Board hears presentation on Edgerton Trails outdoor education; program to expand to fifth grade

Members of the Rockford outdoor education team presented the Edgerton Trails program to the board Monday, describing an immersive, curriculum‑aligned outdoor program the district said is already reaching DK through fifth grades.

Shannon Ouellette (principal at Edgerton Trails), Tara Deservowitz (outdoor enrichment director) and fourth‑grade outdoor teacher Jody Noakes described the site — roughly 27 acres that include a meadow, woods, two ponds, a covered pavilion, boardwalk and a sugar shack — and how lessons connect to ELA, math, science and social studies standards. Tara Deservowitz said the district received a REF grant to upgrade the sugar shack and that the program this year saw strong participation: "We had over a 100 people show up to our first Luminary Walk," she said.

Staff outlined how the program is structured: grades DK–5 receive multiple seasonal visits coordinated with classroom standards, third graders take immersive half‑day experiences, and fourth graders participate in a full program that includes scaffolding for possible continued enrollment. For the coming year the district plans to expand fourth‑grade programming to fifth grade and to select approximately 28 students for the fourth/fifth grade program via an application and lottery system. The timeline presented: a March 16 district meeting to share details, applications open March 23–April 17, and acceptance letters issued the week of May 4.

Board members asked about cold‑weather protocols and space constraints for potential expansion; presenters said they follow district guidelines for weather and safety and that expansion depends on interest and space. The board praised the program and its community engagement events.