Meet Warren Butler - Head teacher at West Moreton Anglican College
Warren Butler has led school groups to Queenstown, New Zealand for the past decade and now is spilling the beans on his top tips to make sure his students have a smooth skiing trip. Warren has traveled with Educating Adventures for a while and we have always received positive feedback from his schools. There are many benefits your students receive when embarking on a skiing trip to New Zealand; it is an excellent way to experience a fun new sport and let your students learn a new skill. A ski trip to Queenstown will expose your students to a new culture and allow them enjoy New Zealand’s stunning alpine environment.
15 Tips from Warren Butler
"Ok, my 15 tips for a smooth ski trip"
1) Make your deposit more than is required by EA to give you some financial breathing space
2) Set up a monthly instalment payment plan that requires the same amount to be paid each month
3) Make the payment due the same day each month to make it less likely to be forgotten
4) Organise regular meetings with the students and set them specific tasks at each meeting such as dietary requirements, skiing ability, passports, ski clothing hire, medical issues, etc
5) Email this information/requests to parents after each meeting to keep them in the loop
6) Several months before the trip follow up on passports
7) A few weeks before the trip organize a parent meeting to troubleshoot potential problems and answer questions
8) Organise a travelling shirt or similar to make it easier to track students through the airport
9) Separate the group into several smaller groups with a staff member/team leader on each to make it easier to transit everyone through customs and immigration
10) This also spreads staff through the whole group in case there are any issues
11) Carry a colour copy of the details page of all passports and keep a second copy with the school administration just in case
12) Ensure all students have mobile phone contact on the trip and have a staff member’s number in case of emergency. I organize my students to each bring an unlocked mobile and buy a pre-paid sim card for approx. $NZ30 to use for the week, staff included. A record of all numbers is made and all students are given their group leader’s number to contact if needed
13) A duty roster is drawn up so a staff member is on duty in the base building during ski times. This gives the students a point of contact each day. The duty person also regularly checks the medical centre for injured students
14) The medical centres on the mountains are given the school’s name and the duty person’s contact number in case of student injury
15) Each student and parent is given a travel booklet with all trip details included at the parent meeting
Educating Adventures specialises in international school group travel, we dedicate our time to ensure your school is supported the whole journey. Our experienced operations team have the planning tools to put together an educational school trip that suits your school’s travel requirements. From Skiing trips in New Zealand to cultural experiences in France, we have plenty of international tours for you to choose from. Get your free guide today to find out more.
