Not usually. Students are not required to tell our program if they identify as transgender. Outdoor school will only know if a student is gender non-conforming or transgender if the student or the student’s caregiver provides that information. If a student or student’s caregiver chooses to share that information, we will keep that information confidential. 

Yes. At Northwest Outdoor Science School we respect the gender identity asserted by the student, in alignment with Oregon Department of Education guidance. Please see below for more information.

*Gender Nonconforming: Describes people whose gender expression differs from stereotypical expectations, such as “feminine” boys, “masculine” girls. These students may also identify as non-binary, 2-spirit, or agender.

Student leaders let us know during the registration process which type of housing they are comfortable in. They may choose more than one option, in which case our site staff will have an individual conference with that student leader to determine which option works best for them.
Student leaders can elect to live in a cabin that affirms their gender identity and can choose from the following cabin types:

• Female+: Cabins for female students, regardless of sex assigned at birth, non-binary students who feel safe in this space, and Trans* students who feel safer in this space. 
• Male+: Cabins for male students, regardless of sex assigned at birth, non-binary students who feel safe in this space, and Trans* students who feel safer in this space. 
• Gender-inclusive cabins for any and all who feel comfortable in this space, including allies of Trans* students.

*Transgender: Describes people whose gender identity is different from their gender assigned at birth.

Schools are provided with a cabin list before their arrival at their outdoor school site. Classroom teachers and students collaborate to determine which type of housing students would like to stay in during their week of outdoor school. Students may choose more than one option, and let their teacher know if there is a strong preference for one over the other if more than one is chosen. 

Students can elect to live in a cabin that affirms their gender identity and can choose from the following cabin types:

Female+: Cabins for female students, regardless of sex assigned at birth, non-binary students who feel safe in this space, and Trans* students who feel safer in this space. 
Male+: Cabins for male students, regardless of sex assigned at birth, non-binary students who feel safe in this space, and Trans* students who feel safer in this space. 
Gender-inclusive cabins for any and all who feel comfortable in this space, including allies of Trans* students.

Student cabins will be assigned according to these selections. Other factors that influence cabin assignments are: cabin mate requests, staffing capacity, and accommodation of medical needs. 

*Transgender: Describes people whose gender identity is different from their gender assigned at birth.

Students, student leaders, and staff are invited to share their name and pronouns during cabin and large group introductions regardless of which style of cabin they are in. Students, student leaders, and staff do not have to share their pronouns if they do not want to and with an absence of pronouns will simply be referred to by name. Students, student leaders, and staff may change their name and pronouns as often as they would like and staff are trained to offer the opportunity to share names and pronouns regularly throughout their experience.

No. The topic of gender expansive identities is not a class or area of instruction at Northwest Outdoor Science School. However, the topic is prevalent in the community and the news. Children might be curious about what they are hearing on the radio, watching on television, or finding on the internet. Children might also receive information from another child who is gender nonconforming* or transgender*. Children will naturally ask their friends, siblings, parents, teachers, and outdoor school staff about this topic. Our staff will always create an environment that supports children asking questions. When a child raises a question that is outside of Northwest Outdoor Science School staff’s expertise, our staff will reach out to the child’s classroom grade teacher and district staff for support. 

*Gender Nonconforming: Describes people whose gender expression differs from stereotypical expectations, such as “feminine” boys, “masculine” girls. These students may also identify as non-binary, 2-spirit, or agender.
 
*Transgender: Describes people whose gender identity is different from their gender assigned at birth.

In short, no. A student’s decision to share their name and pronouns is theirs alone and we respect that right. Students are not required to tell Northwest Outdoor Science School their gender identity or transgender status. Even if a student shares their gender identity or transgender status with Northwest Outdoor Science School, we are not allowed to divulge this information to others due to privacy laws.

The decision to switch cabins is not one that is ever made lightly, by Northwest Outdoor Science School or a student. Cabin switches are only made due to safety reasons, which could include because the cabin that they were assigned to does not fit their gender identity.

No. Students may choose to share that information with you themselves. 
As with students who use a different name or pronouns at outdoor school than in their home life we will:

• Encourage your student to share this new development in their life with their family and/or an adult they trust outside of outdoor school.
• If we have any concerns about the well-being of your child, we will alert you that your student may benefit from talking with a mental or physical health care provider.

All staff participate in a rigorous onboarding and two-week training process twice a year. We have partnered with TransActive Gender Project and Camp Reimagined to provide our staff with resources and guidance on how to support all students, including gender expansive students, while they attend outdoor school. 

Staff are also trained yearly in:

• Boundary-setting
• Bullying and harassment intervention
• Who to go to if they are feeling unsafe
• Abuse, Sexual Conduct and Appropriate Communications
• Preventing Bias Incidents and Hate Crimes
• Recognizing and Responding to Child Neglect and Abuse
• Suicide Prevention and Interventions

Every student’s bed is a one-person space and all cabins have designated private changing areas. 

Staff and student leaders are trained on privacy measures including:

• explaining that privacy measures are for all students, not just some students with “exceptional requirements”
• establishing important privacy expectations in the cabin such as staying off each other’s beds and out of others’ belongings 
• setting rules about respecting privacy including obtaining consent prior to giving hugs, high-fives, or other forms of touch 
• speaking to students who may need extra support away from the larger group

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. Furthermore, each cabin works together to set their own agreements around behavior and boundaries. 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.

Every site has private showers and bathroom stalls. Students are encouraged to change in one of these private, single-occupancy areas.There are also designated gender-neutral bathrooms at every site for students and staff to use. There are also gendered bathrooms at most sites, which can be used by students and staff who self-identify with that gender.

If your student has a question about our gender-inclusive practices prior to outdoor school we are happy to speak to them or you in whichever way they feel most comfortable. 

If they have a question during outdoor school they can ask their student leader, staff, or a teacher. Any staff member will happily answer their question to the best of their ability. We are happy to answer questions about how we make these practices work, clarify misunderstandings, and even share why this is important to us. In all our conversations we operate with the understanding that trans*, non-binary and queer students are loved and valuable and we will do our best to ensure that they know this to be true through our gender-inclusive actions and not just our words.

*Transgender: Describes people whose gender identity is different from their gender assigned at birth.

If you find that none of our cabin options, listed above, meets the needs of your family, please reach out to your student's teacher or the Northwest Outdoor Science School office so that we might understand your situation and consider other options such as day programming or opting-out of the outdoor school experience.