Contact Us

Our physical address is: 359 Thousand Pines Rd Crestline, CA 92325 https://www.thousandpinesoutdoored.com/location TPOSS is located in Southern California within the beautiful San Bernardino National Forest at about 5000 feet elevation. What began as a donation of ten acres in 1938 has now developed into over 250 acres of property. We are a private facility that is closed to the public. Some of our notable features are “Inspiration Point” which overlooks Lake Gregory; “Mama Oak,” an oak tree that is older than the United States; and a spectacular view of Mount Baldy. https://www.thousandpinesoutdoored.com/directions

All cabins at Thousand Pines include private toilet and sink facilities. Most cabins also have private showers, and cabins that do not have showers inside are within a few hundred feet of a showerhouse, with multiple individual and private showers. All cabins include heaters and lockable doors.

There are 71 threatened or endangered wildlife species in the San Bernardino National Forest, many of which are hard to spot. Most frequently sighted are the gray squirrel; mule deer; lizards; and a variety of birds such as the scrub jay, Stellar’s jay, acorn woodpecker, mountain quail, and mountain chickadee. In the area, but rarely seen, are coyotes and brown bears.

We suggest sending mail to your child, and please be aware that delivery may take longer due to our rural location. We suggest sending mail at least 5 days prior to your child’s arrival date. Mail should include the street address as well as our PO Box to ensure it arrives promptly. It may be addressed as follows: Student’s First and Last Name Name of Student’s School Thousand Pines Outdoor Science School 359 Thousand Pines Rd PO Box 3288 Crestline, CA 92325 Outgoing mail may also be sent. If so, please send an envelope, stamp, and mailing address with them. You can also connect directly with the school or teachers, as well as looking at the property through the webcam attached to the office roof: https://www.thousandpinesoutdoored.com/webcam

Directions to Thousand Pines 359 Thousand Pines Road Crestline, CA 92325 From Interstate 210, exit Waterman Ave. and travel north. Proceed along Highway 18 (towards and up the mountain) approximately 15 miles, to the Highway 138/Crestline cutoff. Take Highway 138 to Crestline (approximately 2 miles). At the 5-way intersection, proceed straight across the intersection, following the signs to Lake Gregory. Do not veer left back on the 138. At the next stop sign, just a 1/4 mile or so, turn left (Fern Drive). This street becomes Lake Drive. Follow the yellow line on Lake Drive down into the lower part of Crestline and through town a bit. Look for California Bank on your left and slow down to make a left. Turn left onto Thousand Pines Road (it intersects Lake Drive across the street from Ace Hardware). Follow the yellow line up Thousand Pines Road into the camp (approximately 1/2 mile). Take the “center” entrance where the sign says “Conference Center” and then park in the main parking lot. Directions to St. Bernardine’s Medical Center, San Bernardino from Thousand Pines (approximately 14 miles and 30 minutes) 2101 N. Waterman Ave. San Bernardino 92404 (909) 336-3651 Head south on Thousand Pines Road. Turn right on Lake Drive. Follow the double yellow line to stay on Lake Drive. Make sure to turn right at the point where it becomes Fern Drive (turn right at the dentist office). Continue straight and Lake Drive becomes Highway 138. Drive on Highway 38 for one mile. Merge onto Highway 18 South towards San Bernardino (bear left). Drive on Highway 18 for nine miles. At the bottom of the mountain Highway 18 becomes Waterman Avenue. Continue on Waterman Avenue for another 2.5 miles. St. Bernardine’s will be on the SE corner of Waterman and Highland (on the left, just past Highland).

The computer and printer are set up for you. The wireless internet connection should be named “TP Guest”. The password is: 9093382705 which is the phone number for the camp. If this internet is not working, please let us know. There is also wireless internet available in the Dining Hall and throughout the camp if you need.

Monday/Tuesday (first day): Lunch/Dinner Calling parents Student illness/ disciplinary issues Emergency meeting in upper field at 1:45pm School photo immediately following emergency meeting Tuesday (only if second day): Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner Morning meeting Calling parents Student illness/ disciplinary issues Wednesday: Breakfast/Dinner Morning meeting Calling parents Student illness/ disciplinary issues Teacher lunch at 12:30pm at the Malt Shop (Food allergies, # of people attending, Dietary concerns) Animal presentation @3:45pm. Assist in keeping your students quiet for the presentation. Thursday: Breakfast/Dinner Morning meeting/ Pass out end of the week evaluations for teachers. Calling parents Student illness/ disciplinary issues Student Evaluations at 4:30-5:15pm in the Dining Hall. Receive your student's journals at this time. Teacher evaluations (please leave your keys, name badges, evaluations and rebooking form in the envelope on the coffee table before you leave for Breakfast on Friday) ​Friday: Breakfast Morning meeting Student illness/ disciplinary issues Student signatures at 9:45am in Jensen Jeopardy to follow Student medications available after 10am

We have several online resources for you and your parents. WEBSITE • thousandpinesoutdoored.com Our website includes information about our program, curriculum, and facilities, including a video designed to help parents understand those things. It also has directions to give your principal or parents, forms for parents and for you, and a page about our staff recruitment – just in case you know anyone you’d recommend. BLOG • thousandpinesoutdoored.com/blog Updated daily, usually late in the morning, this blog can be a tool to help students learn about the program before they come, or to help reassure parents about what their children are doing during the week. The blog will also include a note about the webcam time – students will be visible at a specific time for your parents’ enjoyment and peace of mind. YOUTUBE • youtube.com/ThousandPinesOutdoor This has our promotional video, as well a playlist of videos useful to the staff: science videos including botany, birds, geology, astronomy, and more, as well as some of our favorite camp songs. FACEBOOK • facebook.com/ThousandPinesOutdoorEd We’re all on facebook anyway, so we decided that the company should be too. Pictures, updates, and fun. Check it out. Maybe review us too. TWITTER • twitter.com/TpinesOutdoorEd ​ Some cross-posts from facebook, but our twitter account also includes its own pictures and updates. Tweet at us from your school or classroom accounts!

Because COVID policies for the state and county, as well as individual schools, may change, we are unable to outline specifics here. Schools may request updated COVID protocol policies prior to arrival. We take the health and safety of students, individually and as a group, seriously, and we may have additional procedures on top of local protocols. Guests and staff are encouraged to wear a face mask if they desire, regardless of other requirements.

Guests and staff who become symptomatic of COVID while here are placed under temporary quarantine and must be picked up immediately. While under quarantine, students will be well cared for and remain under adequate adult supervision. Contagion Policy

Some weeks have only one school, and some have multiple schools. Different schools are not placed together at dining tables, in housing, nor during any activities. We do our best to ensure a safe experience for all students and teachers.

We routinely support a variety of dietary needs and restrictions. Nut allergies We are a nut-free program. We neither serve nor cook with nuts or nut products. A small portion of our food items may have been manufactured in a facility that processes nut products, for example pre-packaged cookies and snack bars. Unfortunately we cannot promise that other groups have not had nut products on site. If your child is allergic to nuts, please note this in their online profile and inform their classroom teacher. Vegetarians and Vegans Vegetarian and vegan options can be provided for the entire week. Please check our menu options, and note this need on the student’s online profile. Gluten-free Gluten-free options can be provided for the entire week. While we run a clean and professional kitchen, we cannot promise that there is zero chance for cross contamination. If you need to send supplemental food up, please see the last section about food. Please check our menu options, and note this need on the student’s online profile. Religious restrictions Here at TPOSS we host students from a wide range of religious backgrounds. We understand that many faiths have special dietary laws or practices. This is common and can be accommodated. If this is the case for your child, please note this need on the student’s online profile. Snacks Sending or bringing snacks is not permitted due to concerns about allergies of other students as well as concerns for cleanliness in the cabins. We will make sure that students have enough and the right food. Picky eaters We encourage parents to have their children practice on food similar to the camp while still at home. Each meal provides portions from different food groups, as well as options during each meal whenever possible. If you need to send supplemental food up, please see the next section. Other allergies and restrictions If your child has other needs not listed, including other food allergies or dietary habits, which are outside the ability of our program and facility to support, you may need to provide supplemental food for them. Food that would be sent up needs to be ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat meals for the student. Meals should be labeled with the day and meal, and should come in a box or cooler with the student's name and school labeled. When sending food, remember that we are a nut-free program. Please connect with your classroom teacher about food. TPOE Student Care Policy.pdf

Menu

General yearly climate Daily forecast

Snow season here begins as early as November and continues through April, so please check the weather forecast as your trip approaches. Preparing for snow includes waterproof clothing including boots, a jacket, and gloves. Other warm clothing is also recommended, like a scarf, thermals, and a beanie, as well as extra socks. We understand that it may be difficult for families to purchase these items. Please know that they are NOT a requirement.

Here at Thousand Pines Outdoor Science School we are dedicated to providing quality education in a safe environment. Staff all provide references and have a background check as part of being hired. Staff also have CPR and First Aid certifications, and additional on-site medical training. All staff are fingerprinted through the FBI and DOJ, as well as having a drug test. Staff are not allowed to be alone with a student, following the “rule of three” while here for the protection of students, teachers, and staff. All science lessons are taught by trained Program Instructors, who are required to have a 4-year college degree.

TPOSS hosts schools weekly between September and June. We offer four and five day programs, with Monday or Tuesday arrivals respectively. Both programs have a Friday departure. Thousand Pines Outdoor Education Promo

Yes, they are. One of the core values we emphasize throughout the week at TPOSS is conservation of our resources, including food and water waste. Three minute showers are a pretty standard Outdoor Education policy across the country. That being said, the total time for the water running is 3 minutes. We do not include changing prior to and following the shower within that time frame. Showers must be taken each full day students are present. We generally find that students adjust better than expected to this policy.

Thousand Pines has a health center located on its premises. During TPOSS it is staffed daily by a licensed nurse who has the ability to oversee student healthcare and administer medications, pending parental permission and doctor’s authorization. Emergency medical staff is also on-call 24 hours a day. Additionally, TPOSS is 5 minutes from EMS (Emergency Medical Services), 10 minutes from the sheriff’s station, and 25 minutes from two different hospitals.

Yes, after hours our main line is forwarded to an emergency line which is answered overnight.

In the event of an emergency, a supervising adult would contact you and the school directly. OE Parent Notification Policy.pdf

Here is our suggested packing list: Packing List

Both are acceptable for clothing and toiletries. If they don’t fit inside their bag, please pack your child’s sleeping bag and pillow in a trash bag - and don’t forget to pack another bag for the way home! Please label all luggage and bags with your child’s name and school name. During the winter, students often lose a glove or two. During the summer students often lose a hat. If possible, please label these items as well.

Hiking shoes are not required as sneakers work well on our trails the majority of the year. During inclement weather, waterproof hiking boots are recommended. If you choose to pack hiking shoes, please ensure that they have already been broken in.

Unfortunately blow dryers are prohibited. We understand this can be disappointing to some. At TPOSS we plan a day packed full of engaging, educational activities. The heaters in the cabins typically keep students warm after showering. We appreciate your flexibility.

If your child would like to bring a camera, we recommend bringing a disposable camera. Automatic cameras are welcome but we cannot be held responsible for lost property. The use of a cell phone as a camera is prohibited.

Cell phones are not allowed. If your child arrives with a cell phone, it will be given to their school leaders, who can return it at an appropriate time. Smart watches are generally allowed if the cellular options are disabled for their stay. Students generally do not have a need for any type of watch because their supervising adult(s) keeps them on schedule throughout the day and night. Schools may have additional restrictions on electronics.

Yes, most definitely. If your child has any individual needs, of any kind, please notate the specifics on their personal profile and ask your child’s teacher to state so on the Student Care Worksheet so that we at TPOSS may prepare to support them exceptionally well during their stay with us. TPOE Student Care Policy.pdf

Students attend each week with a wide variety of medical and/or medicinal needs. We regularly host students with asthma, epilepsy, diabetes, and other conditions. We are also familiar with students who need to take sleep aids, antidepressants, ADHD medications, etc. Our highly trained on-site nurse focuses solely on meeting the health needs of your child. By law, our nurse may not administer daily medications without a completed Release Form, including a Medication Authorization Form or doctor’s signature. It is of utmost importance that the medications are in their original packaging with dosage info and the Medication Authorization Form or doctor’s signature. For diabetes specifically, please see the link below. We look forward to safely hosting your child, whatever their medical and/or medicinal need. Diabetic Policy

Yes, most likely. Here at TPOSS we often have students who struggle to varying extents with bed wetting, sleepwalking, language barriers, homesickness, fear of the dark, behavioral difficulties (see link below), and more. We also host students who require 1-1 care from an aide. If you have a concern such as these, please notate it in their personal profile and request that your child’s teacher does the same on the Student Care Worksheet. Be assured that we do all we can to create a safe, inclusive environment for each student, no matter the situation. OE Behavior Expectations.pdf