FAQ'S
COVID-19- GENERAL FAQ's
WHAT IS VOYAGEUR OUTWARD BOUND SCHOOL'S STANCE ON COVID-19?
The Voyageur Outward Bound School is committed to responsibly running programming in the age of COVID-19. We have implemented many safety protocols to ensure that our students, staff, and communities stay safe and healthy. With these protocols in place, we allow students to experience an Outward Bound course with the same outcomes as they would have had before the pandemic.
We continue to work closely with Outward Bound USA and the other regional OB schools to coordinate our response and messages to our communities. Please visit this page to read their COVID-19 statement. Please visit our COVID-19 Practices page for the most up to date information on our current course practices as it relates to COVID-19.
SHOULD I STILL SIGN MYSELF OR MY CHILD UP NOW OR WAIT AND SEE HOW THINGS PROGRESS?
At this time, the Voyageur Outward Bound School (VOBS) is committed to running scheduled programming. 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 students and families with more information.
We are happy to thoroughly discuss our Cancellation Policy to address COVID-19-related issues. If you are comfortable with the timing of your payments as they relate to our Cancellation Policy and our current course delivery status, we'd love to assist you with your application for a course.
Courses are enrolling fast, so enrolling early will give you the best chance to get a spot on the course of your choice.
COULD OUTWARD BOUND STILL BE CANCELED?
We hope not, but the answer is yes. Our decision to run courses has been made after careful reflection on risk versus reward. As we gather new information and assess the most current information on disease spread, we reserve the right to cancel programming and will do so if we feel that is the safest option for the health and safety of our students and staff. Should MN or TX see a significant rise in disease spread and implement additional directives, we may not be able to run programs in accordance with state guidelines.
If your course needs to be canceled, your course advisor will reach out to you directly to discuss your options.
COVID-19 - Pre-Course Policies
WHAT IS OUTWARD BOUND DOING TO REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF SOMEONE BRINGING COVID-19 TO COURSE?
During the screening process, from Admissions leading up to the course, applicants are asked to disclose any contact history that would put them in a higher risk category for contracting or transmitting COVID-19. Contact history includes close contact with anyone with a confirmed or presumed case of COVID-19 or anyone with an acute respiratory disease AND relevant travel history.
All students are required to adhere to our COVID-19 Practices.
Over the last year, we have worked tirelessly to responsibly run our programming in the age of COVID-19. As the scientific knowledge of COVID-19 has increased, we have continually evolved our COVID-19 Risk Mitigation Practices. After conducting a ton of research and review, we have made the decision to require COVID-19 vaccination for students on our courses. This policy begins September 2021 and will continue throughout the fall, winter and spring seasons. Please note, this will affect all courses that begin September 1st or later.
Students will also be screened upon arrival to the course. If students have any symptoms or fail to submit a negative COVID test, they will not be allowed to participate.
WILL THERE BE NEW PAPERWORK TO FILL OUT?
Vaccinated participants will be asked to submit a copy of their vaccination card.
WHY DO I NEED TO GET TESTED AND WHAT ARE THE CONDITIONS?
Testing is one layer of the safety system to ensure that students who are coming from all over the country are coming into the course healthy.
Our staff will test each student when they arrive to verify that everyone was negative before they left home, and negative when they arrived for their course.
Students will continue to be socially distanced and wear masks when necessary for the first two weeks of their course. Then they will become a family unit for the remainder of the course.
WILL MY CHILD BE DENIED ACCEPTANCE TO OUTWARD BOUND IF THEY HAVE UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS?
Having an underlying health condition would not automatically exclude anyone from participating in Outward Bound. All students undergo a medical screening process to make sure that they are safe and fit candidates for their specific course. Students with underlying conditions are advised to check with their physicians about any additional risks of contracting a communicable disease.
COVID-19 - Other Items to Consider
1. 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.
2. If you have previously tested positive for COVID-19, findings have shown that you may still test positive within the few months following your original diagnosis. If you believe you have had or you have a previous confirmed positive test for COVID-19, you may consider getting tested 14 days prior to course start. In the event that the test results return positive, after 10 days from the test collection date and if you are not showing any signs or symptoms of COVID-19, you would be considered to be negative for COVID-19 according to current medical guidelines. In this event, we would be able to have you on course (proof of a positive test result at least 14 days prior to course start would be required). Any positive test result with a collection date inside of this timeline without proof of a previous positive test would result in needing to cancel your enrollment for your upcoming course.
COVID-19 - On Course Policies
What preventative measures will be taken during the course to prevent the spread of communicable disease?
We are using the concentric circle of infection prevention model. Outward Bound has always been a group-centered model where students and their instructor are on an expedition together with climbing days, resupplies, and check-ins interspersed throughout the course.
For the first two weeks, students will practice physical distancing when possible, and wear masks when it is not possible. After two weeks, your group will be considered a family unit for the remainder of the course. There will be some interaction with outside staff (Course Directors and Support Instructors) for rock climbing days, check-ins, and end of course activities. We are following industry standards in practicing good hygiene, respiratory etiquette, and social distancing to the greatest extent possible in a wilderness setting.
Staff also teach and supervise hygiene behaviors on course, including:
- Handwashing or, if soap and water are unavailable, hand sanitizing
- Sanitary food preparation and dish sanitizing
- Not touching one’s face with unwashed hands
- Covering sneezes and coughs in the crook of an arm or, if available, a disposable tissue
- Not sharing utensils or personal care products
- Given how closely students and staff on most courses live and work together, effective social distancing within the group is not always practical; however, groups may be effectively isolated from each other and from the public.
Will I be required to wear a face mask while at Outward Bound?
You will be asked to wear a face mask in specific situations at specific times; however, you will not need to wear a mask for the vast majority of your Outward Bound experience. We have structured your Outward Bound course so that your group can distance itself from other non-course staff and groups. You will be required to wear a mask at the drop-off location for the start of the course and periodically throughout the expedition if you are unable to socially distance from people outside of your expedition brigade. You and your group will also need to wear masks if someone within the group presents symptoms that cannot be attributed to another illness, or if you need to leave the course for any health reason to visit a doctor. We have added two washable cloth face masks and a buff to the packing list.
Will staff be required to wear masks?
Staff will be required to wear masks when they need to interact with people outside of the immediate group and social distancing is not possible.
What will the sleeping situation look like?
Each student will be sleeping in single tents if they are on canoeing courses in the Boundary Waters. Students on course in Texas will be sleeping under tarps and will be physically distanced. Your group will be considered a family unit for the entirety of the course.
WHAT WILL YOU DO IF A STUDENT OR INSTRUCTOR EXHIBITS SIGNS OF COVID-19?
Despite pre-course-screening, social distancing requirements, good hygiene, and careful measures, it is impossible to guarantee that you will not contract COVID-19 while at Outward Bound. We will take every precaution to keep you healthy while you are on your course.
If a student or instructor exhibits COVID-19 symptoms during a course, we will evacuate them to our basecamp for testing. Depending on the situation, our goal would be for the rest of the group to continue with their expedition during this time. Upon receiving a negative test, the student would be able to return to the group.
We have set aside specific cabins and tents at our basecamps to be used as places for a student or staff person to isolate if necessary.
What happens if someone in the group tests positive for COVID-19?
If a student does test positive for COVID-19, the student would need to leave the course permanently, and parents or friends would be required to pick up the student in a personal vehicle and drive them away. If a staff member tests positive for COVID-19 they would leave the course permanently and be replaced by a staff member who has been supporting the group.
Depending on the situation, our goal would be for the rest of the group to continue with their expedition during this time.
What is your quarantine plan?
Each basecamp will essentially be isolated. Only essential visitors (health inspectors, camp doctors, food delivery, etc.) will be allowed on property for the duration of the season. Visitors will wear masks and practice social distancing while on site.
We have also set aside specific cabins and tents at our basecamps to be used as places for a student or staff person to isolate if necessary.
Will VOBS support staff also be tested for COVID-19?
All program staff with direct interaction with students will be tested. The frequency of testing will be triggered by the prevalence of COVID-19 in the local area.
COVID-19 - Cancellation Policy
WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION POLICY?
See our admissions and cancellations policies page for information regarding our cancellation policy.
WHEN WOULD YOU CANCEL A COURSE AS IT RELATES TO COVID-19?
If travel or other challenges result in enrollment dropping so low that the group size is below what we believe is necessary for the valuable interpersonal dynamics of an Outward Bound course, we will seek to transfer students and combine groups. If this is not possible, we may be forced to cancel a course.
If the states in which we operate (MN and TX) impose travel restrictions or other restrictions that limit our ability to operate we may be forced to cancel a course.
ARE THERE OTHER COVID-19-RELATED EVENTS THAT MIGHT RESULT IN COURSE CANCELLATION?
If local health authorities make a recommendation against, or a restriction that applies to our programs, courses that haven’t yet started will be cancelled and courses underway may be ended early.
WHAT IF OUTWARD BOUND HAS TO CANCEL A COURSE MY CHILD IS ENROLLED ON? WILL WE GET A REFUND?
If Outward Bound needs to cancel a course due to COVID-19 your Course Advisor will assist you in transferring to a future Outward Bound course OR issue a course credit for a future Outward Bound course OR issue a refund in full.
You can contact student services directly at student.services@vobs.org or 1 (828) 239 2376
WILL YOU ISSUE A REFUND IF WE ELECT NOT TO RISK SENDING OUR CHILD ON COURSE DUE TO COVID-19?
If you elect not to send the student on course and they have not been directly exposed to nor contracted COVID-19, you can receive a refund of everything except the $150 non-refundable enrollment fee if it's more than 90 days out. Otherwise, we will not process a refund for cancellations less than 90 days out. See our cancellation policy here.
HOW DO I REDEEM THE COURSE CREDIT?
You will work directly with our student services team: student.services@vobs.org; 1 (828) 239 2376
DOES COURSE CREDIT APPLY TO OTHER COURSE TYPES/AREA? CAN I USE IT WITH OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS?
This course credit MAY be valid for other course types or areas within Voyageur Outward Bound School's programming and possibly even transferable to other family members. Please speak directly with our student services team: student.services@vobs.org; 1 (828) 239 2376
COURSE CREDIT MUST BE USED BY THE DATE IN THE CREDIT. DOES THAT MEAN I NEED TO APPLY TO THE NEW COURSE BY THEN OR DOES THE NEW COURSE HAVE TO START BY THEN?
Course start must be on or before the date in your credit email.
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1650 Carroll Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55104