Fall Campout Letter

September 24, 2008

Dear Parents and Guardians,


The annual Fall High School Campout and Retreat is coming up next week. We will be leaving for Silver Falls State Park outside of Salem on Wednesday, September 30th and returning to Trillium Friday October 2nd . Students should arrive at school on Wednesday by 8:30 as usual. We expect to leave around 9, and will return Friday around 1. We still need parent drivers and chaperones for the trip, as well as people to help with cleaning and organizing when we get back. Please contact your student’s advisor if you think you might be able to help.


The cost of the trip is covered entirely by the student activity fee. If you have not yet arranged payment for your activity fee for the year, please contact your student’s advisor or the front desk as soon as possible.


The retreat portion of the campout will take place during the first half of the trip, Wednesday afternoon and evening, and Thursday morning. During this time, students will be engaging in small group as well as whole high school activities designed to foster a sense of community and increase our skills as communicators. Some of these events will be outside, and some will be inside. Please be sure that your student brings clothing appropriate for our lovely, unpredictable, Oregon fall weather. The remainder of the campout will be set aside for student choice time. There will be a few pre-determined group activities in which students may choose to participate. All activities are encouraged to be inclusive and non-coercive (if you don’t want to play, you don’t have to). There are also plenty of beautiful areas for walks, hanging-out around camp, or sitting inside by the fire.


The space in which many of us will be staying is primarily a large, open room with bunk beds enough to accommodate 76 people. There are private and separate areas for bathing and changing clothing. There is also a large central fireplace and an industrial kitchen. Ten tent camping spots are available outside the main building for those wishing to be apart from the large group to sleep. The bunks inside are designed to sleep two on the bottom and one on top. There are no mattresses or padding on the bunks. It is important that all students bring bedding and whatever cushioning (blankets or pads) with which they could feel comfortable sleeping on a wood bunk.


A list of suggested supplies for your student is below.

• Sleeping bag or blanket/sheet bedroll
• Sleeping pad or blanket for cushion
• Pillow
• Flashlight/headlamp
• Toiletries
• Towel
• Change of clothes
• Sleepwear
• An extra pair of sneakers
• Warm clothing for potentially cool nights
• Light clothing for potentially warm days
• Sunscreen
• A rain jacket or poncho

It is pretty amusing living in the Pacific Northwest and trying to project the weather in the fall. We’ll know better as we get closer, but right now we are planning for sun, rain, cold, and hot. Students should prepare especially for cool and wet, as Oregon is notorious for delivering both in plenty. It is better to bring rain gear and extra clothes and not need them than the other way around.

All students on the trip are expected to share in cooking and cleaning duties. Drugs and alcohol are, of course, strictly prohibited on the trip. Game systems and loud music are requested to stay at home, while we encourage students to bring cards, board games, and musical instruments.

We look forward to another great high school campout. Please let your student’s advisor know if you have any questions.

Regards,

Elizabeth, Jess, Ken, and Will
High School Advisors

Calling All Pillows

Hello everyone,

I need old cushions, pillows, or mats suitable for sitting on the floor, and I need several - 40 of them in fact. So, if you have some tucked in your basement, attic, or garage, or you wander buy some perfectly good ones on a curb, at the bins, or a garage sale, please think of Trillium and bring them on in.

I look forward to the first day of school. We start Monday at 8:30. Students should go straight to advising to get their schedules.

Best,
Ken

Free Bus Passes

From the front desk:

We have Free Bus passes for all High School Students. Your student needs to come in to Trillium and speak with Hillary about the passes. There is a form they need to read through and sign before they can have the passes. She is there from about 9-1 during the day.

Forms and Catlogs

Greetings everyone,
The latest catalog changes, and many useful Trillium forms, are now online.
Just click here.