Dear Caregiver Crew,
The following is important information for the first week of school, which will be held at Itasca State Park. We are so excited for our first adventure together with our Scholars!
Note: Each day will begin and end at Heartland Lakes Community School for our Scholars and our staff Crew. After we have all assembled at the school, we will be riding a bus together to Itasca and returning by bus back to school again.
A.M. Scholar Arrival At HLCS:
By bus: If your scholar is taking the bus, they will go as far as Century School, then transfer to a shuttle to bring them to HLCS. Two HLCS Staff will be at Century School and will accompany all scholars on the HLCS shuttle to our school.
By car: Plan to arrive no earlier than 8:15. a.m. Caregivers are invited to stay and mingle outdoors with our staff crew, bring their scholars to their grade-level crew circle, and wish them well. Caregivers should plan to depart by 9 a.m.
Gathering in Crews and Departure to Itasca
On Tuesday Sept. 3: Whether by bus or by car, once scholars arrive at HLCS, there will be activities, muffins, fruit, time for photos of their first day at school, and crew time with their teachers. At 10:00 a.m., we will board a bus and depart for Itasca together.
On Wednesday-Friday, Sept. 4-6: Whether by bus or by car, scholars will be meeting outdoors at HLCS in their crews beginning at 8:15 a.m. All scholars arriving by car should be dropped off no later than 8:30 a.m. At 9:00 a.m., we will board a bus and depart for Itasca together.
Packing Essentials for Itasca State Park:
Lunch, water bottle, backpack, beach towel to sit on, cold packs in the lunch box if perishables need to be kept cool. *Label lunch bags and boxes with your scholar’s name.
Clothes for the weather- it could be hot, it could be cool, it could be rainy! If your scholar has a pair of rainboots, please send them along. *Label all clothing items
Wear closed-toe shoes. No sandals, please!
Any necessary Medical paperwork and Medication: Complete the attached form if your child has medication that must be taken during the day. If your child has an inhaler/rescue med, please make sure the prescription is visible to ensure proper administration in case of emergency.
We will have sunscreen and bug spray available. You may provide your own sunscreen/bug spray if you have a certain preference. Let us know if you would like your scholar NOT to use bug spray/sunscreen. Teachers will be responsible for the application of bug spray and sunscreen.
What NOT to pack for the first day:
o School supplies (please bring those for drop off week 2)
o cell phones
o toys
Here are some things your Scholar will get to experience while at Itasca:
o Plenty of nature play time
o Art
o Forest School
o Yoga
o Fresh Air
o New Friends
Again, please help ensure your scholar is prepared by being properly dressed for the weather. A good night’s sleep is very important!
Return to HLCS and Departure
We will be returning to HLCS from Itasca at 2:15 p.m. for our closing circle. Caregiver and Bus pick-up is at 2:45 p.m. HLCS Staff will be accompanying the bus to Century School, making sure our Scholars get on the right bus bound for home.
Safety: Our Forest School Specialist Sarah Wilson and our outdoor educator colleague Mark Morrisey are trained in Wilderness First Aid. Several of our staff Crew are first aid/CPR certified. Our Crew will be well-supported with HLCS volunteers at every grade level.
Contacting us:
If you need to contact the school while we are at Itasca, please reach out to Sheila, who will be stationed at HLCS: (218) 203-8213.
We can’t wait for the learning to begin! Let’s be Brave, Wise, and Curious together!
Laura Seter, School Director
(218) 203-5971
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