same outcomes as they would have had before the pandemic.

It is imperative that you follow these requirements and agree to do your part to help every student and family have a safe and positive experience. In order for you or your child to participate in this Outward Bound course we are requiring the following:

PRIOR TO COURSE START

• Participants must follow strict physical distancing from everyone not in their household for 14 days prior to the course start. 
• Participants must obtain an FDA-authorized viral test for COVID-19 within 5 days prior to course start and submit a negative test result to VOBS prior to arriving at course start.
• Participants must notify their course advisor of any underlying health conditions that could put them at increased risk from contracting a communicable disease, and check in with their physician about any additional risks.
• Participants (and parents of minor students) will sign a COVID-19 Statement of Understanding. 
• Consider getting a flu vaccine prior to your course. By getting vaccinated for the flu, you support your community's health and could decrease the incidence of symptoms very similar to COVID-19 appearing on course.
• Students must talk with their course advisor about travel plans, and submit a back-up plan if choosing to travel via commercial transportation. 

TRAVEL PROTOCOLS

•  Participants may travel to/from course by personal vehicle or commercial transportation. Personal vehicle travel is encouraged.
• Students must travel with specified airlines. Please see the Travel Tab on your course website for more information. 
• If you intend to depart by commercial transportation, you must submit a back-up departure plan should you need to depart under quarantine or isolation protocols. The plan CANNOT include commercial travel.
• Due to the nature of COVID-19, we highly recommend against purchasing any non-refundable travel. Make sure you verify cancellation or change fees with the airline before you purchase your ticket. In the event that your course changes due to COVID-19, the Voyageur Outward Bound School is not responsible for any non-refundable travel please plan accordingly. 

When booking your flight, and while traveling, we expect you to do the following:

• Minimize layovers and time of layovers
• Verify that layover airports are requiring masks
• Wear a mask when in public
• Avoid eating and drinking in restaurants
• Continue to maintain physical distance of six-feet from others
• Wash and sanitize your hands often
• Bring wipes to wipe down surfaces around your seat on the plane.

Please reference the CDC recommendations for Protecting Yourself When Using Transportation and Considerations for Travelers.

COURSE START

• Participants must arrive at the course start neither experiencing nor presenting any signs or symptoms of COVID-19. Participants will be screened upon arrival, including taking temperature. If any signs or symptoms of illness exist, participants will not be allowed to start the course.
• Participants will be given a COVID-19 PCR test on the day of their course start. 

DURING COURSE

• Parents must drive their student home if they start showing symptoms of COVID-19 and/or test positive for COVID-19 during the course.
• Participants must agree to wear a cloth face cover (such as a mask) when instructed to do so. Masks must cover both the nose and mouth and fasten either at the back of the head or behind the ears. 
• Participants must be willing to follow instructions for reducing the risk of spreading COVID-19, such as frequent hand washing, sanitizing and regular symptom checks. 
• VOBS has reduced crew sizes in order to support social distancing.
• VOBS has implemented increased cleaning and sanitizing measures in all elements of program implementation.

OUR STAFF

• Staff will have followed strict physical distancing from everyone not in their household for 14 days prior to the course start.
• All VOBS employees will be tested for COVID-19 and cleared to work.
• Staff will regularly check themselves for COVID-19 symptoms, including taking their temperature.