Program areas at Friends of Outdoor School
Program and place network - during the 2021-2022 fiscal year, Friends of Outdoor School (fods) supported Oregon Outdoor School (ods) programs and sites: helped providers navigate safe return to in-person ods amid the continuing uncertainty of the pandemic; facilitated conversations among programs to develop a professional workforce of educators and support staff and improve recruitment and hiring; connected providers to resources they need to be ready to support students returning not only to ods but to all aspects of life despite a continuing pandemic; collaborated on evaluation and research projects that examine the positive outcomes of ods while illuminating pathways for continuous program improvement; - continued on schedule o. Gathered and worked with ods staff and program administrators to make ods a more stable, inclusive; and accessible long-term career; supported programs and improve their high School leadership programs to be more inclusive and accessible for youth.community network - fods works with the community to keep the conversation going with decision-makers about the benefits of ods to students throughout Oregon. Fods gathered supporters to celebrate and champion ods to become a place where every child can belong and gathered first-hand stories to document the benefits of ods to studentsfods also linked community organizations and businesses to their local ods programs and sites, encouraged community members to financially support their local ods programs and sites, helped parents with resources as they transition out of virtual programs into in-person programs, and guided parents and teachers on how to get ods programs in their own School districts.
Advocacy - fods leads the advocacy efforts for Oregon's statewide Outdoor School program. During the 2021-2022 fiscal year, fods worked with the department of education to establish a statewide system to evaluate outcomes of ods for students; championed funding for ods programs and sites to engage in training, planning, and implementing projects to promote equity, access, inclusion, and diversity at ods; collaborated with department of education to realign science learning standards for 6th grade to ensure that ods supports teachers' classroom goals; worked with the department of education to find mechanisms to identify and remove barriers to full participation for all Oregon students at ods; - continued on schedule o.engaged legislators and other decision-makers with personal tours at ods; shared personal stories about ods with legislators and other elected officials; positioned ods as an option for high School student to achieve learning requirements. Oregon state university extension service Outdoor School program - fods provided a variety of expertise and support for the osu extension Outdoor School program including:*supporting osu extension Outdoor School in sharing information with decision-makers about the continued need for measure 99 funds, despite the pandemic. *collaborating on professional development for School districts and their ods partners in implementing responses to the pandemic. *collaborating on research and evaluation showing the amazing positive outcomes students experience from ods while shining a light on where we can (and must) improve to realize the fully inclusive and equitable ods we work toward each day. *partnering to take on a deeper look into how high School students benefit from participating in ods, especially in developing equity consciousness. *provided expertise and perspective on a variety of policy decisions. *championing the use of measure 99 funding to be used as grants for equity and inclusion projects. *connecting the Outdoor School community with the key contacts at osu extension. *communicating program data to decision-makers and shared constituency and stakeholders. *managing stipends for low-income committee participants. *cohosting over 50 virtual gatherings to help ods programs and sites through the process of closed schools, transition to comprehensive distance learning, and accessing and securing financial resources. *supporting osu extension regarding a policy about measure 99 funding of out-of-state program providers. *partnered with osu extension to create a guide for helping sites to learn how to set fees.
Student leader scholarships - Outdoor School student leader scholarships award college scholarships to outstanding high School students who volunteer as counselors for multnomah education service district Outdoor School.