EPLS - this is an FYI so that you are in the loop with what Organizers have been told - our goal is that we are all on the same page as far as expectations (The Office / The EPLs / The School).

*Regarding the Point of Contact for Health Checks (see below):

The school is being asked to monitor their participants. Your only role in this process will be on day 1 to simply say to ORG, 'who is the Point of Contact doing the health check? Okay, great!' This simply sets the stage that ACTS expects it is being done. You will not need to monitor it from there. (The form they are filling out is not to be collected by ACTS/you.) If a vendor/site asks you if your group is being screened daily, you can say 'yes'.

Any questions please ask!!

The message sent to Organizers:

*Life on the road will look much the same and somewhat different – all at the same time!

Words that have become all too familiar at your school like, mask-up, social distance, and wash your hands, will be heard many times while on the Program. Your EPL will remind your group of local guidelines along the way.

Please advise your group in advance that compliance with guidelines is imperative.

By following these guidelines to the best of our ability museums, restaurants, and historic sites are able to welcome us back. Personal feelings aside, we are all being required to follow new guidelines for the overall success of the Program.

*Daily health-checks by your school staff are necessary.

Pre-departure: ACTS’ Know Before You Go and Travel Safely FAQs documents are available in your E-Office and in each participants Client Account. It goes without saying, but in today’s world we are required to say it, please screen your participants before departure to ensure everyone has read these documents and is symptom-free.

o ANYONE DISPLAYING ANY SYMPTOMS OF ILLNESS MUST WITHDRAW FROM THE PROGRAM

o Please contact ACTS should any participant need to withdraw at any time before departure

On the Program: We are asking that you follow school protocol for health-checks while travelling.

o Please appoint a Point of Contact (POC) from your school staff to ensure daily checks are being facilitated. Many of the sites we visit are waiving their own forms because ACTS is signing on behalf of the group that health-checks are being done daily.

You will find a form attached that we ask you to provide to your POC to simply check-off that the measures are being followed. You will not need to submit this form to ACTS, unless we are required to provide evidence that protocol is in place.

o Let us know how & when we can help! ACTS is here to help in any way to make this as simple and streamlined as possible.

o If a participant displays any signs of illness, the POC will need to immediately notify your EPL who will work in conjunction with you for resolution.

o See the attached document for established ACTS protocol.

(Note: please plan to bring a digital thermometer and/or any other supplies needed to monitor the health of your group. Adults may choose to download a thermometer app rather than have a staff member perform temp checks.)

*Social (aka physical) Distancing - There’s an app for that!

Your EPC has mentioned the new technology we are testing this year to help provide ways to keep distance between your participants. It’s Bluetooth technology (no data/WIFI needed) that requires cell phone use – BUT before you immediately tune-out, here’s the idea:

o Your EPL (tour guide) can be heard by everyone without yelling – even if there’s an airplane overhead!

o Your participants can put on their earbuds, put their phone in their pocket, and listen to the EPL – who will ask questions often to make sure everyone is listening. They are able to stand a little further apart instead of ‘clumping up’ to hear the EPL. (Similar to headphones guided tours at museums/sites.)

o After the EPL is done sharing great info, earbuds out/phones in pockets, off to see the sites.

o This technology will not be used while on the motorcoach.

o Our entire EPL team is totally on board with the idea of students not using their phones while they are sharing information with the group, so we understand the hesitancy of phones being a requirement. However, with a little monitoring we think you might find it a helpful tool. If you are curious, perhaps a good way to test it out is to allow the adults on your group to utilize the technology. They could step a little further away and the students stay close enough to hear the EPL.

Please know – it is totally up to you and we are fine either way! The goal of our team is to serve you well. If you feel this app will be a ‘win’ for your group, great!! If not, that is just fine too. Simply let your EPL know when you get together if you want the whole group to try it, just the adults, just you, or not at all!