Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is Valor Discovery keeping current on developing issues and in what manner?
The Valor Incident Management Team and Discovery are monitoring various world government, news and health resources, as well as communicating with our partners in the field. These include, but are by no means limited to, the World Health Organization, CDC, U.S. State Department Advisories, Colorado Department of Health, and all major news sources. These provide a global and top side perspective while our local partners provide more specific news where our teams will be serving.
2. Have any Discovery teams been cancelled?
Valor Discovery has cancelled all Spring Break and Practicum teams. These decisions were not made lightly or prematurely. Many factors were taken into consideration, not only the risk to students and leaders contracting the virus. Valor Discovery’s primary concern is the safety and security of the students, and in this case, it has been broadened more widely to consider the safety and security of the Valor community, including families who might be directly impacted as the students return. Note that summer teams are addressed below.
3. What other factors are taken into account when Discovery considers to proceed with or to cancel a team?
Clearly the health, safety and security of our students and leaders are foremost in assessing action to be taken. This includes the possibility of students/leaders contracting the virus. Related to this concern is the location of the team and the level of difficulty for students/leaders to return should someone become ill. Additionally, consideration is given to the proximity of quality health care services within the area the team is serving.
Serious consideration is also given to the possibility of closed borders, the inability to leave once on site, the inability to return to the US in a timely manner, including a quarantine being placed on the team in the field, at the departing airport, in transfer airports and upon return to the U.S. We monitor quarantine issues as effectively as possible in these various areas realizing that decisions are in a constant state of flux as conditions change.
Other factors considered include the risk that students/leaders may contract the virus and bring it back to the Valor community. Realizing that could happen flying anywhere in the U.S. or during travel within the metro area, we seek to assess the increased level of risk that could occur in sending our teams to their planned destinations.
4. What will happen to funds raised by students which are not yet expended and non-refundable when a team is cancelled?
Based upon the donor's preference, Discovery will make every attempt to:
a. restrict these funds for that student’s possible future Discovery team,
b. apply these funds to another student’s account on another team,
c. restrict for a sibling’s possible future Discovery team, or
d. when possible, refund these funds back to donors in proportion to their original contribution and the % of the funds being refunded compared to the total raised or to be raised by the student. It is important to note that one possible restriction may be for funds made by donors in 2019, which have already been tax-receipted.
It will take some time for Valor to sort through all funds. Please be patient, and know that Valor will be in touch with families in the coming weeks with information related to remaining funds.
5. What happens to the funds that have been raised by students/ leaders for these teams if the team is cancelled, and are these experiences insured against such loss?
Although Valor carries basic medical and emergency evacuation travelers’ insurance, Valor does not carry insurance for cancellation for these teams for flights or other costs. It is important to note that even should Valor carry such insurance, nearly all policies have exclusions for pandemic diseases, for which COVID-19 qualifies. Since Discovery began monitoring the progression of this virus long before it made headline news, the department has done everything possible to limit making expenditures until absolutely necessary. Although nearly all spring break flight costs have been locked into non-refundable group contracts made (in many cases, late last fall or early winter), other expenditures have been delayed where possible, to minimize losses.
Discovery has been working diligently with travel agents and with the airlines to maximize possible refunds, credits, deferments or waived cancellation fees offered by airlines. The allowances from the airlines vary based on destination and airline policies. Please note that due to the unique global circumstances, most airlines have made significant credits or refunds available, even for nonrefundable flights. In some instances, students may receive a credit with the airline to be used within a year of booking.
6. What is Discovery doing regarding the progression of summer teams?
Discovery is delaying payments where possible and monitoring conditions in each location considered for the summer. At this time, all teams are moving forward as planned. Discovery will continue to assess the progression of the virus and assess the viability of these teams.
7. How will Discovery keep parents informed when decisions are being made?
When a team is being closely monitored due to changing conditions in a location where the team will be serving, Discovery will periodically inform parents and students about where it is in the assessment process. If a team is cancelled by Discovery, parents and students of that team will be notified by an email from Discovery and/or team leadership.
8. What if Discovery is planning to move forward with sending a team, but the parents of an individual student do not feel comfortable with sending their student with the team?
Parents always reserve the right to pull their student at any time prior to departure. The student's funds will remain non-refundable when the team has already expended these funds. If a parent wishes for their student to leave the team after the team is in-field to return early, it will be the parents’ responsibility to make those arrangements separately and individually as well as to provide adult supervision for that student to return safely.
Discovery leadership will generally not be available to return with any student so impacted.
