Be sure to complete your OSU Extension Reports for the 2023-2024 school year.  This must be done before you can apply for 2024-2025 School Year Funding,

 Our rates for the 2024-2025 school are $800 per student

 Click here to access the Outdoor School Application And Reporting System

Private Schools can access Outdoor School funding through Education Service District (ESD) sponsorships.

NW Outdoor Science School (NOSS) is a NW Regional Education Service District (NWRESD) program and we can apply for funding on behalf of private schools. OSU Extension / Measure 99 funding for private schools  only covers Provider Fees so your school would still be responsible to pay for transportation, teacher stipends, and associates fees. 

If you are interested in sponsorship through us, please contact Tammee Meneghin and include the following information:

• School Name
• School Address
• School Contact Name, email, and phone
• School website, 
• Grade Level attending (available for 5th or 6th graders only)
• Number of students attending

The process:

In Fall

1. NWRESD/NOSS applies for funding for your school
2. Your school will be scheduled for Outdoor School (if we sponsor your school, NOSS is the only eligible provider)
3. You will be delegated application questions from the OSU Extension application system
4. Once all school sponsorships have been identified and delegated application questions have been answered, NWRESD/NOSS submits the application for all sponsored schools 

After your Outdoor School experience

1.  You will be delegated reporting questions from the OSU Extension reporting system. It is important that you answer all questions.
2. Once all schools have answered their delegated reporting questions NWRESD/NOSS submits the report and we receive payment for your schools provider fees.

NOSS Inquiry-Based Field Study Overview Goals/Objectives:

Goals/Objectives:

• Students will be curious about their surroundings as they develop (or deepen) a meaningful personal relationship with the natural world through immersive, hands-on experiences. 
• Students will feel safe, cared for, and excited about being in nature. 
• Students will use scientific thinking (scientific method, planning investigations, problem solving, asking questions, etc.), scientific language (argumentation, language of uncertainty, etc.), and scientific practices (NGSS), throughout their time at Outdoor School, helping them to develop identity and agency as a scientific learner and thinker. 
• Students will want to return to Outdoor School as a Student Leader and see Outdoor Education or other outdoor fields as a possible career path. 
• Students learn about who/what lives at Outdoor School (place specific) and the interrelationship between the living and nonliving parts of the ecosystem.
• Students learn about and understand human/nature interdependence including collective responsibility/action and Indigenous ways of knowing about and caring for the land

Driving Questions:

• How do the organisms who live in this area survive in their environment?

• Who lives here? 
• How are the organisms who live here interacting with each other and the nonliving parts of the ecosystem?

 Outline

Day 1 (Tues): Introduction, Observations & Inquiry Fever (1.5 hours) 

Day 2 (Wed): Ecosystems & Interdependence (4-5 hours)

Ecosystems (and Matter) Themed Field Experience 

Activities: Who/What Lives Here? Critter Catch (Discovery Swap), Decomposition Mission, and a Focused Ecosystem Exploration

Introduction: (30 min)

Session 1: Who/What Lives Here Part 1 & 2 (50 min) 

Session 2: Discovery Swap (Macroinvertebrates/Critter Catch) (50 min)

Session 3: Focused Ecosystem Exploration (50 min)

Session 4: Decomposition Mission (50 min) 

Wrap up:

Teachers are expected to work about 8 hours each day over the course of the full day while out on site. Every site has a varied schedule based on a variety of factors unique to each site, see our Example Teachers Schedules

We have a robust FAQ page on our website that anyone can access, but the most common concerns are about how we keep students safe. Printable NOSS Safety Measures

NOSS Safety Measures

Student safety informs all NOSS policies, processes, and procedures. This is a summary of our minimum requirements:

Staff Mandatory Requirements

Every Staff member must be fingerprinted and clear:

• Criminal Background Check 

• Sexual Misconduct Verification System Check

Every Staff member is considered a mandatory reporter and must complete the following mandatory yearly trainings:

• Abuse, Sexual Conduct and Appropriate Communications in Oregon

• Recognizing and Responding to Child Neglect and Abuse in Oregon

• Suicide Prevention / Youth Suicide Awareness

• Media Literacy and Digital Safety for Students & Staff 

• Cultural Sensitivity in the Workplace

• Preventing Bias Incidents and Hate Crimes in Schools

• Bloodborne Pathogens for School Employees

• Fire Safety and Fire-Extinguisher Use

Additionally, all staff members are required to:

• Hold a current CPR and First Aide Training Certification

• Understand site-specific emergency procedures

Privacy and General On-Site Safety 

• All Staff and Student Leaders adhere to the “rule of three” which means that no student is ever alone with a staff member or student leader.

• All cabins have designated private changing areas

• All sites have private bathroom stalls

• All sites have private shower stalls

• There are designated gender-neutral bathrooms at every site for students and staff to use

• Privacy expectations are set for all students: 

  • Cabins are considered semi-private spaces that are for the students and staff who reside there. Students are not permitted inside cabins that are not their own.

  • All student beds are single occupancy, only the assigned student is allowed to be on that bed.

  • Students must obtain consent prior to giving hugs, high-fives, or other forms of touch 

• Student leaders are trained to alert staff to any situations where students are not meeting behavior expectations, and Northwest Outdoor Science School staff are consistently in the cabin area to monitor and ensure that all students and student leaders are safe.

• Student Leaders receive a full day of on-site training to review our expectations, protocols, and who to contact in a variety of situations,

Medical & Dietary Safety

• Every site has a Nurse on site who follows NOSS’ consulting doctor’s Standing Orders (we follow direct student doctor's orders for diabetic patients and patients with complex medical needs).

• Nurses can dispense medications (with prior authorization on the Student Health History Form).

• Nurses help to monitor diabetic students and students with other complex medical needs or concerns

• Nurses will assess and treat illness and injuries (when appropriate)  and alert parents when needed. 

• Students who become too sick for school will stay in the nurse’s office until a caregiver can arrive to pick them up.

• All staff are required to hold a current CPR and First Aid Training Certification

• We review all dietary restrictions and make accommodations as needed.

Welcome to NOSS: A Guide for School & Districts Partners

We will mail all of the required forms to your school at least four weeks before your class is scheduled to arrive at camp. We’ve posted all forms below for reference or in case you need extra copies.

Caregivers can find forms and video instructions in the The Parent/Guardian Forms and Letters section of our website and the Additional Languages section of our website. We offer The NOSS Slideshow, Parent/Guardian (Caregiver) Letter with Packing List, and Positive Behavior Support Plan in the following languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Chuukese, Dari, Farsi (Persian), Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Thai, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese. YouTube instructional videos can be viewed in various languages by selecting the Subtitles of your choice in the settings gear on YouTube.

The Permission and Student Health History Form and Religious /Cultural Observance Form must be completed in English or Spanish. We're instructing families to reach out to their teacher if the need assistance completing these forms.

1. Teacher Packet, CR, TC, AW, MW, MG Fall 20

2. Medical Needs Form Spring 2023

This form informs us about any medical needs or severe dietary restrictions or allergies. Please return to us ASAP or at least 12 business days weeks before your class is scheduled to arrive.

Need help filling out this form? View our step-by-step video below:

3. Social Emotional Needs Form

The social emotional or learning needs form informs us about any social-emotional, behavioral or learning needs your students have. Please complete this form for students you think might need more social emotional or behavioral support while at camp. They do not need to have an IEP. The more information you provide, the better able we’ll be to support your student. If you have students who are learning English, please share their home language and their proficiency level in English. We might have staff who speak their home language, but we need enough notice.

Please return this form ASAP or at least 12 business days before your class is scheduled to arrive.

Need help filling out this form? View our step-by-step video below:

4. Student Medication Log

Please bring the student medical log form with you to Outdoor School.

5. Positive Behavior Support Plan (also available on Parent/Guardian Forms and Letters section)

• Positive Behavior Support Plan English
• Positive Behavior Support Plan Spanish

This plan replaces our three-step policy document we used in previous years. Be sure to read this plan completely before you arrive.

6. Emergency Information and Medical Permission Form   

• Staff Emergency Information & Medical Permission Form- English
• Staff Emergency Information & Medical Permission Form - Spanish

7. Caregiver Letter (also available on Parent/Guardian Forms and Letters section)

• Parent/Guardian (Caregiver) Letter - English
• Parent/Guardian (Caregiver) Letter - Spanish

8. Packing List (also available on Parent/Guardian Forms and Letters section)

• Outdoor School Packing List English & Spanish

9. Permission and Student Health History Form, Religious/Cultural Observance Form (also available on Parent/Guardian Forms and Letters section)

• Permission & Student Health History Form with Observance Form - English
• Permission & Student Health History Form with Observance Form - Spanish

10. Souvenirs (also available on Parent/Guardian Forms and Letters section)

Souvenir Flyer English & Spanish.We have outsourced our souvenir store. All orders are made online through our website and ship directly to students. We offer T-shirts, hoodies, hats and water bottles. PTAs can collect information for group orders and set deliveries to schools through our online system as well.

Class and Cabin Lists

Class and cabin lists are due 2 weeks before your group is scheduled to arrive at camp. Look for a Google Sheet invitation from ODS OfficeAdmin or one of of our outdoor school administrative specialists (Debbie or Coree).

Need help filling out this sheet? View our step-by-step video below: