We value the learning and fun that comes from adventuring beyond the school ground and school day. On regular field trips, we explore the riches of Seattle using public transportation. Farther afield, we ride bicycles in the San Juan Islands, ski Snoqualmie Pass, and travel to a host of beautiful Pacific Northwest camps for spring and fall overnight trips. Culminating journeys for second graders to Portland and a Rite Of Passage island camping trip for fifth graders are special bonding experiences that children and teachers never forget.
Outdoor learning at University Cooperative School begins with our daily use of Cowen Park for an hour of rain-or-shine recess. But it doesn’t end there! Students regularly visit the outdoors, whether it’s to release salmon they’ve raised, read and write in natural settings, or explore first-hand the environmental issues impacting our community locally and beyond.
Our commitment to adventure means that not only do our students have a blast exploring forests, beaches, and the underground recess of our city – to name just a few of the places we go – but they also develop outdoor skills, build confidence, and come to deeply know their connection to the natural world. – Chief Adventurer Jim Riley