Essential Student Travel Tips
An equally important key to a successful trip is organization. A well-structured travel experience begins with the realization that your group must have the best possible supervision and the clearest expectations for the participants. I recommend that you extend your school code of conduct to cover the trip or adopt behavioral expectations for travel on a motor coach, touring and at the hotel. Students and parents must know the behavioral expectations and consequences prior to the trip departure date. Another important component of a safe travel experience is nighttime security. Following nightly curfew in the hotel, the trip sponsor and chaperons need to get a good nights rest and be refreshed for the next day of the trip. A reputable student tour provider like Travel Adventures will include a local nighttime security firm as part of your trip package. Trained guards will be stationed on each floor throughout the night to protect the students, keep them from becoming a distraction to other hotel guests, and to prevent them from leaving their room or visiting another room. This trip feature will increase the safety and security, while allowing the adults to get a good night’s rest. Providing a safe travel experience also means that you must plan for health care and the handling of medication. When parents allow their children to travel with the school, they assume that provisions are in place for an unforeseen illness or accident. Parents also want to be assured that an adult will be responsible for dispensing medications and daily prescriptions. Most schools have clearly defined guidelines for the administration of medication and have adopted a uniform “Health Form” for use on field trips. These can easily be adapted to your trip. Generally speaking: - Medication cannot be dispensed without written permission of parent/guardian. - Parent/guardian or school personnel must administer all medication (Unless school policy allows for exceptions). - Students may not carry prescription medications on their person (occasionally high school aged students are allowed to carry their own medications). Exceptions are usually made for Epi-pens, inhalers, and diabetic supplies. It is also strongly recommended that parent/guardian sign a “Medical Release and Proxy Form” in the event of an emergency. This form should include space for the parent/guardian to provide up-to-date insurance information and emergency contact numbers. Successful student travel is not simply selecting a travel date and destination, making reservations enrolling students, and collecting payments. It takes thorough planning, frequent and effective communication, and attention to details. The tips provided in this article are suggestions that are not only applicable to an excursion to Washington, DC, but to other destinations as well. More travel tips on Vacation-now.com