At ECOS Institute, we believe in taking students into nature and bringing science to life! Partner with us to connect and support your classroom with the NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards). Each lesson has detailed analysis of the disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts. These components help students master performance expectations so they have a deeper understanding of science.
Experiencing natural phenomena at ECOS Institute sparks students’ curiosity and engages real world learning and applications. As they explore and understand science content, they develop new interests and skills encouraging career opportunities, particularly important for girls. This results in increased academic performance beyond science curriculum resulting in a more engaged student overall. Providing an overnight outdoor experience is beneficial to develop self-esteem and confidence in your students, which enhances independent thinking for junior high and beyond.
We have a variety of programs in place to aid with financing, including no money required up front, 5 percent discount for registering early (before March 31) and referring a school. Contact our office to learn more.
To participate in the the “Refer a School” program, fill out the information on the website. We will follow up with your referral and discount you the 5% discount when the other school registers.
If you would like suggestions about fundraising and other solutions for your school, contact ECOS Institute and we will see how we can partner with you to have your students attend.
Schools are scheduled based on the group size and preferred dates. One of the goals for the students is to develop social skills. Integrating students with other schools has proven a growing experience that prepares students for middle school. While there are new students in trail groups and cabin groups, you will arrange cabin partners that will be integrated into the cabins and trail groups so there will be students from their schools to ease this interaction. We work with you to make this a life-changing experience for every student.
There is a coordinator’s guide and teacher’s guide (see FORMS section for teachers). Additionally, call the ECOS Institute office, and a representative would be happy to meet with your teachers and review the process. This is especially helpful for new schools or teachers that are new to attending a science camp. A Coordinator can either be a teacher or a parent volunteer.
Yes, call the ECOS INSTITUTE office to make arrangements for a representative to speak to your parents. This usually helps answer any specific questions and lend credibility to the organization to ensure a safe and enjoyable educational experience.
You will need to arrange transportation independently of the ECOS INSTITUTE program. Any bus needs to have a mountain certified driver that can put on chains should extreme weather necessitate it. Some schools reduce the cost by putting luggage in a rental truck to reduce the number of buses required. Highway conditions can be checked through Cal Trans. California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) by calling (800) GAS-ROAD (enter Highways 330 and 18) or checking the website www.dot.ca.gov (click “Travel”, then “Highway Conditions”, enter Highways 330 and 18).
Check www.NOAA.gov and check the forecast for zip code 92341. Generally, it is 20 degrees cooler at our elevation of 6,500 feet
If roads are closed or unsafe due to severe, inclement weather on a travel day, we will contact your school the day prior or early the morning of departure to discuss the course of action. You also can go to dot.ca.gov (click “Travel”, then “Highway Conditions”, enter Highways 330 and 18)
There should be one certificated district employee for every 35 students. It is preferred, but not required, that the students’ own teachers attend. If your school cannot provide the required number of teachers, oneclassified employee can serve as a substitute. The designated substitute would have the same on-site responsibilities as a teacher. If you would like to send more staff than the required ratio, please call the site to make sure that accommodations are available.
Parents are not allowed in order to provide the opportunity for students to grow and explore independence, ECOS Institute staff are highly trained to provide growth experiences and supervision. As employees, they receive the same background check as teachers. This provides the best supervision and safety for your students.
No, you are not required to teach an academic trail.
You are a very important part of your students’ experience here at ECOS Institute. In addition to dining with students at meals, you will see them on morning and afternoon trails, and during any other activity that you choose to join. Also, there are two formal “Classroom Teacher Check-In” sessions, during which the students give you their thoughts about their experience in writing.
A media specialist takes pictures of all the students throughout the week. These pictures and a video of your school will be viewed by the students on the last day and given to you to take back to school and share.
Your school will be billed for the students that attend, for a minimum of 80% of the students listed on the contract. You will be billed after you participate and you have 30 days to make payments without penalties.
Teachers stay at the camp, in rooms that typically accommodate one or two teachers. Linens and towels are provided. Some teachers prefer to bring their own sleeping bag and pillow.
Most cell phone carriers have service at ECOS Institute. Wi-Fi is provided in the teacher’s cabins and lounge, as well as most of the ECOS Institute campus.
Although some accommodations can be made, the teacher is expected to take an active role in leading and supervising students. Teachers should be able to walk at least a mile on uneven terrain in all types of weather. Teachers with special health conditions (e.g., pregnancy, diabetes, heart condition) that wish to attend need to fill out a Release for a Teacher with Special Needs form (obtain online or from the coordinator).
ECOS Institute can provide vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free meals. Please submit special diet requests when registering yourself online as a participant. All meals at ECOS Institute are nut-free. Also, teachers may bring their own food to supplement the menu (snacks and sodas must be consumed away from the students). A refrigerator and microwave are available for use. Alcohol is not permitted at the camp.
There is a large body of research that shows the benefits of allowing children to grow and explore their independence in a safe environment. Joining their class for an overnight experience is beneficial to develop self-esteem and confidence which enhances independent thinking for junior high and beyond. They build leadership skills including conflict resolution, relationship with peers, and problem solving as indicated by 67% of all students.
In addition, as they explore and understand science content, they develop new interests and skills encouraging career opportunities, particularly important for girls. At ECOS, the “whole child” philosophy infuses fun and teamwork while learning.
The Parent Guide is a wealth of information for parents and answers many questions in one document (under FORMS section for parents).
There is a Registered Nurse (RN) who supervises the health care operations at ECOS. When the lead RN is not on site, care is provided by another RN, LVN, or EMT.
The average response time for an ambulance during a 911 emergency is less than 15 minutes. The nearest hospital can be reached within 20 minutes, possibly longer in inclement weather.
Refer to the Student Registration Form for a list of OTC medications provided by ECOS Institute. Prescription or OTC medications sent from home require a physician’s authorization.
ECOS Institute does not serve food containing nuts. Parents of students with restrictive food allergies (i.e. gluten, dairy, etc.) should submit a special diet request online at www.ecosinstitute.com/special-diet at least two weeks prior to attendance.
ECOS Institute staff stay in the cabins and supervise the students at night. There are no volunteer parent chaperones or high-school students.
Yes. In addition to an extensive reference check to determine work history and performance, potential staff are fingerprinted and undergo a multi-agency background check.
ECOS Institute staff are carefully interviewed, referenced and fingerprinted. They have extensive experience working with children. They are certified in first aid and CPR. Training and evaluation is on-going to ensure they are the best in the field. They act as teachers, supervisors and supporting adults for your child while attending ECOS.
Cabin groups are in a ratio of one to 12 or 15 per Instructor. With the additional leadership staff at ECOS, the student to staff ratio is 1:8. Yes, classroom teachers remain on site at all times. Their classroom teachers eat meals with students, check in regularly with them, and participate in many of the activities. The teachers do sleep in separate quarters (on site) while the Instructors supervise all activities and overnight hours.
Search the forecast for Green Valley Lake, CA at www.weather.gov.
At ECOS Institute, students stay in clean, fully winterized cabins with private restrooms and showers.
Yes. Parents may call our office and schedule a visit for any weekday that we are in operation. Parents may not visit ECOS during the week that their child is attending.
There is an extensive packing list in the Parent Guide (under the FORMS section for parents). Please note that school guidelines need to be followed and cell phones are not allowed at camp.
Please note that school guidelines need to be followed and cell phones are not allowed at camp. A cell phone with a camera is considered a cell phone. Money, valuables, food, candy or gum are not permitted at camp. Personal beauty items such as curling irons, make-up, hair spray, body spray or cologne/perfume is not necessary. Most importantly, anything not allowed at school is not allowed at ECOS Institute (including such items as knives, razors, sharp tools, drugs or other harmful items).
The 3-, 4- and 5-day sample schedules are available under Schedules section. Meals are typically at 8:00 a.m. for breakfast, 12:30 p.m. for lunch and 5:30 p.m. for dinner. There is a rest period after lunch in their cabins. Lights out is at 9:00 p.m.
Lessons, which are typically 1.5 to 2.25 hours, are sectioned into morning, afternoon and evening hikes or activities. Any unscheduled time between lessons and meals is used in team building activities, led by Instructors for each cabin group.
Pick up time is at the discretion of the school administration. Students depart camp at 11:00 a.m., after enjoying a snack and watching a video of the experience. Travel time and dismissal policies vary from school to school.
In the event of an emergency at home, parents may choose to contact ECOS and speak to their child. Non-emergency phone calls can divert valuable staff resources, can increase homesickness, and are generally discouraged. Students may not bring cell phones to ECOS.
If a student is missing home, we will encourage and support that child as they work through a normal and common emotion. If anxiety persists through the second day, ECOS staff will contact a parent or guardian and discuss further strategies.
Our #1 priority is the physical and emotional safety of all students. ECOS Institute is school, not camp, and all of your school rules apply. There are additional rules for safety in the outdoors.
Students will be guided by adults toward healthy choices. However, students who continue to make poor decisions will see consequences such as the following: Miss a fun activity to have a conference with their teacher. They may call home and explain behavior to parents. Even more rare is the removal of a students from ECOS Institute.
Parents are not allowed to attend, in order to provide the opportunity for students to practice independence and to focus on the experience. ECOS staff are highly trained to provide growth experiences and supervision. As employees, they receive the same background check as teachers. This provides the best supervision and safety for your students.
A media specialist takes pictures of all the students throughout the week. These pictures and a video of your school will be viewed by the students on the last day and given to the teacher to share.