Teachers are required
to have an environmental education focus
during their visit and attend a weekend
Teacher
Training Workshop that’s
offered only once a year in the Spring.
A signed contract, deposit, and proof
of liability insurance are also required.
The Clem Miller Educational
Center has nine buildings and can accommodate
up to 80 people. The main building is
a 4,500 square-foot cedar lodge complete
with a dining hall, science room, teachers’
room and fully equipped commercial kitchen
(contains a large capacity refrigerator
and freezer, dish sanitizer, two ovens,
a six burner range and a griddle). The
main building is electrically lighted,
heated by wood stoves, and furnished with
tables and chairs. There are four cabins
that sleep 16 people each and one cabin
that sleeps 19 people, all unheated and
without electricity. They contain wooden
bunks and mattresses; participants provide
their own sleeping bags. The central restroom
contains toilets, basins and heated showers.
This rustic experience stimulates students'
environmental awareness and encourages
a sense of humans' role in the total environment.
Teachers may stay in the Annex –
a heated, carpeted building with an infirmary
and two private rooms with 2 beds in each
room.
Groups are responsible
for bringing all food to the Center and
cooking their own meals. The Center provides
a fully equipped kitchen with cookware
and eating utensils. Check out sample
menus
(314 KB MS Word .doc) for some ideas.
There are countless
educational and fun activities
for you and your students to enjoy both
at the Center and throughout Point Reyes.
Check out sample
schedules from previous school visits
for ideas.
If a group is flexible
with dates, there is usually room at the
Center. We hold a lottery in which schools
indicate their date preferences. On average,
85%-90% of schools that participate in
the lottery get their first or second
date choice. The remaining 10%-15% receive
their third or fourth date choice.
There are seven Creating
Coastal Stewardship through Science Curriculum
Guides
available to middle school science teachers.
Each of these guides is aligned with the
State and National Science Standards and
strives to help students understand scientific
inquiry and stewardship of special places.
The Center is run by
the Point Reyes National Seashore Association,
a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization working
in coordination with the National Park
Service. The Seashore Association’s
mission is to preserve the extraordinary
wilderness here and educate the public
about the environment.
The Center has a staff
that prepares groups for their visits,
provides training for group leaders (before
and on the day of arrival) and oversees
the Center. However, it is the responsibility
of the visiting school group to provide
their own program and services. This includes
developing and implementing an environmental
education program, shopping for and preparing
food, cleaning the Center, and providing
adult supervision for students.
As funds allow, partial fee waivers are available to schools who can document compelling financial need. For more information
on applying for scholarships, please contact
the Center staff at 415.663.1200 x305 or
email.
I
am a parent who would like my child’s
class to visit the Center. How do I help
them set up a trip there?
Getting your child’s
classroom teachers involved and interested
is the first step. Direct them to this
site and encourage them to attend the
Teacher
Training Workshop or attend our free
Orientation and Tour.
