There are 122 spots available per trip. If a trip fills as part of the random lottery draw, remaining individuals will automatically be placed on a wait list and will be contacted by Community Ed if/when a space becomes available.

The trip fee is $650. A $200 deposit is due at registration. The remainder will be made in two equal installments of $225 each on January 7 and February 4. There is an option of paying the balance in full when you go to register. Limited fee assistance is available.  Call or text us at 636-891-6644, live chat with us on this website or email us at info@prcommunityed.org for more information.

Students are assigned to buses and activity groups by trip administration prior to trip check-in. Bus assignments are made by school and/or gender. Regarding activity group assignments, two students per school, per gender are placed in a group so that students will have someone else of their gender from their school.  Groups will also include students from other schools.  Our goal is to create activity groups assignments that introduce students to others who may attend the same middle and/or high school.  Students select their own sleeping space upon arrival at Tremont.

The registration system will recognize siblings and will group them together prior to the random lottery draw. However, each sibling/twin must register for the lottery seperately. 

• At bus stops during the drive to and from the Smoky Mountains

• We stop at predetermined rest stops and gas stations that are easy to get into/out of and keep students away from busy traffic areas. Chaperones check the restrooms and buildings before letting students off the bus. When students leave the bus, they remove their name tag and hand it to the designated chaperone who returns it when students return to the bus. Chaperones check the building and restrooms after all students finish and take a headcount prior to departure.

• At the Tremont Institute

• Tremont Institute is located inside of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Rockwood trips will be the only program taking place at the facility while we are there.  Chaperones are with students during all activities, meals, dorm time and free time.

Rockwood teachers and employees attend the trip with the students. Parents are not allowed to be chaperones, as a goal of the trip is to foster independence among the students.

Students will have access to cellular service on the bus to and from the Smoky Mountains. There is no wifi available on the bus. Cellular service is unavailable for all providers inside the park and the limited wifi available at Tremont is restricted to office use. Phones will remain locked up on the bus for the time students are at the Tremont Institute. A landline is available in case of emergency and Community Ed staff are on call during the weekend to help with any problems, concerns or emergencies.  Digital or disposable cameras are encouraged for picture taking.

Upon arrival at the Tremont Institute, we will pick up a rental car.  In the event a child is injured, two adults would transport the child to the emergency room/urgent care.  There are multiple urgent cares located close by and an emergency room within 30 miles of the Tremont Institute.  If an injury is severe, we will call 911. In addition, Tremont Institute staff are certified in Wilderness First Responder Training.

Trek and Travel strives to help all students find success within the program. Participatory standards include:

Physical Requirements

Throughout the duration of this trip, we expect all participants to be able to:

• Follow proper safety procedures at all times, including:
• Avoidance of causing harm to themselves and others
• Follow directions from Smoky Mountains staff and chaperones
• Stay with group inside set boundaries
• Walk unassisted on uneven terrain for extended periods of time
• Be outside in all weather conditions
• Endure travel on various types of vehicles (Charter bus, school bus, etc.)
• Manage their own personal needs and belongings
• Assist in care and cleaning of facility
• Share a living and sleeping space with students of the same gender and age
• Maintain a safe sleeping environment
• Independently manage their activities of daily living (i.e. toilet hygiene, bathing, eating, etc.)

Behavior Expectations

Students are expected to exhibit appropriate behavior at all times. View Community Ed Behavior Managament and Discipline Guidelines.

A parent or guardian must be willing and able to pick up the student from the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont if their behavior dictates they must leave the trip.

A review of behavior over the previous year may be conducted if necessary to determine eligibility for the trip.

Support for Children With Special Needs

Community Ed supports the inclusion of children with varying ability levels and needs. It is essential that parents advise Community Ed Administration of any allergies, health conditions, accommodations or needs that their child may have at time of registration. Without full disclosure of a child’s needs, Community Ed may not be prepared to ensure the child’s success in the program. Enrollment will not be considered final until all requirements have been met and reviewed. Upon receipt of all relevant documentation, Community Ed will determine whether, and what, reasonable accommodations can be made. Community Ed strives to support children of all ability levels. Please note that Community Ed does not have the same staff resources available that children may receive during the normal school day. If the support a child needs cannot be provided without fundamentally altering the nature of the program, Community Ed reserves the right to deny or terminate the child’s enrollment.

We are happy to talk to you about any needs of your child during the trip.  Please contact our Inclusion Specialist Chloe Kersten at kerstenchloe@prcommunityed.org.

See the chart below outlining the last date to receive a full refund minus a $20 processing fee for each trip.  Full refunds (minus processing fee) for cancellations made after these dates is not guaranteed unless we are able to place another student on the trip as Community Ed will have already submitted non-refundable deposits for transportation and lodging.  If we are not able to place another student on the trip, you will receive a maximum refund of $245 (exceptions may be made for emergency and/or documented medical reasons). 

• Before the trip - students who are unable to attend school the day of the trip due to illness will NOT be eligible to attend the trip. If this occurs, we will work with you regarding possible options.
• During the trip - students who become ill during the trip will be checked for symptoms of COVID. Those who are symptomatic will be given a COVID Antigen test and quarantined. Students who become ill, regardless of COVID symptoms, will be quarantined and a parent/guardian will be required to come to the Tremont Institute to pick up the student. Students who are ill cannot ride back on the bus and must be transported separately by a parent/guardian. This is a requirement of attending the trip.

The health and safety of students and chaperones is our top priority. We will continue working with district administration, the transportation company and the Great Smoky Mountain Institute at Tremont to ensure proper health and safety protocols are in place during the trips.

It is important to note that guidelines in place today may or may not be in place when the trips take place in the spring.

If the trip was to depart today: 

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) previously announced that masks are no longer required on buses or vans operated by public or private school systems. Given that the requirement has been lifted, masks are no longer required on Rockwood buses. As a result, masks will also no longer be required on the buses during your child's Smoky Mountains trip.
• The mask policy while indoors at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont has not changed. Masks are required for time spent indoors except while eating and sleeping.

Additional information will be provided based on the status of the pandemic as it becomes available. If any of the trips are cancelled due to the pandemic, a full refund will be given.

Visit our website where you can learn more about the trips and view a trip presentation.  Call or text us at 636-891-6644, live chat with us on this website or email us at info@prcommunityed.org with additional questions.