West Hill School Ski Holiday - Easter 2017

WEST HILL SCHOOL Ski Holiday - Easter 2017

Information Meeting

West Hill School

What we will cover this evening… 

Introduction & overview



A look at the Jay Peak resort



Hotels/rooming



Travelling & ESTA



Itinerary



Equipment/clothing (‘AC Sports’ presentation)



Money (‘Caxton FX’ currency card)



Food & Dietary requirements



Medication/health issues & Insurance



Time in Boston



Other Information

A quick overview to start…

Who’s going? 



STAFF 

Mr Cookson (skier of dubious ability!)



Mr Battarbee (snowboarder of good ability)



Mr Wells (skier of good ability)



Miss Whitehead (skier of good ability)

PUPILS 

2 x Year 8 (2 skiers / 0 boarders)



7 x Year 9 (5 skiers / 2 boarders)



14 x Year 10 (11 skiers / 3 boarders)



3 x Year 11 (1 skier / 2 boarders)

A quick overview to start…

Where are we going?

A quick overview to start…

What’s the basic timings? 





OUTWARD JOURNEY (Sunday 9th April) 

Manchester – Dublin (08:00)



Dublin – Boston (11:30 – 13:50)



Coach to Jay Peak (about 3½ hours + shopping visit)

JAY PEAK SKIING 

5 days in Jay Peak (leave Jay Peak Friday 14th April)



Coach to Boston hotel with evening to rest up.

RETURN JOURNEY (Saturday 15th – Sunday 16th April) 

Coach tour and sight-seeing around Boston (about 6 hours)



Boston – Dublin (18:25 – 05:20)



Dublin – Manchester (06:30 – 07:30)



Arrive Sunday morning (07:30)

Let’s have a look at the Jay Peak Resort http://www.jaypeakresort.com/

Jay Peak Key Facts Ski Season: November - May Resort Height: 1,815ft - 3,968ft Vertical Drop - 2,153ft Snowmaking Coverage – 80% Ski Lifts - 8 Ski Trails - 76 20% Beginner 40% Intermediate 40% Advanced http://www.jaypeakresort.com/ Time difference in Jay Peak is 5 hours

Pump House video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAuPUvEuS6U

Flow Rider waiver form

Our Hotel; the Stateside Base lodge

Roomings Rooms in American hotels consist of two queen sized beds. Groups of four pupils will share each room.)

Travelling Passport & ESTA Visa Flight times Baggage allowance

Travel groups

Passport Your son must have his own passport and it must have six months to run from the date of our return.

If your son requires a new passport, please allow plenty of time for his application to be processed and notify us immediately of the new number and start and expiry dates.

DO NOT FORGET YOUR PASSPORT

ESTA Visa Approval All passengers travelling into the USA must have an ESTA (Visa) approval code (charge - $14)

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/ Your son must have an e-Passport to get an ESTA It is vital that I have this individual code for ALL students by

Monday 30th January 2017, at the very latest. cookson@westhillschool.co.uk

Baggage allowance • One piece of check-in luggage, which must not weigh more than 20kgs If you have additional bags, boots, ski's etc. there will be an additional cost paid directly to the airline at the time of check .

Hand Luggage: two pieces - one small holdall, briefcase or back pack. Maximum weight is 10Kgs. A piece of hand baggage may measure max (cm). 55h x 24d x 40w One additional small personal item such as a small handbag, laptop or duty free bag.

Flight information (OUT) Drop-off & Pick-up…

The meeting and collection point for this trip is Manchester airport (NOT school)

DROP

OFF - Manchester Airport 06:00am on Sunday 9th April 2017.

Flight 1 –

(T1)

at

Manchester - Dublin (Aer Lingus) 08:00

Flight 2 – Dublin – Boston (Aer Lingus) 13:30 arrive

Flight information (IN) Drop-off & Pick-up…

The meeting and collection point for this trip is Manchester airport (NOT school)

PICK-UP - Manchester Airport at approx. on Sunday 16th April 2017.

Flight 1 –

08:30am

Boston – Dublin (Aer Lingus) 18:25 out

Flight 2 – Dublin – Manchester (Aer Lingus) 07:30am arrive

Our Itinerary

Rental form

Your snow kit…

Your snow kit…

AC Sports Presentation (John Ashurst)

Money For reasons of security and convenience like the previous ski trip, we would prefer all pupils get a pre-loaded dollar currency card. All places in the resort accept them and there are several ATMs where the boys can withdraw money.

We are recommending the Caxton FX card so that all pupils have the same one.

We want the pupils to have two cards. We will keep one as a spare for any emergencies. Also we will require the card PIN number so we can keep a note of it if your son forgets it!

We also recommend your son takes some $ cash for the beginning of the holiday (say $30 - $50).

Thomas Cook will no longer do their card for us but those who have one from last time can still use it.

Mr Battarbee is in charge of the cards and you need to give them to him

Money Caxton FX currency card (I loaded $300 last time and brought $150 back!) www.caxtonfx.com

Food & dietary issues For the majority of the holiday, breakfast and an evening meal are included each day. The one exception is lunch – boys will need around $15 -$20 per day to buy their own.

Please advise of any dietary issues your son may have.

Medicines, health issues & Insurance Insurance for all pupils on this trip is covered by the school’s travel insurance policy. 2 x First Aiders in the staff.

Please advise of any medical issues your son may have.

Medication Please advise of any medication your son is taking.

Ensure your son has enough of his medication to last him the trip.

All medication is kept in its original packaging

Our stopover hotel; Quality Inn

Time in Boston On the final day before we fly back to the UK, we will have a coach tour with stop-offs round the main tourist attractions of Boston (about 5 - 6 hours).

Other information… 

Shopping at Merrimack Outlet(like Cheshire Oaks!)



Phoning home & Emergency contact

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Mobile phones & gadgets (plug adapter)



Lift pass (RFID pass)

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Information booklet

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION – whatever your son buys shopping has to be brought back in his bag on the plane and the 20Kg allowance will still apply!

Chill Factor lessons…

Mr Battarbee, Mr Wells & Miss Whitehead will be running the ski lessons/sessions at Chill Factore this term 

Tuesday 31st January (3:15pm – 7:30pm ; 2 hour session)



Tuesday 7th February (3:15pm – 6:30pm ; 1 hour session)

Equipment – need ski gear (jacket, salopettes & gloves

BEHAVIOUR

What I need from you…

1.Completed

yellow information form, that includes:passport details, ESTA number (tonight - by 30 January latest), dietary/medical information (tonight) th

2.Completed

‘Ski rentals’ form (tonight)

3.Completed

‘water park ‘Flow Rider’ waiver form (tonight)

4.Money

cards x 2 with authorisation (ASAP to Mr Battarbee)

5.Passport;

so I can take a photocopy (tonight - by 30th January latest)

6.Any

outstanding payments (tonight please)

7.Rooming

lists from the boys (tonight - by 30th January latest)

Which staff is in charge of what?

1.Mr

Cookson – Overall trip leader

2.Mr

Battarbee – Money cards, Chill Factore lessons

3.Mr

Wells – collection of all forms and details, video

4.Miss

Whitehead – medical and food issues, room lists