Travel Safety and Security
The safety of our students is the number one priority. Chaperones on the Germany trip are responsible for a small group of students (between 6-8), who regularly check in with their assigned chaperone at various points throughout the day. Students know they must travel in groups of three (3) at a minimum when allowed free time to explore different cities and landmarks.
For parents' peace of mind while their children are traveling, click through the following sites for more information on traveling to Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Liechtenstein.
U.S Passports and International Travel Alerts and Warnings
Europe Travel Alert Issued on March 22, 2016 and expiring June 20, 2016, this travel alert states that U.S. citizens should be aware of immediate surroundings, and exercise vigilance when in public places or using mass transportation. |
What is a Travel Alert?
Travel Alerts are frequently issued by the US State Department; they are less serious and for short-term events the State Department thinks you should know about when planning travel to a country. Examples of reasons for issuing a Travel Alert might include an election season that is bound to have many strikes, demonstrations, or disturbances; a health alert like an outbreak of H1N1; or evidence of an elevated risk of terrorist attacks. When these short-term events are over, they cancel the Travel Alert (they typically last 90 days like the one through June).
What is a Travel Warning?
Travel Warnings are issued when the US State Department wants you to consider very carefully whether you should go to a country at all. Examples of reasons for issuing a Travel Warning might include unstable government, civil war, ongoing intense crime or violence, or frequent terrorist attacks. Travel Warnings remain in place until the situation changes; some have been in effect for years. One thing to note is that there has been a long term Warning in Mexico but it doesn’t stop Americans from vacationing there. The State Department’s website indicates that Warnings have mostly been issued to countries like Somalia, Afghanistan, Syria.
For further information, read this CNN article explaining the difference between Travel Alerts and Travel Warnings
The main thing to understand is that an Alert does not instruct Americans to avoid travel, rather than urges U.S. citizens to "exercise vigilance when in public places or using transportation,” which is a caution you should exercise while traveling anyway.
Travel Alerts are frequently issued by the US State Department; they are less serious and for short-term events the State Department thinks you should know about when planning travel to a country. Examples of reasons for issuing a Travel Alert might include an election season that is bound to have many strikes, demonstrations, or disturbances; a health alert like an outbreak of H1N1; or evidence of an elevated risk of terrorist attacks. When these short-term events are over, they cancel the Travel Alert (they typically last 90 days like the one through June).
What is a Travel Warning?
Travel Warnings are issued when the US State Department wants you to consider very carefully whether you should go to a country at all. Examples of reasons for issuing a Travel Warning might include unstable government, civil war, ongoing intense crime or violence, or frequent terrorist attacks. Travel Warnings remain in place until the situation changes; some have been in effect for years. One thing to note is that there has been a long term Warning in Mexico but it doesn’t stop Americans from vacationing there. The State Department’s website indicates that Warnings have mostly been issued to countries like Somalia, Afghanistan, Syria.
For further information, read this CNN article explaining the difference between Travel Alerts and Travel Warnings
The main thing to understand is that an Alert does not instruct Americans to avoid travel, rather than urges U.S. citizens to "exercise vigilance when in public places or using transportation,” which is a caution you should exercise while traveling anyway.