We're going camping! Silver Falls!

Monday May 12, 2008

Dear Parents and Middle School Students,

We are going camping again! We are going to Silver Falls State Park. We are going Wednesday afternoon through Friday morning, May 21st – 23rd.

We need drivers! Our carpools will be loaded and on the way from Trillium around 1:00 Wednesday (please arrive with gear to be staged in the common space no later than 12:00). NOTE: We will most likely have morning classes on Wednesday as advisors spend significant time preparing during this time. We encourage you to drop your children off in time for school with their gear if at all possible. It is also helpful for students to already have a lunch plan when they show up at school (sack lunch is best). Snacks will be provided at the campsite before dinner.

It is about an hour and 15-minute drive depending on traffic. We shall leave for home from Silver Falls by 10:30 am Friday, and you can pick up your students at the usual end-of-school time (12:00 pm). IF you are driving on Friday, please be at Silver Falls by 10:00. Also, please decide on whether or not you can chaperone, help with meals and facilitate the cooking, and/or volunteer to drive back and forth. Let your advisor or liaison know as soon as possible

We will have email sign-up, phone calls, and a list at the front desk and with each advisor. Conferences are an excellent time to let us know how you can participate. Parent support makes this trip run smoothly and an extra chaperone or two for supervision and activity facilitation will be greatly appreciated.

As a staff we came up with a list of essentials for each student to bring:

Sleeping bag
Tent (please bring an extra to loan if you have one!)
Flashlight
Rain gear (you never know)
Sunscreen
2 pairs of pants (shorts optional)
2-3 short sleeve shirts
1 long sleeve shirt
1 jacket (this is important: it is always cold in the morning)
2 pairs of shoes
4 pairs of socks

Reading material

Journal (if you wish)

Frisbee, kite, games, disc (for disc golf) etc.
1 plastic bag
1 garbage bag

We have been asked about swimming. Our policy is to be advised by the rangers on site. If they feel it is safe and encourage it, we may find a suitable place with constant supervision. If there is any doubt about the safety we will NOT swim. If you have any personal reservations, please let us know and please do not pack a swimsuit for your student.

It can be very chilly and windy at any time in Oregon, even when the sun is shining beautifully. Be prepared by dressing in layers, and don't forget a jacket of some sort that will cut the wind factor. It always gets cold at night. Have warm, dry clothes available.

On this trip there will be required group activities led by parent volunteers and staff members after lunch both days (2-4 p.m.), as well as after campfire each night (these are required). This might include trips to the river, the surrounding forest, hiking, bacci, Frisbee, touch football, jump rope, soccer, and more. There will be plenty of time to read, hang out with friends, and have quiet time to oneself. We have experimented with allowing Boffer fencing on more than one campout. IT IS NOT ALLOWED ON THIS TRIP. Please let your students know.

There are some rules of course, and some things to leave behind:

* Your teacher will be organizing the sleeping arrangements in the tents. Once this is done NO ONE may move or change tents. Consider this rule set in stone. Lights out at 10:30 p.m. and this is also the signal for quiet time. If students cannot settle, they will be moved. Boys and girls sleep separately without exception.

* Please DO NOT bring along any electronic devices (this includes Walkmans, CD players, Gameboys, PSPs etc.). We are camping. Feel free to bring an acoustic musical instrument, board games, cards, books, or a song!
* Snacks will be provided so please, NO soda, NO candy, and NO sugary snacks. If you have a student with blood sugar issues, let the staff know.
* The adults will be doing the cooking. There is no need for you to bring matches, knives of any sort (even Swiss Army or Leatherman tools), campfire hatches, or tools of any kind.
* There will be parent chaperones sleeping over and helping with the carpool. Please consider every parent as a staff member of Trillium on this trip and give him or her the attention, gratitude, and respect that they deserve.

NOTE: If you have paid, the beginning of the year activity fee covers the price for the camping trip.

We hope that you and your student will participate in this end of the year event. It is a wonderful way to relax and get to know each other, as well as offer closure to the year. And please let us know, again, if you would like to help in any way. We need support. We look forward to having a great time. Thank you!

Kurt, Tobie, Nick, and Kirk