Wednesday, September 30, 2015

CAMPING TRIP FINAL DETAILS

September 30, 2015

Dear House B Families,

Our camping trip has finally arrived!  Here are a few final items we thought were needed:

DROP OFF AND PICK UP
If you will be driving to school to drop off and pick up camping equipment and supplies, please come to the horseshoe off Herrick Ave near the middle school entrance.  We will be loading the buses and chaperone cars between 7:15AM and 8:30AM.  Students will be back at school by around 1:30PM on Friday in time to help unload, return, and store equipment and be dismissed at 2:30PM on Friday.

WEATHER AND CLOTHING
The weather looks good for our trip -- no rain and maybe some sun, but it will be chilly.  Highs will be in the high 50s maybe 60 degrees and lows at night will be down to about 40 degrees.  Make sure your child has a warm hat, gloves, coat, layers, and proper footwear.

CAMPING TRIP ITINERARY
Thursday, October 1, 2015
7:30 - 7:40
Advisory check in
Review expectations for the trip.
7:30 - 8:30
Campsite Group Rooms and Loading Buses
Your camping group will be sent down to load your gear that is going in a car.  You will keep your backpack.
9:00 - 10:30
Arrive and Site Set Up
Unload and set up campsite then explore park with chaperone
10:30 -- 11:00
Whole Team Meeting
Common area between campsites
11:00 - 12:00
Whole House B Activity
Capture the flag
12:00 - 12:30
Lunch
Own bagged/brought lunch
12:30 - 1:00
Solar Ovens
Set up, collect data for 14 minutes, leave set up
1:00 - 2:30
Switch time is @ 1:40
Choice Time #1 and Choice time #2 -- Art, Hiking, Sports (Volleyball, Soccer, Football, etc.), Lawn Games, Fishing.

NO GOING TO CAMPSITES
Each activity will run the whole time if there are people psyched to participate.  Opportunity to switch @ 1:40PM// New participants welcomed at 1:45.
2:45 - 3:05
Whole Team Meeting -- Creative Challenge with Camping Group
Night time expectations, Birthdays, Acknowledgements, Creative Challenge with Camping Group
3:05 3:45
Creative Challenge
Practice for challenge
3:45
Go to campsite
Prepare for quiet time
4:00 - 4:30
Quiet Time
At campsites
20-25 minutes of reading
7 minute write
4:30 - 6:00
Dinner (switch to creative challenge practice when done with dinner and clean up).
Start preparing, cooking, and eating dinner
6:00 - 6:30
Creative Challenge
Final practice
6:30 - 7:45
Evening Event -- Creative Challenge Performance by Camping Groups
Each camping group will have 2 minutes to perform their creative challenge piece.
7:45 - 9:00
Bonfire, Brownies, and S’Mores
Site TBA
9:00
Return to Campsite/ Prep for Lights Out/ Reading and Chill time
Get cozy and prepare for bed
10:00
Lights Out
This is a strict policy of the State Park
Friday, October 2, 2015
7:30 - 8:30
Wake Up and Breakfast

8:30
Clean up and Pack Up
Leave no trace at your campsite.  Bring all your stuff to the designated area near the parking lot.
9:30 - 10:15
Whole Team Meeting -- Schedule and Reflection
Sit with your Advisory Group.  
10:15 - 11:30
Whole Team Meeting Activity -- Camoflage
Explain rules
11:30
Lunch -- Stone Soup and Lefties
Once you’ve eaten, help clean up, then you can play in designated area.
12:30
Load buses and cars

12:50
Depart Grand Isle State Park

1:30
Return to School
Unload, return and store equipment then go to your Core 4 classroom

EMERGENCY CONTACT
To reach House B Teachers call Ellen’s cell phone -- 802.922.7452
GRAND ISLE STATE PARK phone number -- 802.372.4300

We are looking forward to a great trip!  Thanks for all your help!

House B Teachers

Monday, September 28, 2015

House B Overnight Camping Trip 

October 1st - October 2nd

Dear House B Families,

The following packet of information should help you and your child prepare for our camping trip this week. Make sure you check in with your child about the items they will need to bring to be prepared to camp and to share with their lean-to group. They have an individual check list and camping supplies list with this information that should have come home on Friday. If you have any additional questions, please contact your child's Advisory Teacher. We are looking forward to a great trip!

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September 27, 2015
Dear House B families,

We are very excited for the House B camping trip to Grand Isle State Park this week on Thursday, October 1st to Friday, October 2nd.  Here is more information about the trip for you and your child.

PERMISSION SLIPS and MONEY
Please submit a permission slip and payment for your child by Tuesday, September 29th if you haven’t already ($7 cash or check to MMS).  The permission slip is included if you need it.  If money is a hardship, please contact your child’s advisor.  

If you and your child decide that your child is not attending the camping trip, your child will stay home on Thursday and Friday and will be expected to complete work at home to make up for what they will be missing on the school field trip.  If you have concerns about your child attending the camping trip, please contact his or her advisor to discuss them.

CHAPERONES
We are still looking for chaperones!  Each campsite group will have an adult supervising the group- either a student’s family member or school staff.  We welcome you to come for the entire trip, just the overnight portion, or the overnight and either Thursday or Friday.  Documents are included with important information about the expectations for chaperones, and the paperwork that you need to complete to be a chaperone.

If you are interested in chaperoning, please email Greer Krembs as soon as possible (gkrembs@mtsd-vt.org) to let her know and complete the included paperwork.  The paperwork can be emailed to Greer, or brought to school with your student (have them bring it to Ms. Krembs) by Tuesday, September 29th.

CAMPING EQUIPMENT and FOOD
Your child has a list of the camping and food equipment that they will contribute to their campsite group.  Please look it over with your child and prepare the needed supplies.  We are not expecting any families to buy large and expensive items such as tents and sleeping bags!  If your child needs an item, we will have extras (from other students or from teachers) that can be borrowed.  The list of personal items your child needs is also included.   Please contact your child’s advisor if you need to borrow any of the items (such as a sleeping bag).

HEALTH and EMERGENCY
Please make sure the contact information the school has is current in case we need to contact you (call the MMS office at 893-5400).  Francine Lemnah will be in charge of giving any prescription or over-the-counter medications your child needs.  Please complete the included medication list, have your child return it to their advisor, and on the day of the camping trip, bring only the necessary doses of medications in ziplock bags with your child’s name.

STUDENT EXPECTATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
All school policies will be followed on the camping trip and situations will be handled accordingly.  Members of the student support team, including principal, guidance counselor, and behavior interventionist, will be joining us to have fun together and help navigate any situations that arise.  You will be asked to come get your child immediately if a situation occurs and your child needs to be picked up (for medical or behavior reasons).

Students are allowed to responsibly use electronics on the trip.  We will be following school policy for electronics and making some changes because the camping trip is a different setting.  Students can use their phones during mealtimes, like they can during lunch at school.  Additionally, students can use them at their campsites to read (in the afternoon quiet time and at night), call or text home in the evening, and to listen to music to fall asleep.  The reason for these guidelines is to keep our trip’s focus on building our House B community and enhancing what students are learning in school.  

Please contact your child’s advisor with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

House B Teachers


Individual Checklist of personal and additional items needed
Clothing:
____Rain Coat and pants ____Hoodie/Fleece ____Light Jacket/Windbreaker
____at least 2 pairs of socks ____ 2 changes of clothes ____ 2 changes of underwear
____Warm hat ____Sweat pants ____ Pajamas
____ 1 pair of sneakers/comfortable walking shoes ____1 pair of rain boots/hiking boots

Sleeping:
___Sleeping Bag ____Bug spray/mosquito tent ____ Flashlight
___Pillow (optional) ____Camping mattress pad (optional)
___Tent (only 1-2 students per campsite group will need a tent)

Toiletries/Miscellaneous:
____Independent reading book _____Inspiration Journal ____Quarters (for showers)
____Towel _____Pen/Pencil
____Bathroom articles (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap etc.)



Camping Supplies
Please return the bottom part of this sheet to your child’s advisor.  List what your family is willing and able to lend to students and what your child needs to borrow.

Child’s name: _________________________________________

Items our family can lend (label items with your name)
____Sleeping Bagt ____Tent (for 4-6 people) ____Camping mattress pad

Items my child needs to borrow
____Sleeping Bag ____Camping mattress pad

Field Trip Student Medication List
Student Name ______________________________________________________
1)  Medication: ______________________________________________________
  Dosage: ______________________________________________________
  When taken: ___________________________________________________
  Condition: _____________________________________________________
2)  Medication: ______________________________________________________
  Dosage: ______________________________________________________
  When taken: ___________________________________________________
  Condition: _____________________________________________________
3)  Medication: ______________________________________________________
  Dosage: ______________________________________________________
  When taken: ___________________________________________________
  Condition: _____________________________________________________
Notes (optional):