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Dear Parent or Guardian,Dear Parent or Guardian, We are excited about having your child attend American Outdoor Schools educational programs. Our staff desires that each student feels welcome and involved with the program in order to gain the most out of this experience. Following are a few items that will help to make your child’s time with American Outdoor Schools the most beneficial. Preparation for Outdoor School can be started in the home as well as at school. Encouraging a mindset that this field trip is an extension of school as opposed to a summer camp experience will be helpful for your student as well as his or her teacher. Attention to forms, deadlines or meetings set up by your school will make the planning process run more smoothly. Proper clothing and shoes of the proper type will make a huge difference in your child's comfort while attending Outdoor School. Please refer to the Equipment List. Keep in mind that layering clothes is essential, a rain poncho is a great idea, just in case...and closed-toe shoes help keep your child’s feet safe on the hiking trails and are required for some activities. Check with your child’s teacher for any school dress codes that will be extended to Outdoor School. Most of our locations can distribute mail to students during their stay. All mail should be sent early in the week (or the week prior to Outdoor School) and addressed as follows: Program Site Students name and school name Site Address Please check with your child’s teacher to see if this will be an opportunity during Outdoor School. We request that you do not send candy and junk food. Phone calls home by students are reserved for emergency situations. Years of experience have shown that calling home will usually aggravate homesickness. Many schools set up a communication system to relay safe arrival and any emergencies. By the end of Outdoor School, students are eager to share all that they have learned when they return home. Our goal is to maintain an atmosphere of learning and fun with an emphasis on respect for others. If students show lack of respect, and do not follow camp guidelines, a discipline policy will be followed in cooperation with the school. Your student's teacher can provide you with information about the discipline procedures. Thank you for allowing your child to participate in American Outdoor Schools. We look forward to providing many memorable opportunities and learning experiences. Serving you and your children, American Outdoor Schools Staff Dear Counselor,We appreciate your help in making our program possible. Your role this week is vital, and how you carry out the responsibilities will affect the students’ experience. The following information will provide guidance for you as you take on the task of counseling a group of students.
The main purposes of the American Outdoor School are:
Our job is to take care of the details and program so that you can spend the week focusing on your students. Your involvement is essential to our program’s success. "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did but they will never forget how you made them feel." At AOS, we believe this statement describes an important aspect of our program. Treating each student with respect and as an adult. As a counselor we encourage you to engage students during classes, cabin time, activities and meals. While AOS are conducted at "camps" the program is considered "school". Students are expected to conduct themselves just like they would while at their own campus. This means we don't allow pranking, food eating competitions, etc. There will be many recreational activities for students to participant in. We understand diet is important to parents. To be meet the requests of schools we keep sugar to a minimal. Please don't bring a excess of sugar products for students. Ask your school leadership any questions you have concerning these products. At certain camp facilities, Snack Shops or Coffee Shops are open for guests. During those occasions the school administration will determine the limit for students. (usually 1 drink and 1 candy). We are glad to accommodate for any dietary needs you or your student might have. Please make sure to indicate any food allergies or special needs on your registration form. If your student has dietary needs requiring you to send food with them we are glad to store it near the kitchen. It will be available during meals. We understand diet is an important part of your trip. If you have any questions, please contact us. We ask that students leave cellphones at home or with their teacher. One of the benefits out outdoor education is allowing students to become emerged in the subject matter. We believe that disconnecting from technology allows participants to connect more deeply with nature. Public use phones are available in the camp office for emergencies. You are encouraged to send students mail, ask your school official for the address. |
"Children who attended outdoor school significantly raised their science scores by 27 percent." 
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