Outdoor & Physical Education

Adventure Education 6 is an opportunity for students to learn to safely explore and enjoy our natural world. The school’s 550-acre campus is the setting for most of our activities, which include hiking, games, construction projects, map reading, orienteering, and more. Students use their imaginations and hone their sense of adventure as we work on team building, communication conflict resolution, and problem solving skills.

Adventure Education 7 continues to use the campus as a learning laboratory and teaches students two new skill sets: wilderness first aid and gardening basics. During the fall semester, 7th graders reflect on the previous year’s experiences in order to increase their judgment and leadership skills. They follow an introductory first aid curriculum coupled with more technical outdoor activities such as bouldering, rappelling, and strategic games. They must be ready at any time to apply their knowledge during spontaneous rescue scenarios, which demand swift and sound decision-making. During the spring semester, the SAS Farm becomes the classroom. Students perform three basic tenets of organic gardening: germinating seeds, transplanting seedlings, and conditioning the soil.

Adventure Education 8 continues on the SAS Farm. Our goals expand to include plant nutrition, pest management, and harvesting of crops. The curriculum includes special design projects such as water catchment and irrigation systems. In the spring, students conclude the Adventure Education curriculum by becoming trip leaders. Weekly teams take responsibility for planning wilderness scenarios. Each team manages group and gear logistics, delegates roles to their peers, and safely completes each scenario.

Physical Education 6, 7, 8 is designed to increase students’ stamina, endurance, and overall fitness. Students are taught ways to deal positively with their mistakes as well as the mistakes of their classmates. Age-appropriate activities are designed to improve fundamental skills while promoting self-esteem and a sense of well-being. Lead up games, hand-eye coordination activities, and the concept of “fierce and friendly” play are emphasized.