Camp Orkila and Mountain School

Washington’s state budget picture is tight. Revenue forecasts came in lower than hoped.

Lawmakers will be making hard calls. One result is clear and frustrating. Outdoor learning was not included in the final budget.

That does not mean outdoor education failed. It means it lost airtime in a crowded session where basic services dominated the conversation.

This matters because outdoor learning is not a luxury. It supports attendance, mental health, engagement, and academic growth. When it disappears from budgets, students lose access first. Rural students. Low income students. Students who benefit most from hands-on learning.

The question now is what comes next.

What educators and families can do during legislative session:

• Tell real stories. Numbers matter, but stories stick. Share specific examples of students who showed up, re-engaged, or succeeded because of outdoor learning.

• Talk to legislators early. Not in March. In the fall. Invite them to a site visit. Show them learning in action.

• Keep it local. Legislators listen hardest to people who live and work in their districts. Use that.

• Tie outdoor learning to outcomes they already care about. Attendance. Behavior. Career pathways. Student well-being.

• Submit written testimony even when a bill feels like a long shot. Records matter.

  
  

What to do beyond session:

• Build it into district priorities. If outdoor learning only shows up as a grant request, it stays fragile.

• Partner with families. Parents and guardians carry weight when budgets tighten.

• Keep school boards informed and vocal. Board support shapes legislative messaging.

• Track participation and impact. Simple data beats vague enthusiasm every time.

• Stay visible year-round. Newsletters, social media, community events, school showcases.

Budget cycles come and go. Ideas stay alive only if people keep talking about them.

Outdoor learning was left out this time. It does not have to stay that way.

If we want it in future budgets, it has to stay in legislators’ heads long before next year.

Silence is easy. Persistence works.

Hello Parents,

Just a reminder, we need your information and your willingness to participate in fundraising, etc.

Each camps has about $19,000 to raise and in order for the camps to happen, we will need help from everyone. Please take a cojple of minutes to fill out the form below.

Dear Parents and Families of Current 5th and 7th Grade Students.

There has been a lot of rumors and speculation about the fate of our Outdoor Education Program, we wanted to reassure you that students will still get the opportunity to go to camp.

Funding:

During the spring session, the legislature cut all funding for outdoor education programs. In addition, the funds the school district had set aside for three years of Outdoor Education was expended in the 22-23, 23-24, and 24-25 school years. Therefore, we will move back to a previous model where staff, students, and families help to raise the funds for camp. In general the costs for each camp runs between $16k and $19k.

Mountain School:

After many discussions with staff, the middle school team felt that going to Mountain School in 6th grade made more sense as the curriculum and experiences align perfectly with the curriculum at the middle school.

Camp Orkila:

The Camp Orkila experience is more about team building and leadership. After discussions with staff, they felt it would be a great way to kick off the 8th grade year and build off the experiences throughout the year.

And, by moving both camps to next year, it will give staff and families time to make plans for fundraising, etc.

The following is the new schedule for Outdoor Education:

2025-2026: Current 5th grade students will attend Mountain School as 6th graders in 2026-2027.

2025-2026: Current 7th grade students will attend Camp Orkila as 8th graders in the Fall of 2026-2027

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact one of the camp directors (info below).

We have had a number of emails and phone calls from parents asking what they could do to support the Outdoor Education Program.

We would love for you to fill out the form below and let us know the areas that you are willing to support the outdoor education experience. We need your support in order for the Outdoor Program to continue.