Your child's El Nino trip to Utah is coming up soon and we have some very important information for you. Please read the 4 items below carefully to ensure that your child has a safe and enjoyable trip!

1. All departure information, including specific bus pick up locations and times will be emailed out to you 5-7 days prior to the trip. At that time, the information will also be available on our website at www.swatup.com in the trip updates section.

2. We have a brand new feature available for parents that will allow you to receive updates from SWAT via text message on your cell phone while your child is in Utah. We will send out updates regarding arrivals, snow conditions, road conditions, departures, etc so that you remain informed while your child is away.

To receive text message updates, please text "Elnino" to 30101. You will then receive a message back asking you to confirm. Once subscribed to the service, you are able to unsubscribe at any time. Standard text messaging rates apply.

3. In order to make this a safe and enjoyable trip for all involved, we need you, the parents and guardians, to take an active role in guiding your student’s participation.  We ask that you cover the information below in detail with your student prior to his or her departure for Salt Lake City, UT.  SWAT maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy for any students found to be breaking any of the following rules.  Failure to comply with our Code of Conduct will result in your student being removed from our trip without question.  You, as the parent and/or guardian of your student, will be responsible for making arrangements to either pick your student up from Utah or for making an alternate plan to transport your student home at your expense without subsequent refund for any unused portion of your student’s trip upon your student’s removal from our trip.  As expected, any other costs associated with your student’s misbehavior will also be the responsibility of the responsible student(s’) parent and/or guardian.

A.    No alcohol or drug use of any kind is tolerated. SWAT maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy that will result in the removal and/or ejection of a student from our trip and related activities if this policy is broken.  Parents and/or guardians should CHECK ALL BAGS prior to departing for the bus departure location.  Parents should also drop students off at the bus pick up location to ensure any contraband materials haven’t been added to luggage after inspection.

B.  No fighting, theft, or vandalism of any kind will be tolerated.  Our zero-tolerance policy includes this behavior and related acts.

C.     Students must be in their assigned rooms by curfew BEFORE room checks take place and remain in their rooms for the remainder of the evening.

D.    No actions of any kind that jeopardize the safety, well being, and/or the enjoyment of the vacation of other trip participants, staff or employees of SWAT, SWAT contracted buses, hotels, or resorts will be tolerated.  All students are expected to be respectful of one another and any other persons or property they encounter during SWAT El Nino 2009 at all times.

E.   You, the parents, are financially responsible for ALL actions of your student while he or she is in the custody of SWAT and/or participating in any events and/or activities of SWAT El Nino 2009.

 These rules must be taken seriously for the safety and benefit of all persons involved with this SWAT Adventure.  If the above rules are not firmly adhered to, there will be adverse consequences, including but not limited to, disciplinary, monetary, and/or legal actions taken against students and their families by SWAT and/or local law enforcement agencies.

 If you and your student have not signed and returned the behavior code, please download the form from the high school page of www.swatup.com by clicking tools and forms. This form must be mailed or faxed to our office prior to departure.

4. Please keep in mind that the 24 hour rooms on-site at each property are for emergencies only and should not be used for general inquiries. 

We hope that by working together with our students' parents that we will be bale to provide a safe, fun, and memorable experience for your son or daughter. We thank you once again for allowing your son or daughter the opportunity to travel with SWAT and look forward to another great year of SWAT El Nino.

 Thank You,

The SWAT Staff