5th Grade Camp Classen Experience

  CAMP CLASSEN DATES:   2023 - 2024 School Year October 23 - October 27, 2023  Thank you for checking this website for important Camp Classen information. Below you will find general Camp Classen information. This information is not all inclusive and will be updated periodically as more information has been given to me. PDF copies of all camp forms that have been/will be sent home can be found at the bottom of this webpage. Please feel free to print your own copies to get a jump start on this paperwork. I have also added a section at the bottom to add any notes that were sent home in Thursday folders. Please plan to visit this section of my website frequently as we prepare for our Camp Classen trip. If you have any questions, please contact me. I am here to help. Thank you, Jennifer Reeves Camp Classen Director Bryant Elementary School School: 405-735-4130    

What is Camp Classen?  

The Outdoor School at YMCA CAMP CLASSEN is the most unique program of its kind. It is both easily accessible from main highways and a reasonable distance for many schools in Oklahoma and Texas and covers 2,400 extraordinary acres in the Arbuckle Mountains. The camp’s facilities are designed to accommodate multiple students and needs at the same time. Our ecological diversity is a treasure in itself. Between its lakes, mountain tops, streams, fields, and waterfalls - the Eastern forest biome interlaces with that of the Western plains. This diversity and natural beauty make it ideally suited for hands-on, place-based learning. Its facilities are not only tuned to complement and support academic programs, but to promote and encourage leadership, teamwork, value training, trust, self-worth and understanding for students.

CAMP CLASSEN's Outdoor School offers outdoor education programs for schools from Oklahoma and Texas. Teachers can take their classes on guided interpretive hikes focusing on geology, ecology, biomes, natural cycles, and fossils. Our place-based education programs include a ready-for-use curriculum for teachers-including geology, ecology, adaptation, water, predator prey studies, fresh water labs, fossil labs, orienteering and so much more!

Our Outdoor School empowers teachers to take their classroom outside, allowing them to connect with their students and create memories to last a lifetime. Activities are hands-on and place-based, so students are not only learning key concepts, but relating it to very specific events of the real world.

We believe that the teacher is an essential building block in the acquisition of knowledge. It’s their presence within the Outdoor School’s instruction that connects school concepts to life learning to retain knowledge. For this, we provide great facilities with a comprehensive range of curriculum and program support for you and a pricing scale that cannot be matched! 

Whether you call it environmental education, experiential education, outdoor education, hands on learning, place-based studies or just camp - our goals are the same:

1. To help you promote the greatest retention of knowledge possible 
2. For students to enjoy learning and become lifelong learners 
3. To give students concrete examples that apply to classroom learning 
4. To promote sustainable responsible stewardship of the environment / to make environmental decisions based on the big picture good of our civilization. 
5. To help students value themselves, others, and their environment 

When will Camp Classen be? 2023 - 2024 School Year

October 23 - October 28, 2023 

How much is Camp Classen? Tuition for Camp Classen per student $285.00 for the 2023-2024 school year. This price will cover your lodging, meals, activities, and transportation to and from camp for the FULL week. The kids will be fed a total of 12 meals while at camp. We will also provide each student with snacks each day between meals. I know that this sounds like a large price to pay. However, this price is very comparable to the other schools in our district. We will have fundraising opportunities to help offset the cost. Start saving now! If you put back a little at a time, this can be very manageable. Payments can begin immediately. Every dollar paid will be used for Camp Classen. Who will be attending Camp Classen? Bryant Elementary would like to take ALL 5th graders if possible. This will be a great opportunity for your child to relax, yet still learn, and to be with all of their friends. As our students enter 6th grade, we want them to grow and mature together before leaving Bryant and starting a new life experience in junior high.  Will parent chaperones be needed at camp? Absolutely!! We will need two parents per cabin. This means that we will need anywhere from 12-16 parents to attend camp with us. We have spoken with parents from other schools that have attended and they loved the camp experience just as much as their child. Parent-Counselor tuition $100.00 for the 2023-2024 school year. However, parents can participate in the fundraising opportunities to help pay their way to camp. Our goal is to help you as much as possible. We need you there with us!  Parent chaperones will also be required to pay $25.00 for a criminal background check to be completed. This is required for parents who are attending Camp Classen. Parent Night Information: 4th Grade Parent Meeting (Spring 2022) * TBD 5th Grade Parent Meeting (Fall 2023) * Tuesday August 29, 2023 @ 5:30pm    Camp Timeline:  Spring Camp fundraiser - Blue Mountain Kettle Corn - February 13 to March 8th, 2023
*ALL orders and payments due to Mr. Wood no later than March 8th
*Late orders NOT accepted! *Students will earn 50% of their total sales directly toward their Camp Classen tuition.
*For example, sell $200 worth of popcorn, $100 applied to camp tuition. 5th Grade Camp Classen Meeting --- Date August 29, 2023 @ 5:30pm Camp Meeting & 5th Grade Introduction Meeting *ALL parents need to attend *Camp Enrollment packets will be sent home in Thursday folders for parent to complete BRING WITH YOU: - Shot Records - Driver's License - Medical Insurance Card - List of Child's Medications (Over the counter & prescription) September 15, 2023 Student Enrollment Forms DUE **Late forms will not be accepted September 15, 2023
Camp Commitment letter due -- Need definite YES or NO September 22, 2023 Parent Counselor Applications & background check forms due *Parent must pay $25 for background check
*$100.00 payment not due until October 5th, but can pay early. October 5, 2023 All camp payments due *Make checks payable to Bryant Elementary *BLUE or BLACK ink ONLY October 5, 2023 All medication consent forms due to Mrs. Reeves *If you need additional forms please let me know  October 17, 2023 @ 5:30pm Parent Counselor Meeting **All parents attending Camp must attend October 22, 2023 from 2pm-4pm Luggage Drop off in Bryant Gym *Bring case of water with luggage *Bring medications (if applicable) October 23 - October 27, 2023 5th Grade students attend Camp Classen   October 23, 2022 Students leave for Camp Classen
**Students will need to arrive in the gym between 8:45-9:15am  CAMP FORMS:
**Click links below to load forms**  All forms below will need to be fully completed and returned on time before your child can attend Camp Classen. Late forms will not be accepted and could result in your child not attending Camp Classen. Student Camp Classen Committment Letter (updated 9/8/2022) **Needs to be completed by September 16, 2022 Student Enrollment Forms (Updated 1/1/2022) **This is the enrollment form for your child to attend Camp Classen  **Enrollment form due by Friday September 14, 2022   Parent-Doctor Medication Consent Form (Updated 1/1/2022) **If your child takes a daily medication this form will need to be sign by BOTH you and your child's doctor. **Medication must be in the original container WITH the correct label **Medication will need to be dropped off & picked up by the parent    Parent Application to Attend Camp Classen (Updated 1/1/2022) **Any parent interested in attending camp will need to complete this. **Background Check's will need to be completed on or near October 1st. **Background Check fee to be paid by parent   Moore Public School Parent Background Check (Updated 1/1/2022) Parent interested in attending camp will need to complete this. **Background Check's will need to be completed before October 1st. Earlier the better! **Background Check fee is $25.00 (Cash or Check)   Student Packing List (updated 1/1/2022)  **Try to use what you have already. **Items do not have to be new, borrow from family and friends.  Bed Bug Prevention Packing Instructions (Updated 1/1/2022) **Please read and familiarize yourself with bed bugs and how to prevent   YMCA Camp Classen Participation Waivers (Updates 8/12/2022)
**All camp waivers must be completed ONLINE only through the YMCA Camp Classen portal.
**Click link above to access waiver instructions.   Student Donation Request Letter (Updated 1/1/2022 for 2022-23 School Year)  **Use this letter when seeking donations to help cover your child's camp cost.