Spring 2022 Outdoor School |
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MESD Outdoor School > For Parents > Spring 2022 Outdoor School
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How we keep your student healthy at Outdoor School:
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- We will practice physical distancing, and prioritize handwashing and hand sanitizing
- Students will learn in small groups, and they will be in the same group both days
- COVID-19 testing will be available at Outdoor School if your child becomes sick and you filled out the consent form that accompanied the health history form
- We will contact you if your child becomes sick, and you will need to pick them up from the Outdoor School site to bring them home
- We recommend your child is vaccinated for COVID-19; all of the Outdoor School staff and high school volunteers will be fully vaccinated
What your child can expect from their Outdoor School experience, as we return to Outdoor School sites for the first time in two years
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- Historically, the Outdoor School program has been a 6-day, 5-night residential experience with a focus on environmental science, with lessons on water, animals, soils, plants, weather, and social-emotional learning
- COVID-19 changed our operations: this year, your child's Outdoor School experience will not include an overnight
- In the fall, our staff and high school volunteers met your student at their school, and provided outdoor learning opportunities in the natural places near the school, focusing lessons on seeds, seed dispersal, weather activities, and science skills like observation and nature journaling — we played games and connected students with each other, their teachers, and the Outdoor School community to prepare them for their return in the spring
- At Outdoor School sites this spring, lessons will meet Next Generation Science Standards, with a focus on data collection, and bringing lessons back to their classrooms at school
- Your student's experience will include recreation and Outdoor School songs, and they will be supported, taught, and mentored by the Outdoor School staff and our high school volunteers
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- The high school volunteers, or Student Leaders, are local high school students who volunteer a week of their time to provide a great experience for your student — these high school students provide an incredible services for our program as well as directly for your student
- Virtually all of the high school Student Leaders were 6th graders at Outdoor School themselves, and many report that the reason they want to come back to volunteer is because they had such a great experience in 6th grade, and want to provide that for others
- The Outdoor School program is built on this spirit of giving and support
See more topics below for additional details
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- Students will experience hands-on science learning at Outdoor School, on the topics of Plants, Animals, Water, and Soil
- Students will learn in small groups, making observations, collecting data, and doing experiments
- High school volunteers will be your student's teachers and mentors while they experience Outdoor School; they are sophomores, juniors, and seniors in high school
Most 6th grade students will ride a school bus from their school to the Outdoor School site, along with their classroom teacher. Occasionally, families may need to drop off or pick up their child directly from an Outdoor School site. If this is true for you:
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Things you should bring to Outdoor School
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If you don't have one of these items, tell your teacher and we can find something for you to borrow. Please leave cell phones and other electronics at home, with your teacher, or safely stowed away during your time at Outdoor School.
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- The Outdoor School kitchen can accommodate most diets, including vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free; if your child has additional dietary needs our kitchen cannot accommodate, you may send additional food with your student to Outdoor School (this also applies to picky eaters) — please do not send any food containing nuts to Outdoor School
- What will we eat? Outdoor School Menu (coming soon!)
Kitty Boryer, Outdoor School's Student Services Specialist works closely with you, your child's teacher, and the Outdoor School staff to ensure every student has their needs met at Outdoor School.
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- Every Outdoor School site includes staff members who have experience working with students with special or specific needs
- Learning groups are kept small to better support all students' needs
- One-on-one volunteers help students who need additional support
- If your child has an aide who helps them in the classroom, please advocate for your child, and encourage your child's school to send that aide to Outdoor School with them as well
- Most of the Outdoor School sites are wheelchair accessible, and we have all-terrain wheelchairs available —please have your child's teacher reach out to us to make sure we have one ready for your child, or that we make alternate accommodations if needed
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- For over-the-counter medication, check the label to make sure it is age-appropriate
- For dietary supplements, such as Lactaid, and vitamins, please send a note from the child's healthcare provider along with the medication in its original container
- If you are sending medication, page 3 of the health history form must exactly match what you are sending (instructions for this are on page 2)
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You are invited to attend one of scheduled Zoom or Google meetings below. Please locate the site that your child is attending. This is an opportunity to meet the staff and get information about what your child will experience at our Outdoor School sites.
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