Snakes and Sunshine
I’ve been immersed in reptilia lately. Not that I mind! Herptiles have been a favorite of mine since childhood. I was recently on a gig as a Set Medic, and a “Snake Wrangler” (more politely known as a Snake Safety Specialist) was also on board. I KNOW how to do this!!! I decided to add that onto my list of services offered. Check out my other newly updated web page!
Throughout my teaching career, I’ve made a point of promoting the underdogs, including misunderstood flora and fauna. So many people have negative, even visceral, responses to snakes. I had snakes and rats in my earliest classrooms, and now we find them out in the wild, since the world is Outside School’s classroom. We recently went specifically out herping, with me donning my new (ridiculous/for show) snake gaiters and us both trying out my new snake hook/pinner combo. We practiced with it on sticks since we came across our most usual number of snakes to find in a day: zero.
Hot off the presses is Soren Hemmila’s article in the Grandview Independent, “It’s Snake Season in the East Bay, but There’s More Than One Kind of Snake in the Grass.” He quotes me in the article and talks about Outside School’s methods of using the environment as a teacher. Please check out the article here:
More on snakes in “Nature News” and “Inspiration and Resources” below!
Enrollment
Why do things like everyone else?
If your kid is K-12, sign up now for Outside School!
2024 - 2025 School Year
(🌲 homeschoolers 🌲 independent study-ers 🌲 out of the box-ers 🌲)
8 Week Peek
(🌲 homeschoolers 🌲 frightened of committing to an entire school year-ers 🌲)
Summer Camp Session 1: Weeks of July 8 and 15, 2024
(🌲 all of you 🌲)
The deadline to apply for Session 1 of camp is 7/1/24.
Be Outside School!
Enroll by this process: 1) Read the page linked below. 2) Read the handbook page. 3) Read and follow the steps on the application/tuition page. I provide the links in the appropriate order. Check ‘em out!
Nature News
Local Snakes
The last two years have been great for snakes! We have seen more than ever, and apparently it’s all due to us being out of drought. More vegetation growth leads to more abundant prey, which leads to more snakes. We couldn’t be happier! It’s so rare to find snakes, and we celebrate every one we’re able to see when we’re out and about.
A gopher snake, possibly gravid, photographed by my student.
Newt Report
There is still water in the creek, and we have yet to see any larvae emerge from the egg sacs. We haven’t spent as much time at the creek in the mornings because the mosquito population is higher than it has been in the previous years we’ve been in Wildcat Canyon.
Inspiration and Resources
Sunshine Playschool
A couple of colleagues opened Sunshine Playschool in El Sobrante awhile back and I finally had a chance to visit. ☀️
Wow!
For a long time I’d struggled to know where to refer people who wanted a (largely) outdoor environment for their younger children prior to coming to their being old enough for Outside School. I finally found it!
LOTS of outdoor, messy play, kind, welcoming, warm teachers and staff (and I can attest to that after many years of working directly with Meghan), bunnies, tortoise, eggs soon to hatch, sand, pipes, play structures, and most importantly, so much freedom to explore and just be who you are!!! 💞
Please check them out here:
Congratulations to Meghan, Kaitlin, and the rest of the crew for creating such a magically messy place! And, thank you to the preschoolers who toured me around, fed me poisonous ice cream then led me to “recover” on a poisonous bench, showed off their favorite things to do and various skills, and kept me thoroughly amused! Y’all rock!!! 🚀 💥
Photos are from my visit, after children began resting.
East Bay Regional Parks District Rattlesnake Advisory
In keeping with this month’s snake theme, East Bay Regional Parks issued a Rattlesnake Advisory. With lots of great information, photos to help identify different snakes, and videos. Stay informed and fearless here:
“‘Literally Life or Death’: California Kids Are Disappearing From School and the Workforce. No One Knows Where They Are in 2022, More Than 1 in 10 Youths Ages 16 to 24 — Nearly Half a Million — Were ‘Disconnected’”
My colleagues and I have been baffled, and apparently others are starting to notice as well. It’s weird, and alarming! It’s causing extra-low enrollment in all types of programs, including public school.
“Arctic Fox Dispersal From Svalbard to Canada: One Female’s Long Run across Sea Ice”
Well, that’s pretty crazy! I wonder what she had in mind!
Mental Health in Families
SO important, to recognize the mental health of families’ primary caregivers. This article describes the issues and discusses strategies to share the load.
Summer break is here! We celebrated the last day of school with focaccia with our families the park. I immediately headed into more work- driving the medical car for NASCAR on Friday, then being a pit lane firefighter for the remainder of the weekend. I hope we all have more chances to enjoy ourselves! Happy Summer!!!
Take care,
Heather
Heather Taylor, California Master Teacher, NREMT
Founder/Director/Teacher, Outside School (www.outside.school)
Founder, Teach Outside (www.teachoutside.org)
Feel free to forward to anyone you like!