Oregon State University discovers ways to bring back Outdoor School

Posted Oct. 1, 2021

By Gracie Del Rosario

Staff Editor

As schools aim to regain normalcy, Oregon State University (OSU) has discovered a way to bring back Outdoor School (ODS) safely to middle schoolers and high school volunteers for the upcoming year, whilst tackling the ever changing COVID-19 guidelines.

The current safety strategies of the OSU Extension Service Outdoor School Advisory Committee, the OSU Extension Service Director, and OSU’s Legal Counsel have developed were implemented for 2020-21. They’ll continue into the 2021-22 school year and be re-examined this Dec. for needed 2022-2023 modifications. As of Fall 2021, David Douglas is still determining their specific expectations. All strategies decided upon are subject to change.

OSU offers its programs in two ways: in-school or overnight camping. Current Portland guidelines are allowing ODS to be taught in class, and the Multnomah Education Service District (MESD) was accepting applications for certifying student leaders until Sept. 9. Student leaders who applied are expected to appear for a two-day workshop to determine whether or not they’re up to ODS’s standards, those qualified are contacted further. Once the time comes, leaders are sent to participating middle schools for five days to simulate the ODS experience with materials provided by the ODS program, minus the overnight stay.

As for the rest of Oregon, OSU has developed four strategies for ODS in different instances of the pandemic and offers options for schools when planning their trips. Strategy A is standard, face-to-face protocol. Schools that applied for in-person will be granted the full ODS camping experience with limited restrictions. Strategy B is a modified version of Strategy A, befitted of the Oregon Health Authority’s (OHA) guidelines, group sizes would be significantly downgraded to work in cohorts, and the campsite would be altered to ensure COVID safety. Strategy C is the case that ODS cannot be taught in a campsite, and must go remote or in-class. This is similar to what Portland is authorizing, and schools have the option to change to this in the case COVID gets too overwhelming. Strategy D is the last plan, no ODS at all. If the state, county, or district restricts in-person general learning, ODS will be canceled and OSU will honor the school’s wishes of cancellation.

“We fully recognize these strategies are not perfect, nor will they replace the benefits of outdoor school; however, we hope they will help reduce the impact to students whose outdoor school programming is canceled while helping ensure providers/sites and their staff can continue the important work of outdoor school long into the future,” said Assistant Director and Extension Service-Outdoor School Program Leader Kristopher M. Elliott.

Under normal circumstances, ODS is a week-long camping program in which participating schools would bring out their sixth graders to truly embrace the outdoors through different workshops during either fall or spring. The workshops would focus on four categories, one each day: plants, soil, water, and animals. Alongside outdoor classes, ODS would provide games, bonfires, communal meals, cabins, and specialty wood name tags called “wood cookies'' to immerse students in the environment. High school sophomores to seniors would be recruited to join as student leaders, those chosen to lead the workshops and aid students during their stay. Thanks to the 2016 approved Measure 99, OSU was given the task to guarantee ODS to all sixth-graders in Oregon.

“The OSU Extension Service Outdoor School program is committed to doing all we can to help the outdoor school community continue to thrive in Oregon,” said Elliot. “We thank you for your support and commitment to Oregon students.”