Crisp September Campout

Dear Parents,

Before I became an educator I was a Boy Scout leader (in fact that is where I first met Erik Wennstrom). I loved taking kids out into the forest, showing them firsthand the adventure of wilderness travel and the aliveness of the natural world. Our scout troop went on trips all of the time, one each month of the year except December. The outings ranged from snowshoe campouts in the Olympic Mountains to weeklong canoe trips on wilderness lakes or wild and scenic rivers. Although they were all great, the ones that I remember most fondly were those that happened in the fall. The crispness of the night, the anticipation I felt for a warm bowl of oatmeal in the morning, the crunch of the leaves as I walked along a trail, the rosy cheeks and quick laughter of the kids, and the companionship of the group, were all part of what made those fall outings so special.

This Friday we will all have the chance to participate in what has become a wonderful tradition at Swan School, the annual fall campout. Exploring a part of our own natural backyard, playing with each other, and experiencing the outdoors together is such a wonderful community building experience that I believe it should be a part of every school's calendar. I guess that is one of the reasons that so many families want their children to experience a Swan School education, because it really is a place where we are all involved and where core values such as community become an integral part of everything we do.

I hope to see you crunch a couple of leaves walking along a forest trail, play a game of kickball, build a sand castle or two, or even sing a song around the campfire this weekend. Remember that we will meet at the Fort Flagler day use area near the boat launch at 10:00 a.m. on Friday. A menu of activities will be available for you and your children to enjoy, one of which will be to set up camp in the group area at around 2:00 p.m. (Carrie will have a flier in your folder with all the details).

I for one can't wait for those smiling, rosy-cheeked faces. See you at Fort Flagler!

Russ