CATALINA ISLAND MARINE INSTITUTE 7 th Grade STEM Trip A U G U S T 3 0 T H – S E P T E M B E R 4 T H , 2 0 2 0 The following presentation has information to help you prepare for the 7 th grade trip to Catalina Island. In order to gain all necessary information (and ensure you can score the required 100% on the quiz at the end) please thoroughly read each tab. Please note this can be used as a reference tool throughout the registration process. LODGING- IMPORTANT ELIGIBILITY COSTS FAQ QUIZ INTRO OVERVIEW FOOD- PAPERWORK DATES PACKING LIST
Intro Welcome AA families. The following presentation has everything needed to prepare for the optional 7 th grade trip to Catalina Island. Please go through each tab to ensure you gather all necessary information, and know when to complete forms in a timely manner. This will be available throughout the registration process so you may use it as a reference tool when needed. While evening presentations will no longer be available, I will be holding two Q & A meetings in case you have additional, or highly specific questions. Each STEM trip offers students a chance to explore an environment unlike anything in Colorado while exposing them to a variety of STEM fields. They also offer a number of personal benefits, including but are not limited to, an increase in their personal, social and emotional development. These trips urge critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making skills. They can also lead to a deeper understanding of challenging concepts, all while providing a context for learning in many areas in and out of the classroom. We want you to feel confident about your choice to send your child on an AA STEM trip. Be rest assured, we have taken the time to think through every aspect of our trips to ensure the safety of all. Over the past decade, more than 2500 AA middle school students have had the opportunity to experience a classroom without walls, while building relationships and memorable experiences lasting a lifetime. Something I can attest to personally. My name is Chris Todd and I am the coordinator for the AA STEM overnight trips. (Olympic, Catalina Island, Costa Rica). In addition to leading the trips, I also teach primary STEM at the MB campus. I have been with AA since we opened in 2005, originally teaching first grade at CP . I am excited to share this opportunity with you and your family, and look forward to working with you in making this a reality. Again, if you still have questions after reviewing the information found within this presentation, or would just like to come meet in person, please plan to attend one of the scheduled Q & A meetings. Thank you! Please note communication from me regarding any overnight STEM trip will come from the following email address: stemtrips@aak8.org. Please use this address for any communication on your end regarding any overnight STEM trip as well. Thanks again!
Overview - Catalina Island Marine Institute Outdoor Science School Catalina Island Marine Institute (CIMI) at Toyon Bay is a unique outdoor science school providing an exciting outdoor educational experience. Students are completely immersed in the field of marine science working side-by-side with knowledgeable instructors hired by CIMI. Said instructors will guide students through Island terrestrial biology, marine biology labs and field activities designed to stimulate minds, build character, develop social skills, and most importantly, create excitement about science. During their five day program students and teachers will participate in a variety of hands-on labs and field activities both in and out of the water. Students will experience one night snorkel*, 3-4 day snorkels, a couple hikes (the longest being 3-4 miles roundtrip), and a full day of kayaking where students will be led to a nearby bay. Daily science labs are interactive, hands-on, and led by engaging, experienced instructors. Click HERE to view an informational video created by AA showing what a week with CIMI looks like. The Toyon Bay Campus Labs and Field Activities Daily Schedule Private Cove & Pier ▪ ▪ Snorkeling (3-4 day snorkels) ▪ 7:00 am Wake-Up ▪ Dorms Fish Lab 7:30 am Breakfast ▪ ▪ ▪ Dining Hall ▪ Sharks, Rays & Skates Lab ▪ 8:15 am Clean Rooms Science Labs ▪ Invertebrates Lab 9:00 am Morning Program ▪ ▪ ▪ Touch Tanks & Aquariums ▪ Marine Mammals Lab ▪ 12:00 pm Lunch Beach Amphitheater ▪ ▪ Plankton Lab ▪ 1:00 pm Recreation Time ▪ Snorkeling Gear Algae (Seaweed) Lab 2:00 pm Afternoon Program ▪ ▪ ▪ Kayaks (five day program only) ▪ Kayaking (full day) ▪ 5:30 pm Dinner Recreational Field ▪ Island Ecology Hike 6:00 pm Recreation Time ▪ ▪ ▪ Volleyball Courts ▪ Astronomy Hike ▪ 7:00 pm Evening Program GaGa Ball Courts ▪ Evening Campfire 9:30 pm Quiet Hours/Lights Out ▪ ▪ Night Snorkel ▪ *All appropriate snorkeling gear will be provided by CIMI; no prior snorkeling or kayaking experience is needed for this trip.
Lodging, Food, & Packing List SUNDAY NIGHT: Students and staff will be transported via charter bus to the Residence Inn by Marriott in Long Beach Downtown after landing in Los Angeles to stay Sunday night only. Three to four students share a room, boys and girls stay on separate floors, and chaperones stay within their own rooms on the same floors as students. A pizza dinner will be provided Sunday evening in the nearby Shoreline Aquatic Park. A continental breakfast will be provided Monday morning before making our way to the Catalina Classic Cruises ferry. The ferry is a private charter taking only CIMI campers to Toyon Bay where there is no tourism. MONDAY – FRIDAY: Students sleep in dorms on Catalina Island which are divided into several rooms. Rooms vary in size and have three to ten beds. Rooms within each dorm are set aside for chaperones. Dorms are separated by gender and campus. Each meal is served buffet style within the ca mp’s cafeteria. Please share any/all food allergies, regardless of how mild, when completing registration forms. Chaperones will be notified and kitchen staff will meet with students with food allergies before each meal to ensure nothing harmful is consumed. You can find the packing list on the STEM web site for this trip, or click HERE to access it now.
Eligibility: Grades, Behavior, Complete Paperwork, Payment As part of the educational program at American Academy, students in Grades 5 – 8 are offered the optional opportunity to attend overnight field trips. Parents are responsible for obtaining all the information in advance of the trip and evaluating if their child is mature enough to attend. Eligibility: An overnight field trip is a privilege, not a right. Safety and learning of all students on the trip is the priority of the staff at all times. Students that become ineligible at any time before the trip and during the pay schedule period may not be eligible for a refund, subject to administrative discretion. Eligibility is determined at the sole discretion of the American Academy administration, taking the following factors into consideration. Academic Standing: Any child receiving a D or an F in two or more core subjects (Language Arts/English, History, Science or Math) at the close of the trimester preceding the final payment for the trip and/or there are current teaching staff concerns for in-progress grades (such as consistent missing assignments) is ineligible to attend overnight field trips. Behavior History: A student is ineligible to attend overnight field trips if the student has served an in- or out- of school suspension during the nine calendar months preceding the departure date. In addition, if there are serious behavior or safety concerns, included but not limited to: failure to follow directions; inability to stay close to a chaperone; or a tendency to wander; demonstrated at any off-campus, school-campus event on a prior field trip. Behavior Expectations: Disrespectful, insubordinate, or unsafe behavior on a field trip is unacceptable and may result in exclusion from activities in addition to disciplinary action at school. If a student on an overnight field trip displays behavior that is insubordinate, interferes with the learning of other students, or jeopardizes the safety of students or staff, then the student may be declared ineligible to attend future overnight field trips. In extreme cases, parents may be asked to arrange for the student’s immediate transportation home. Overnight Field Trip Paperwork and Payments: Parents of an eligible student planning to attend an overnight fieldtrip must complete an Overnight Field Trip Agreement and all other required paperwork no later than the deadline communicated by the trip leader. If paperwork and/or payments are not completed by the communicated deadline, the student may be excluded from the trip; any refund consideration is at the sole discretion of American Academy’s administration. Taken from the Overnight Field Trips section of the AA Field Trip Policy, as linked to on page 20 of the Parent Handbook.
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