Getting ready for your Chewonki experience takes time and planning. The amount of time and effort that must be committed by you, the organizing teacher, in preparing a successful Chewonki experience is significant. You are a valuable link between Chewonki and your school, and we appreciate everything you do to help make the Chewonki experience an inclusive part of your curriculum for the year. Please utilize the following information as you begin your preparation.

On this page you will find:
Teacher Checklist
Connecting Chewonki to Classroom Curriculum
Parent and Student Information Session
Parent Pack
Organizing Healthcare and Special Needs information
Creating your Chewonki Journal

Teacher Checklist
There are many details to think about in organizing your Chewonki program. This checklist (pdf) will take the guesswork out of your planning and make preparations a whole lot easier.

Connecting Chewonki to Classroom Curriculum
By conducting activities and lessons based around concepts to be learned and things that will happen at Chewonki, teachers can help to initiate learning, calm fears, and build enthusiasm for Chewonki prior to the program. This will help give students a framework to understand their experience, enhance the learning and initiate the transfer of the Chewonki experience to the classroom.
Click below for:
Pre or Post Classroom Activities found under "Follow Up"

Parent & Student Information Session
We strongly encourage you to organize a pre-program parent, student, and chaperone information session. It is a great way to communicate with parents, students, and new chaperones and helps get everyone involved in the Chewonki experience. It is also helps to alleviate some fears students may have about the trip. Many schools use the session to kick off their fundraising efforts or make it part of “Parent Night” at the beginning of the school year. Other schools choose to have the session in the weeks leading up to the program to help get students prepared.

This session often includes the following:

• A slide presentation by a Chewonki staff person to help students and or parents understand the program and answer any questions that they may have. The Chewonki staff person will be available after the presentation for a question and answer period.
• A packing demonstration and clothing and equipment discussion.
• An information table with program paperwork and other Chewonki materials. This may be a good time to hand out packing lists and consent forms.
• Fundraising information, if appropriate. This usually occurs post-presentation and does not involve the Chewonki staff person.

Either before or after the session, we are also happy to:

• Go over details with the organizing teacher.
• Meet individually with parents of students with special medical considerations (these should be arranged in advance as they may affect the timing of the session).
• Meet with your teaching team and/or chaperones to discuss curriculum goals and answer any other questions they might have.
  
  

Please arrange this session with Chewonki well in advance. Getting it on your school calendar so that parents can plan ahead is also a good idea.

Parent Pack

Putting together a “Parent Pack” to send home can go a long way to getting families excited about the Chewonki program. We suggest this pack contain:

• A letter introducing the program and how it fits into the class’s educational curriculum. Sample Parent letter (pdf).
• Health History Consent Form (pdf) and Packing List
• An announcement of the Parent and Student Information Session
• General Information about Chewonki's Outdoor Classroom Program
  

Organizing Health Care & Special Needs
Do not underestimate the enormity of this task. Being organized before you arrive at Chewonki goes a long way to making your arrival smooth. For details on collecting and packing medications, what health concerns Chewonki must know about in advance, and arranging accomodations for students with special needs, please read our Health & Safety information.

Creating Your Chewonki Journals
Customize your Chewonki Journal by choosing the pages appropriate to your class’s schedule! Feel free to insert pages of your own design.

Click here to find the menu of journal pages: Journals