Portland Transported After School Outdoors Program (TAO)
Does your child get outside and into Nature in their current After School program?
Do they do more than sit inside and play with Legos?
Can they engage their creativity with truly fun and adventurous skills such as woodworking and theater arts?
That's about to change. It's time to be outside...
The Trackers Transported After School Outdoors Program (TAO) is 5-days a week of nature exploration and artisan crafts. We pick your child up from their school and take them into a fantastic world of ancient skills and arts. They spend time out of doors, while working together to learn about nature, art and the power of community.
After School Nature and Art Program
The afternoon begins with homework or free time as the TrackersBUS transports your child from their school to TrackersHQ at the famous Scout Pit. There, students can freely choose to join in a Guild activity until their parents pick them up. Whether they are a Ranger, Wilder, Artisan or Mariner, our curriculum of nature play and traditional crafts provide the most well rounded experience of any after school program.
The guild activities are offered by experts in their field. On one day a child may choose to go fishing with a Mariner or work with an Artisan craftsman to build their own woodworking project. The next day they could join the Rangers Guild to create a shelter or learn to felt wool with the Wilders Guild as they make their own hat. See below for examples of a Typical Schedule and Guild Activities
Transportation from your school
We offer a range of local schools as pick up sites. Every instructor is trained to work with youth and chosen for their high level of safety and competency as drivers. While this is primarily a transported program, parents are also welcome to drop off their children as early as 2pm. See below for a list of schools where pick-up is available.
More Information
Age Groups Because Guild activities are mostly free choice and a collaboration with instructors, age-appropriate groups naturally occur. We believe this is more relevant than a forced definition of age and that the power of multi-generational learning is vital to healthy community. Though in certain key activities we may seperate our age groups as follows: 6 years old, 7-8 years old, 9-10 years old or 11-13 years old.
Bonus Trial Week Trackers wants your child to experience our program so your family can decide if it's the best fit for them. Begin with a 4-day trial. We are currently offering a week trial September 7-10, 2010. Simply register at the link below.
Register for Transported After School Nature and Art Program
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Ages 6-13
$99
Trial Week September 7-10, 2010 2pm-6pm Transportation from your school to TrackersHQ Map It |
| Add to cart |
Ages 6-13
$1150
Contact Us for a 3 monthly payments at $399 Seasonal: 5-days a week, September-December 2010 with holiday breaks 2pm-6pm Transportation from your school to TrackersHQ Map It |
| Add to cart |
Ages 6-13
$995
Contact Us for a 3 monthly payments at $335 Seasonal: 3-days a weeks, September-December 2010 with holiday breaks 2pm-6pm Transportation from your school to TrackersHQ Map It |
| Add to cart |
Ages 6-13
$855
Contact Us for a 3 monthly payments at $285 Seasonal: 2-days a week, September-December 2010 with holiday breaks 2pm-6pm Transportation from your school to TrackersHQ Map It |
| Add to cart |
Ages 6-13
$2950
Contact Us 9 monthly payments of $349 Yearly: 5-days a week, September-June with holiday breaks 2pm-6pm Transportation from your school to TrackersHQ Map It |
| Add to cart |
Ages 6-13
$2650
Contact Us 9 monthly payments of $300 Yearly: 3-days a week, September-June with holiday breaks 2pm-6pm Transportation from your school to TrackersHQ Map It |
| Add to cart |
Ages 6-13
$2250
Contact Us 9 monthly payments of $250 Yearly: 2-days a week, September-June with holiday breaks 2pm-6pm Transportation from your school to TrackersHQ Map It |
Scholarships and Other Options
Contact Us to learn more about other trial and membership options to connect and learn more about the program...
• A one day drop-in (if you bus visits your school)
• Other seasonal or yearly membership options
We have scholarship awards available of up to 10%-50% of tuition for families in need. Due to limited funds of awards we recommend you apply early to increase your family's chances of acceptance. Submit a scholarship application
Membership
Tuition is based on membership. Different membership options are available, including the Seasonal Membership and Year Membership.
Seasonal Membership Join us for a Winter, Spring or Fall for every day Portland Public Schools are in session. Tuition is 3-monthly installments of $399.
Year Membership Join us for all three seasons in a school year for every day Portland Public Schools are in session. Yearly students also can attend Trackers "No-School Days" for no addtional fees. Tuition is 9-monthly installments of $349.
3-day or 2-day a Week Option The more cost effective options are the 5-day week programs, though we do provide 3-day and 2-day a week options.
Bonus Trial Week Trackers wants your child to experience our program so your family can decide if it's the best fit for them. Every season begins with a 4-day trial. We are currently offering a week trial September 7-10, 2010.
Contact Us to Learn More
Sample Week
MONDAY |
TUESDAY |
WEDNESDAY |
THURSDAY |
FRIDAY |
School Pick-up Guild Activities Parent Pick-up |
School Pick-up Guild Activities Parent Pick-up |
School Pick-up Guild Activities Parent Pick-up |
School Pick-up Guild Activities Parent Pick-up |
School Pick-up Guild Activities Parent Pick-up |
Typical Day
2pm-4pm School Pick-Up, Homework Time & Nature Play Fitness We pick your child up from your school. Since different schools release at different times, we begin with homework study and fitness play. The homework time is fully supervised (not tutored) and takes place in a separate space than our Nature Play Fitness. Nature Play Fitness is a mix of active games and improv theater meant as an movement option after working and learning during the school day.
3:45pm-5:15pm Guild Activities Our instructors introduce the Guild activities for the afternoon. Children can choose from a Rangers, Wilders, Artisans or Mariners craft or adventure. Since this is Trackers we always have an option that goes out of doors (come rain or shine) while indoor choices are also provided for the comfort and interest of the student. The free choice inherent in the Guild activities empowers students to work within their comfort level and inspiration. Check out our Guild Activity Descriptions or look at a Sample Week.
5:15pm-6pm Parent Pick-Up, Homework Time, Project Time & Nature Play Fitness As long as our working areas are clean, students can continue to complete reasonably scaled projects while they wait for parents to pick them up. We also continue our supervised homework time with the option of more nature and improv games. You pick up your child inspired and happy from afternoon of adventure immersed in nature and the arts.
Potential Guild Activities
Rangers Guild The Rangers Guild are scouts of the forest. Kids train stealth, tracking and wilderness survival skills. If you ever loved the books My Side of the Mountain or Lord of the Rings the Rangers Guild is where you want to be. Rangers may build a shelter, learn to carve wood, safely make fire with no matches, craft simple bows or train outdoor fitness arts through fun stealth games. Rangers are also master naturalists, they know the language and sign of all birds, beasts and plants that live in wild.
Wilders Guild Named in honor of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the Wilders Guild offers homesteading activities. You child could make cheese from farm fresh goats milk to bring home or press apples in the cider press while dancing to fine fiddle music. You may find your young Wilder starting seedlings for planting in family gardens or even working on fiber arts projects, learning to spin, knit and sew their own clothing.
Artisans Guild The Artisans Guild encompasses a diverse range of craft and skills. They are storytellers and crafts people. Instructors trained in the dramatic arts teach theater improv games that build creativity and teamwork. Artisans also offer incredible crafts: from safe and successful metal working projects for younger kids to more challenging blacksmithing techniques for older students. Every week we offer free choice woodworking projects, plus children have the opportunity to express their own story through painting and other art media.
Mariners Guild The Mariners Guild trains the skills of the water and sea. Mariners may research ocean life and create aquariums and terrariums to learn about aquatic creatures. They could tie knots and even partake in artistic knot work. Kids may even get an opportunity to help out building a canoe or other traditional skin on frame boat in the wood shop. Most importantly, the Mariners Guild goes fishing! While they may not guarantee a catch, kids will always have a good time sitting by the shore and casting. With the Mariners Guild you can always count on them to come home with a tall tale about the "big one that got away."
Earning Guild Badges
Guild Badges This program enables students to earn badges in the fundamental skills of the Trackers Rangers, Wilders, Mariners & Artisans Guilds. We work with each student to help them reach new levels for the badges in program. Student then sew the badges onto their Trackers sash. If they already have advanced experience or choose to focus themselves on specific crafts we encourage student directed study, offering the potential to earn badges that apply to higher levels or different skills. Each new level asks students to embroider one edge of their badge with gold thread.
Safety is the foundation of our Trackers Transported After School Program. Along with the skills of our Guild we also guide students through House Safety Certifications designed to develop important awareness of safety around craft and nature skills. Parents can feel confident and proud that their kids are learning and adhering to core routines of insightful safety and care.
Transportation and Available Schools
Below is a list of schools we will pick up from beginning September 7, 2010.
Schools we currently pick-up from...
SE Schools
• Llewellyn Elementary School
• Sunnyside Environmental School
• Grout Elementary School
• Portland Waldorf (all ages)
• Winterhaven Elementary School
• Abernethy Elementary School
• Duniway Elementary School
• Richmond Elementary School
• Sellwood MS
• Hosford MS
NE Schools
• Alameda Elementary School
• Irvington Elementary School
• Beverly Clearly Elementary School
• Beaumont Middle School
SW Schools
• SW Charter School
• Sunstone Montessori
Additional Schools
If you come from a school that is not listed, we will likely be able to arrange pick-up with 3 or more students registered. If you come from a school that is able to arrange transportation through their own bus system, let us know. To learn more about extending pick-up/drop-off options Contact Us
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