Thursday Jan 10th Training to be Rescheduled!

Sorry to say this snowscience training will have to be rescheduled.  More information to come.    

2013 Volunteer Training Schedule:

Wednesday January 2nd: Igloo Construction Day- Learn the art of igloo construction and help build a snow-home for this season's SnowSchool students to enjoy. 9:30AM-3PM Bogus Basin Nordic Area. 8:45AM carpool from 2600 Bogus Basin Rd (meet us and park your car on Parkhill Drive).  Latecomers meet at the Nordic Lodge at 12:30PM during lunch to join the effort.

Thursday January 3rd: Winter Ecology Day- Explore the flora, fauna and ecology of the Boise National Forest with super-naturalist Edna Vizgirdas.  9:30AM-3PM Bogus Basin Nordic Area. 8:45AM carpool from 2600 Bogus Basin Rd (meet us and park your car on Parkhill Drive).  Latecomers meet at the Nordic Lodge at 12:30PM during lunch to join the group. 

Friday January 4th: Shadow Day- Amity Elementary 5th graders will attend SnowSchool!  Follow veteran SnowSchool leaders to learn secrets of teaching in the outdoors.  9:30AM-2PM Bogus Basin Nordic Area. 8:45AM carpool from 2600 Bogus Basin Rd (meet us and park your car on Parkhill Drive).   Latecomers meet at the Nordic Lodge at 12:30PM during lunch to join the effort.

Saturday January 5th: SnowSchool Activities- This day will model a day of SnowSchool and the experiential snowscience activities that make up our innovative curriculum.  Prepare the spend the day outside and having fun!   9:30AM-2PM Bogus Basin Nordic Area. 8:45AM carpool from 2600 Bogus Basin Rd (meet us and park your car on Parkhill Drive).   Latecomers meet at the Nordic Lodge at 12:30PM during lunch to join the effort.

Thursday January 10th: Snow Science Training- A field day in the nordic area with BSU snowscience experts.  Details TBA.

2013 SnowSchool Season is Set to Begin!

Dear SnowSchoolers,

 I am happy to announce the opening of the 2013 Bogus Basin SnowSchool season!  We’ve had our ups and downs (also known as our blizzards and droughts) but through the seasons together we’ve reached nearly 10,000 local students with this important and innovative education program.  Through your efforts SnowSchool students have not only discovered the joys of winter recreation but also learned how snow is a sustaining element in our local ecosystem.  Now more than ever we need your help teaching kids about these wonders of winter.  With over 1,500 students already signed up for 2013 we definitely can’t do this alone!  Our community of winter enthusiasts (that’s you) sustain this program through your dedication to sharing your knowledge and passion for the natural world.  And with a recent dusting of snow along the Boise Front Range it seems Jack Frost is ringing winter’s schoolhouse bell once again.  SnowSchool’s in session folks and together we can create an amazing experience for hundreds of kids.  If you’re in, and I sincerely hope you are, please send me a quick email response!

Here’s a brief outline of what’s happening at SnowSchool in 2013:

New! SnowSchool Training and Key Curriculum

New! High School Environmental Science Program

New! Science Learning Evaluation Project

*Get all the details at orientation! 

Orientation Dates

Orientation for Returning Volunteers: Nov 13^th, 7PM @ Bogus Basin Downtown Office (2600 Bogus Basin Rd)          

Orientation for New Volunteers: December 5^th, 7PM @ REI Boise

Training Dates

On-Snow (hopefully) Training December 15^th SnowSchool Activities

On-Snow Training January 2^nd SnowScience or Winter Ecology

On-Snow Training January 3^rd SnowScience or Winter Ecology

On-Snow Training January 4^th Shadow Day with Amity Elementary

On-Snow Training January 5^th SnowSchool Activities

Build an Igloo Day: TBA

 

SnowSchool Dates

January February and March,  Tuesday through Friday

 

Thanks to all of you for your dedication!

 

Cheers,

 

Kerry McClay

Bogus Basin SnowSchool & Mountain Discovery Program

2012 End of Season Summary

Dear All SnowSchool Supporters,

The 2012 SnowSchool season has officially drawn to a succesful close!  Many thanks to all of you for sharing your knowledge and enthusiam for the outdoors with our local Treasure Valley youth.   Despite a very dry start our program momentum eventually snowballed into a landmark season, notching over 1,600 student visits to Bogus Basin SnowSchool!  Together we have created many meaningful memories for all of these students.  Of particular importance is the large number of kids from underserved populations who experienced the winterwildlands for the very first time through SnowSchool: 45% of all our students were first-time visitors to Bogus Basin and 54% were first-time snowshoers!   Thank you cards from students and feedback from teachers continue to stream in (please see the teacher feedback below).  Such childhood experiences and memories are like seeds, give time and proper conditions who knows what wonders they might grow to become.  By working together we are all helping to create the newest generation of informed, healthy and inspired outdoor enthusiasts.  Thank you for all you've done so far, we will be back at it again next winter. Till we meet next, I wish you all wild (and safe) outdoor adventures that yield the best kinds of stories!

Cheers,   

Kerry McClay

2012 Teacher Feedback:

“The best field trip-ever!”

“Our guides were excellent! The kids had a great time as did our teachers.”

“Very well run program. The pre-class visit does a great job preparing kids for the overall experience.” 

SnowSchool “provides students with an opportunity to make the connection between water ecology and the geology around us. It is hands on science!”

We bring our students to SnowSchool because it “ties in directly with the 4th grade curriculum-Idaho ecosystems. More importantly, however, to experience the outdoors and try something new. Many of my students have never been to Bogus and have never experienced the snow. I love being a part of their first time!”

“Due to the state's focus on math, reading, and language, we don't have as much time throughout the year to teach interactive science units. SnowSchool is one of the greatest places for students to have the hands-on experience as well as the the all-day focus on science. Thank you for providing this!”

“I want to make sure students who live in this state know what is around them and give them opportunities to be active.”

“Honestly, every year the trip gets more and more valuable for our students.”

“Thank you for working with some of our kiddos who are not used to exercise and whined.or complained. It was handled with a positive attitude.”

“Thanks to Kerry and all the volunteers for the memories you helped our students create.”

SnowSchool Week 1

A big thanks to everyone who helped launch the SnowSchool program this past week.  We had excellent snowscience training with HP Marshall from Boise State University Geoscience Department.  A fabulous snowshoe outing for local families on Saturday January  21st and the following day were able to construct the first igloo of the season.  Not bad for only having snow for 3 days.  The first week of kids groups also went extrememly well thanks to our dedicated volunteers and interns!   Good work everyone!

HP Marshall discusses snowpack stability with the SnowSchool leaders