Dear Parents,

Welcome to the world of Outdoor Education! We are thrilled that your child is going to join us for a week of outdoor school. Your enthusiasm about their week is key to their successful participation in the program. If you're excited, it's likely your child will be too! The information included in this section will help you and your child prepare for Outdoor Education.

Your school district is offering your child a weeklong educational experience at the San Mateo County Outdoor Education Program. The San Mateo County Office of Education in cooperation with local schools and San Francisco YMCA Camp Jones Gulch conduct this award-winning environmental education program.

The week at Jones Gulch is part of your child's class work, and he/she should attend if possible. Since l968, over 175,000 fifth and sixth graders have learned about the physical and social sciences as well as art and music in this residential outdoor science school. The program emphasizes experiential and interdisciplinary learning — the type of learning that involves students so much that they refer to it as fun.

In addition to the academic learning, the program provides a unique opportunity for students to grow in self-esteem, self-sufficiency, and social responsibility. Students take care of themselves (making their beds, caring for their clothes, keeping themselves clean) and work as part of a team (setting up and cleaning the dining hall, working together on a skit performance). The opportunities for new friendships and the spirit of cooperation make the week at Jones Gulch a memorable social and educational experience.

Prior to Outdoor Education, a Naturalist visits your child's school and provides a presentation to help prepare them for the experience. You are welcome to attend this session, but please keep in mind it is a student-focused presentation. Your child's school may also hold a parent information session.

We want to assure you your child will be safe and cared for at Outdoor Education. Your child will be supervised at all times by their Cabin Leader, Naturalist, or Teacher. There is also 24 hour a day medical supervision provided by the healthcare specialist. The healthcare specialist also dispenses any necessary medication and will contact you if your child experiences any health problems while at Outdoor Education.

It is normal for students to miss their family and home for the first few hours at Outdoor Education. Being away from home for the first time is an important part of the "growing up" process. You can help prepare your child for Outdoor Education by communicating your enthusiasm and excitement for the experience. Promises of "I'll come get you if you're not happy" are counterproductive for the child. Upon hearing a promise such as that, the student often will never attempt to adjust to their new surroundings. If your child has not spent much time away from home, you may help prepare them by arranging a sleepover with a friend prior to Outdoor Education. Also, if possible, you should avoid interrupting your child's week at Outdoor Education for extra-curricular activities, i.e., little league games, recitals, etc. Students need to stay the entire week, uninterrupted, in order to receive the full benefits of the experience.

A week at Outdoor Education is a once in a lifetime experience that your child will always remember. The learning and excitement shared with friends and classmates is often mentioned by graduating high school students as the highlight of their school years. Thank you for helping the Outdoor Education staff and teachers work together as a team to make this the best possible experience for your child.

The Site Director and Naturalists are especially skilled at providing a successful learning experience. Classroom teachers from your child's school attend and serve as a link between school and home.

Students live in heated cabins with bunk beds. The YMCA staff prepares well-balanced meals, which are served family style. Special diets, for medical reasons, should be noted on the registration form and discussed with the Site Director, (650) 747-0414, one week prior to attendance.

There are no phones available for students, so please do not ask your child to call you or expect to reach him or her by phone. For emergencies, you may call (650) 747-0414. In case of an emergency at the site, the site director will contact you.

To have parents visit might detract from the positive development of self-reliance and might impose a burden on those children who cannot have a parent visit. We ask that you do not visit your child while he/she is attending Outdoor Education.

If you wish to visit the program before your child attends, please contact Steve Van Zandt at (650) 747-0414 to arrange a time and date to visit between Monday and Friday. We cannot accommodate weekend visits because our staff is not available for site tours and there are other groups using the YMCA facility.

Your child will look forward to a letter from you. Letters should be sent early to assure that they arrive before your child leaves. The address:

Student's Name and School
San Mateo Outdoor Education
11000 Pescadero Rd.
La Honda, CA 94020

The San Mateo Outdoor Education e-mail address is for parents, students, and teachers to contact us before and after the program week. We do not have the capacity to provide students with e-mail correspondence during their week of outdoor education.

To help us provide a safe and enjoyable experience for your child, please fill out the yellow medical form distributed by your child's classroom teacher. We need to know about your child's current health status and any medications that he/she is taking. In the event of an accident, we need to know where to reach you, what to do if you are unavailable, and the name of your insurance carrier.

Please carefully adhere to the clothing checklist. Proper clothing for the seasons is essential for your child's comfort and well-being. Older but serviceable clothing is best. We urge you not to buy new clothing or equipment. Space is limited — please send only one duffle bag or suitcase and a sleeping bag. For detailed information please refer to our packing list.