6th Grade Camp Information
Camp Forms, Deadlines, and Information
This year your child will have the opportunity to participate in the Sixth Grade Outdoor Education Program at Camp Cuyamaca. All sixth grade classes will be going to camp the week of March 4th - March 8th. The cost of the five-day camp is $455.00, which includes transportation to and from camp, food, lodging, and medical insurance. There is a limited number of openings. Students will be admitted in the order their completed forms and payment are received.
Since camp activities directly correlate with 6th grade curriculum standards, we strongly encourage all students to attend; however, participation is not mandatory. Students not attending camp are required to attend school and will participate in a sixth grade "Campus Camp" at Black Mountain Middle School for the week.
All required registration forms are in a packet of information were distributed to all 6th grade students in October. PLEASE NOTE: Whether or not your child is going to camp, the (pink form) "Student Registration and Health Form" must be returned to school. The pink registration holds your child's spot to attend camp. Spots are limited. Please return as soon as possible.
Not attending: If your child is not attending, write their name, place an "x" across the front of the form, and "not attending" on the form. No other information is needed, if they are not attending.
The Medication Authorization form is to be turned in with your child's medication by March 1st. The Health Office will accept the medication form and medication from February 26th-March 1st, during school hours 7:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
FAQ's about Camp Cuyamaca
Arrangements and Safety
Where is the camp located?
Cuyamaca Outdoor School is located at 12561 Hwy. 79, Descanso, CA 91916, in the middle of the beautiful 25,000-acre Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. We have miles and miles of trails that the students can experience ‒ right from our 25-acre campus. Cuyamaca Outdoor School has been on the same site since 1946. Luckily, the buildings are newer than
that! Over the years, we have upgraded our sleeping facilities and in 2010, we built Fox Lodge.
Who are your staff and what are your staff requirements?
Our staff members work for the San Diego County Office of Education. All employees go through the employment protocols required by SDCOE, in addition to fingerprinting, CPR/First Aid certification, and a TB test. All of our instructors have degrees, many in science-related fields. Some staff have worked here more than 25 years!
In addition to our program staff, we have maintenance, custodial, and kitchen staff, including two cooks, four food service workers, and a Child Nutrition Supervisor. Every week we get rave reviews from students and visiting teachers about the quality of our food and the care that they get from our kitchen staff.
Is there a full-time nurse present while children are attending Cuyamaca Outdoor School?
A registered nurse and a health technician are in the Health Center during the day. A health technician is available all night to address students’ needs. We are equipped for emergencies with an AED, an oxygen tank, and medical supplies.
What are the housing arrangements at camp?
Cuyamaca Outdoor School has three villages, Oak, Pine, and Cedar that each have one cabin for girls and one for boys that each sleep up to 72 students. Students are arranged by gender. Each village is supervised by a credentialed head teacher, along with eight outdoor education specialists, who hike with, teach, and mentor the students. An outdoor education specialist and a camp counselor supervise their cabin during the day. A cabin leader spends all four nights with their cabin.
What are the cabinslike inside?
Four “dens” open into a large center room. Each den has nine bunk beds for a total of up to 18 students per den. All of the cabins have heat, drinking fountains, door locks, intercom phones, and alarms on the exterior doors (for sleepwalkers). There are two bathrooms per cabin. Each bathroom has three sinks, three restroom stalls, and three showers, including one ADA accessible toilet stall and shower per cabin. There are also bathrooms and drinking
fountains in the lodge, assembly halls, health center, and dining hall.
What are the shower arrangements?
There are individual shower stalls with curtains for privacy. The students take showers Tuesday through Thursday in the afternoon. The showers are two minutes long. Yes, only two minutes long! We recommend you have your child practice taking short showers and changing their clothes discreetly (e.g., like at the beach, under a big towel) before
arriving at camp.
What to Bring to Camp - Label, label, and label everything.
Bring These Items
Label all items with your child’s name (this cannot be stressed enough), Label, label, label, and label everything.
Please use this list when packing the items your child will need for their outdoor school experience.
1. Pack everything your child brings in one suitcase or duffle bag, plus one bedroll. Please, do not tie the items to one another.
2. Weather at Cuyamaca can vary greatly. Items listed below with an asterisk (*) are absolutely necessary.
3. Please do not purchase new clothing unless it is needed. Comfortable, old clothing is fine.
4. Bunk beds and mattresses are provided in heated cabins. A lightweight sleeping bag will suffice.
5. Stamps are not available at the site. Please pack stamped, pre-addressed postcards or envelopes. A letter from home can also be sent if you submit to our front office by 3:00pm, Tuesday, March 5th. When our Administrator goes up to camp for a visit, they will take the letters with them.
Bedding & Linens
*(1) Sleeping bag OR (2-4) blankets and sheets
*(1) Pillow
*(2) Bath towels - large (2) Washcloths for washing face Toiletries
*(1) Toothbrush & Toothpaste
*(1) Bar Soap - in plastic container
*(1) Comb or brush
*(1) Tissue packet
*(1) Chapstick
*(1) Shampoo - unscented
*(1) Sunscreen - unscented lotion only Clothing
*(1) Heavy jacket
*(1) Heavy sweatshirt
*(2 pair) Tennis or hiking shoes
*(4 pair) Long pants
*(4) T-shirts
*(4) Long-sleeved shirts
*(4) Underwear
*(6-8 pair) Socks
*(1) Pajamas (1) Bathrobe (1 pair) Shower sandals (1) Hat or cap (1) Belt Equipment
*(1) Water bottle with a strap (or hydration backpack)
(1) Camera (disposable)
(1-2) Laundry bag
(1) Leisure reading book
(1 pair) Earplugs for light sleepers
Stamped, pre-addressed postcards
Winter Items (November-April)
*(1 pair) Rain boots OR (6) Plastic bags to go over socks and inside shoes
*(1) Raincoat with hood, or rain poncho
*(2 pair) Gloves or mittens
*(1) Beanie
(1) Scarf
Fragrance-Free Campus Out of concern for persons with asthma, allergies, and other respiratory problems, perfumes, colognes, essential oils, other scented products, and all aerosol spray products are prohibited.
Warm Weather Months
*(4) Short-sleeved shirts
*(1) Light jacket or hoodie sweatshirt
(2) Shorts (worn on campus only)
Don't bring the items listed below:
Items on this list will be confiscated and given to a staff member from your school.
• Cell phone (there’s no cell service)
• Candy, gum, snacks, or food of any kind
• Flashlights
• Knives, hatchets, other weapons
• Matches, lighters, or fire starters
• Hair dryers or curling irons
• Makeup
• Money
• Personal electronic devices, such as games and media players
• Jewelry or watches
• Expensive cameras
• Aerosol sprays
Cuyamaca Outdoor School is not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen property. Please leave valuable items at home.