OUR RESPONSE
TO THE COVID-19 EMERGENCY
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The circumstances of our world today require each one of us to wear masks and practice social distancing until we can all be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. These simple and effective precautions are our duty and obligation to society in order to minimize the transmission of COVID, reduce the burden on the health care providers, and protect those of us who are most vulnerable.
However, these critical public-health measures also have unintended consequences that have put at risk our physical and emotional well being - especially for children and adolescents who are at a critical time in their educational and social development
FEAR
ISOLATION
VIRTUALIZATION
According to published data from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), during the calendar year 2020 in the United States it is estimated that approximately five-hundred (500) young people (ages 10-25) died from COVID-19 related illness. During that same exact time period, it is estimated that more than five thousand (5,000) people from that age group died from suicide.
Every individual and organization has a unique responsibility in helping our community respond to COVID-19: first responders, hospital workers, public officials, teachers, business owners, parents, neighbors, friends, etc.

As outdoor education professionals, we also have a unique and critical service to provide during the summer season:

CONFIDENCE
CONNECTION
DIRECT EXPERIENCE
We believe that it is our duty to create safe spaces where young people can have a respite from COVID precautions - to experience the natural world and engage with their teachers and peers in an environment without any mask wearing and social distancing requirements.
NO MASKS? NO DISTANCE? That seems like an irresponsible idea during these critical times!
We have tremendous respect for the recommendations of public health officials and the need for everyone to accept uncomfortable restrictions for the good of the wider community. However, we cannot ignore our very unique circumstances and the opportunity before us:
  1. We serve a population of young people (ages 8-18) who are the least vulnerable to COVID-19
  2. Our programs are fully residential: 24 hours a day immersion for one or two weeks - which mean that our students are not subject to potential COVID exposure risks of daily transitions back and forth from a home setting.
  3. We work in a rural and/or wilderness setting: - the forests, the mountaintops, the ocean - where our cohorts of staff and students are safely isolated from interactions with the rest of society.
HOW WILL YOU DO THIS SAFELY?
This approach will only be possible through rigorous preparation and attention to detail, and a partnership of trust and cooperation between our staff, group leaders, parents and students.
OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU:

We will ensure that our staff and student community is as healthy as possible through vaccination, quarantine, health monitoring, and regular testing:

We will make every legal effort to obtain vaccinations for of our staff prior to the start of the season. Any un-vaccinated staff will quarantine for 7 days and have negative PCR test results before being integrated into our community, and all staff will remain on campus or with students for the full duration of any programs

The number of people on our campus has been strictly constrained, and students will live, work, and study in small groups that maximize positive social connection within the group, but minimize unnecessary social contacts outside of the group.

Our staff to student ratio of 1:6 will ensure that we keep close eye on the well-being of each student and respond quickly and effectively to any health concerns.

All of our program activities (including eating, studying, and sleeping) will be conducted outdoors or in open-air shelters to the fullest extent permitted by weather, safety, and curriculum considerations.

We will conduct rigorous twice-daily health checks for all people on campus, recording temperatures and any relevant health issues.

Our staff health team will consult regularly with our on-call physician, and maintain a supply of rapid COVID tests and access to a local PCR testing service. We will immediately activate a rigorous contingency plan in the event that we discover any symptoms or potential exposure to COVID from anyone in our community.

We will continue to monitor the incidence of COVID in surrounding counties, and respond to any new public health guidelines by local or regional authorities.

YOUR COMMITMENT TO US:

You will ensure that your child or adolescent arrives to our program healthy, well-rested, and COVID-free:

All families will be expected to follow rigorous health and safety protocols and keep a record of all contacts with people outside of your immediate household (see below) for 7 days prior to starting a program with us.

While traveling from your home to our campus, we expect families to follow strict protocols to minimize exposure to the general public (see below).

The transitional opening day activities on the first day of the program (screening & paperwork collection, packing & unpacking, orientation for parents and students, saying goodbye to parents) will all be conducted will full social distancing and mask wearing protocols for everyone.

All students arriving at the start of a program must present one of the following:

PROOF OF VACCINATION
NEGATIVE PCR
TEST RESULTS
(from within
the past 7 days)

Each student must bring with them 2 personal cloth masks (not disposable), and be responsible and cooperative in wearing masks and social distancing in case of a circumstance where we did need to quickly increase our level of precautions.

QUESTIONS & PROTOCOLS:
What happens if someone in our community (staff or students) shows mild symptoms of an illness?
Anyone showing any signs of an illness (fever, cough, runny nose, unusual fatigue) will be immediately separated from their peer group and will adopt full mask and social distancing protocols. They will be kept comfortable and well cared-for and under observation for a minimum of 24 hours. We will immediately (and subsequently on a daily basis) administer a quick-response COVID antigen test (ABBOT COVID-19 Ag Card). Students whose symptoms do not improve within 24 hours will be dismissed from the program and graciously returned to their families. Staff whose symptoms do not improve will be asked to take leave and recover off-campus until they are healthy and can begin re-entry into the community.
What happens if someone shows serious multiple symptoms of COVID-19, or tests POSITIVE for COVID-19?
Anyone in our community (staff or students) showing any serious combination of COVID symtoms (fever, dry cough, fatigue, loss of appetite, loss of smell, and body ache) or testing positive to any type of COVID test will be immediately removed from the campus under the dedicated care of a trained first responder or health care professional. Anyone who had close contact with the potentially COVID-positive person will be immediately quarantined on-campus for a period of observation, testing, and decision making. After consultation with our health care team, and depending upon the timing of the incident and the level of interpersonal contact we have had with this person, it is likely that our entire community will adopt full mask and distance protocols for the remainder of the program.
What do "full mask and distance protocols" look like?
When necessary, we will adopt full mask and distance protocols towards eliminating the risk of possible COVID transmission between people (while still providing a minimum level of positive teaching, social, and recreational activities). All individuals on our campus will maintain six feet of separation between one another and wear a cloth face mask at all times - indoors and outdoors. Exeptional activities that cannot be done with a mask (eating, sleeping, bathing, or solitary outdoor exercises) will be closely supervised to prevent any unnecessary risk.
What happens if we discover that someone in our community has been directly exposed to someone else with COVID symptoms or directly exposed to someone with a COVID-positive diagnosis?
Any situation where there has been a clear risk of exposure or unsafe behavior will be immediately documented and evaluated by our health team to assess the timing and exent of the exposure. During this evaluation, the individual will be separated from the group and will adopt full mask and social distancing protocols. Possible outcomes may include: testing, quarantine, dismissal from the program, or termination of employment.
Can you reassure me with 100% certainty that I (or my child) will not be exposed to COVID-19 while attending your programs?
No. Even the best testing and vaccination protocols do not offer 100% accuracy or success. We will make every effort to minimize risk, but all of us need to accept the reality that some natural and biological phenomena are beyond our complete control.
I will be worried while my child is away with you. When will you communicate with me about health-related issues?
We will not contact or message you with regular updates as we adapt our program curriculum and level of precautions to the daily circumstances of our work - including mild illnesses or risks within our community. However, we will contact immediately if your child shows any symptoms of illness or serious injury, or has had any direct exposure to COVID. We will also contact you in advance if there is any possibility that your child will be returning home to you at the conclusion of the program with a heightened risk of possible COVID exposure due to something that took place while under our care.
We've been following an opressive regime of virtual online schooling, distancing, mask wearing, and sheltering at home for so many months now! Can you reassure me that my child will not be required wear a mask during your program?
No. We reserve the right to adopt full masking and social distancing procotols at any moment, at our own discretion. In addition, many of our regular curriculum activities (swimming, climbing, songs, games, chores) may need to be modified or avoided due to safety considerations and the impediment of mask wearing. We expect that your child and your family will be fully supportive and cooperative with these decision and the burdens they will entail.
We have had a close friend or family member who died from COVID-related illness. Given the natural fear and anxiety from these circumstances, our child prefers to wear a mask and does not feel safe without it. Will my child be required to remove their mask and have close interactions with others during your program?
No. We will fully support any invididual on our campus who for personal reasons wants to adopt a higher level of personal precaution. This will likely mean an inability to fully participate in our program activities and curriculum, but we will do our best to create alternative experiences and a feeling of acceptance and inclusion.
What are you asking us to do at home, prior to attending this program?
We ask you to live with a heightened level of responsibility and consciousness for at least 14 days prior to the start of your program. All members of your family should wash your hands regularly with soap and water, take and record your temperature on a daily basis. We ask you to limit outside visits to essentials and maintain safe distance from others when leaving home (for families working jobs outside the home, maintain workplace best practices to reduce exposure to the virus). Finally, we ask that everyone in your household maintains a 6ft minimum physical distance from others in public settings, and wears a mask in public if unable to keep distance, such as in stores or crowded places.
What are you asking us to while traveling from home to atttend this program?
We are requiring you to conform to these CDC TRAVEL GUIDELINES while traveling.
Do you offer any health-related tuition refunds?
We do not wish you to feel any financial pressure (fear of forfeiting your tuition or registration fees) that would cause you to disregard mild health symptoms within your family. If you or your child chooses not to attend a program for health-related concerns - even at the very last minute - we will offer you either a partial refund or a voucher to apply that full tuition towards another later program once your (or your family's) health has returned to normal.