Friday Outdoor School
SE Portland Drop-Off - TrackersHQ

Trackers Outdoor School is a Friday outdoor nature program for families who attend charter schools with a Monday to Thursday schedule. We cultivate curiosity, creativity, and connection. Our expert Trackers Guides act as mentors to youth learning in a small team of fellow outdoor explorers. Kids share epic adventures while learning fantastic outdoor skills.

Our Educational Philosophy

Our unique educational philosophy focuses on creating a deeper connection to community, nature, and social-emotional well-being.

• Friends & Community: Kids learn together in small teams, building social support within their cohort. We teach skills of independence to empower everyone to contribute to their community.
• Multi-Generational: Our mentors begin with a developmental curriculum for different age groups, adapting adventures to our cohorts' interests. We offer opportunities for leadership to encourage multi-generational learning.
• Natural World: We get outdoors to thoughtfully increase a child's comfort and adaptability. We learn skills of connection and caretaking for the natural world.
• Awareness: We practice being present with our peers and environment. We connect to how a child's unique gifts can inspire them to care for their community and nature.

Learn Trackers Skills

Adventuring outdoors entails learning with the seasons, in Fall students explore the forest through fantastic skills such as archery, wilderness survival, and outdoor safety. During Winter they focus on learning to build shelters and light fires with no matches. When the sunshine starts to extend with Spring, we get back to training in epic games of forest stealth and animal tracking.

Our Team

Experienced Trackers Mentors lead this program. Each day, they help students build deeper connections with each other, their community, and nature.

• Expertise in mentoring and outdoor skills.
• Low student-to-guide ratio facilitating personal, team-based learning.
• Background checked with First Aid & CPR certification.
• Trained in outdoor safety and the Trackers Earth curriculum.

Our Place

Families can choose from three convenient drop-off options: SE Portland, Gresham, or direct drop-off at our Sandy field site. From these locations, we travel to wilderness destinations in buses or vans driven by trained Trackers staff.

Most field days take place at our private 351-acre field site—Camp Roslyn in Sandy, Oregon. We may also visit our nearby farm, home to donkeys, goats, chickens, and more, or go fishing at local waterways. When the weather calls for a cozy indoor space, we shift to hands-on nature and folk crafts at our Artisans area in the park.

Have Questions?

Contact our Family Success team.

Contact Us