SLE Outside's Winter Programming

SEELEY LAKE - Since I became the Outdoor Education Coordinator for Seeley Lake Elementary (SLE) four years ago, I have enjoyed the unique opportunity to develop relevant and meaningful, place-based learning programs for our school. Although the activities and programs have grown and changed with each passing semester, the objectives and mission remain constant: to provide our students with hands-on educational experiences that expand learning opportunities beyond the school's core curriculum and the tools to learn directly from the natural world.

Now, SLE Outside encompasses all of the outdoor education, recreation and special events that SLE provides as part of our regular school day and through extracurricular programs.

Winter ecology and responsible outdoor recreation are the focus of SLE Outside's monthly curricular enrichment outings. Students in grades kindergarten through sixth grade throw on skis or snowshoes and take their learning outside one-two days each month in the winter. They explore topics such as animal, plant and human adaptations to winter, animal tracking, avalanche awareness and snow science (snow water equivalent, snow metamorphosis, snowflake identification, etc.). Nature-inspired art and writing is a big part of the program. Students build snow sculptures, and write "Stories in the Snow" to creatively tell the story of what the animals who left their tracks were doing. We continue to utilize Camp Paxson, the Lions Club Park and the Seeley Creek Ski Trails as our outdoor learning centers.

In addition to the regular school day outings, many of our extracurricular activities have been going strong for several years and continue to offer our kids quality outdoor sports and adventure, while promoting an appreciation for their local landscape.

The youth Nordic ski program is in its sixth year and has evolved into an essential part of the SLE culture. Our Nordic race team now boasts some of the fastest skiers in the region and we have made a name for ourselves in the Nordic community throughout the state. Twenty-three student athletes from Seeley Lake and Ovando in grades four through eight make up the Seeley Lake Nordic Ski Team. Coaches are Bridget Laird, Mike McGrew, Andrew Wyatt, Angus Batchelder and Karen Kovatch, all PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America) certified instructors.

We hosted our first annual SLE Outside Invitational in January at the Seeley Creek Ski Trails and the fourth Annual SLE Outside Skiesta Ski Race will be held Saturday, Feb. 13. Skiers from Whitefish, Helena, Missoula, Bigfork and the Bitterroot meet here in Seeley Lake to compete against one another.

This winter our schedule includes the Glacier Glide in Whitefish, the Homestake Hustle in Butte, and the West Yellowstone Rendezvous. Other local races our kids participate in include the OSCR and the Seeley Lake Biathlon.

The recreational ski program, which has consistently served up to 70 SLE students in grades first through eighth each Thursday in the winter for the past six years, has gone through some changes this year. Now called "SLE Snow School", Nordic skiing still makes up the bulk of the program but we added other outdoor winter activities such as snowshoeing, snow sculpture building, sledding and broom ball. Now that SLE students are getting out on the Nordic skis on a regular basis during their normal school day, it seems appropriate to mix some variety into the after school program.

Snow School, under the leadership of SLE teachers Kelsi Luhnow and Maggie Burwick, will culminate with a winter carnival at Camp Paxson Feb. 25. Students will create costumes with Cheri Thompson to wear at their final activity.

SLE teacher and ski coach Andrew Wyatt organized the Seeley Lake Ice Run (SLIR) 1K and 10K running race Jan. 23. The SLIR was part of his fifth- through eighth-grade elective running class where the kids trained for the upcoming Snow Joke half marathon and learned how to plan and host a race. Although the class ended at the end of the semester, Wyatt is still training after school with the students and they will run the Snow Joke Feb. 27. The SLE Outside Outdoor Equipment Coop will host an event at the store for runners and the community after the race.

Thanks to the SLE 21st Century Community Learning Center grant, SLE Outside will offer students an opportunity to learn to downhill ski or snowboard at Blacktail Mountain in Lakeside Feb. 15 (President's Day). The grant will cover the cost of the lesson, equipment rental and lift ticket for participating kids. The only additional cost will be $20 for the transportation to Blacktail and back. Parents of participating students are welcome as long as there is room on the bus.

More winter educational and recreational activities are being developed at SLE and will be added to our growing syllabus of enrichment opportunities throughout the next couple of months in an effort to engage students with their natural winter surroundings and encourage safe and responsible outdoor winter recreation. But before we know it, the snow will melt, hibernators will wake up and migratory birds will return. While we're still waxing skis, SLE Outside will get out the bikes, backpacks and binoculars and prepare to take kids out on spring adventures!

Each season in the Seeley Swan Valley provides renewed outdoor learning possibility and at SLE, we embrace it all!