Outdoor Education
The Mooreland Hill School Philosophy states that central to the school’s mission “is the conviction that each child be helped to develop a realistic sense of worth, a respect for others, high moral character, and a strong feeling for family and community.” An outdoor education program provides opportunities for personal growth in support of the mission of the school beyond the traditional confines of the classroom. Mooreland Hill’s hands-on education program allows students to articulate and strengthen for themselves qualities of character, responsibilities of citizenship, ideals of philosophical and practical leadership, notions of responsible stewardship of the environment, and sound decision-making skills.
From grades four through nine, the series of outdoor activities are designed to provide challenges in a sequential manner. While all activities presented are challenge by choice, we encourage students to extend beyond their personal comfort levels in a supportive and safe environment. Mooreland Hill works with professionals to oversee the technical aspects of each trip while Mooreland Hill faculty accompany the students to insure that the mission and objectives of the school are kept in mind at all times.
2010 7th & 8th Grade Adventure Itinerary / Scroll down for Packing List and Medical Authorization Forms
May 3 – 5, 2010
8:30 – 9:30 a.m. Meet at School.
Review rules/guidelines for the trip and load personal gear into vehicles.
9:30 – 11:00 a.m. Travel to the put-in location (River Glen Park, Wannowmassa Lane, Farmington).
Prepare boats for launching, review basic paddling skills & water safety, and shuttle some of the vehicles ahead to the campsite.
11:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Canoe to the campsite (Alsop Meadows in Avon), eat lunch in route.
This section of the Farmington River is about 7 miles of flat-water with one short portage around the Grist Mill Dam. We can take our time; stopping to eat lunch along the river and letting students work on developing their paddling skills.
2:30 – 4:00 p.m. Arrive at campsite.
Setup camp, recover remaining vehicles from River Glen Park, and organize gear.
4:00 – 5:30 p.m. Group games/activities and down time.
5:30 – 7:00 p.m. 8th grade will prepare, serve, and clean-up supper while the 7th grade gathers firewood and prepares the fire pit. Individuals are responsible for cleaning their own cups, bowls, and utensils.
7:00 – ? Evening games/activities, group meeting, campfire and bed.
5/4 Tuesday
7:00 – 8:30 a.m. Wake up, eat breakfast, pack lunch supplies and gear for the day’s activities, and secure the camp area.
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
8th Grade – Rock climbing at Green Wall on the Metacomet Trail in Farmington. We’ll travel to the trailhead on Rte 6 in the Youth Services van and hike about a mile up to the climbing area. This activity will be staffed by Doug Truitt, Tom Oakes, and Mooreland Staff.
7th Grade – Hiking and Geocaching in the Talcott Mountain/Penwood State Park area. We’ll travel to the trailhead in the Mooreland bus. This activity will be staffed by Jim & Trevor Gosselin and Mooreland Staff.
5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Swap roles from the previous day. 7th grade will prepare, serve, and clean-up supper while the 8th grade gathers firewood and prepares the fire pit.
7:00 – ? Evening games/activities, group meeting, campfire, and bed.
5/5 Wednesday
7:00 – 9:30 a.m. Wake up, eat breakfast, pack lunch supplies, pack up camp, clean campsite, and load gear into vehicles. Shuttle the canoe trailer and some of the vehicles to the take-out point.
10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Paddle about 3.5 miles to the take-out point (the Rte 185 Bridge in Simsbury).
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Load boats onto the trailer, recover the remaining vehicles from the campsite, eat lunch, and have the final group meeting.
Return to school.
Food: Students are to bring a bag lunch for Monday. The rest of the food will be provided, including snacks, Kool-Aid, smores, etc. All food on the trip is nut-free.
Gear: We will provide Canoes, PFD’s, paddles, climbing gear, cooking gear, tarps, tents, and a couple of GPS units. Students are welcome to bring their own PFD’s if they have one. Personal tents are not allowed. Mooreland staff will designate tenting arrangements.
Campsite Information: Alsop Meadows – 56.2 acres near Rte 44 and Waterville Rd. Access is between Nassau’s Furniture Store and Apple Health Care off of Waterville Rd. (Rte 10) and adjacent to the Farmington River. Alsop Meadow is a largely undeveloped and unsupervised natural area consisting of woods and open meadows. The area is used for walking, hiking, jogging, cross country skiing, lacrosse, canoeing (launch available), and camping (with permission). The Garden Plot Program is also located here. Alsop Meadows is part of the Forestry Management Program. A water pump and portable toilet are located near the lacrosse fields. Open dawn to dusk, year round.
CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT LIST FOR GRADES 7/8
