About
San Mateo Outdoor Education includes time for students to learn about the natural world, explore the forest and beach ecosystems, and work together as a community. During the week, students also take part in daily living tasks such as making their beds, caring for their clothes, keeping themselves clean, setting up meals, cleaning the dining hall, and creating their cabin skit performance.
• Ages: 11–12 years old
• Schedule: Students spend a week at Outdoor Education in a week-long summer school adventure
• Price: It costs more than $500 to provide food, lodging, instructors, equipment, and supplies for a student to attend a week of Outdoor Education.
Prior to attending San Mateo Outdoor Education, a naturalist visits the child’s school and provides a presentation to help prepare them for the experience. Students are supervised at all times by their cabin leader, naturalist, or teacher. A Healthcare Specialist is responsible for dispensing any necessary medication and will contact parents if the child experiences any health problems while at Outdoor Education. There are no phones available for students, and mail is distributed at teacher time Tuesday through Thursday. Students are asked to follow a clothing checklist, bring older but serviceable clothing, limit luggage to one duffle bag or suitcase and a sleeping bag, and note any special medical diets on the registration form and discuss them with the Site Director at least one week before attendance.
The San Mateo County Office of Education conducts the Outdoor Education program in cooperation with local schools and the San Francisco YMCA Camp at Jones Gulch. High school students have volunteered as counselors, now called cabin leaders, and teachers from the schools accompany their students. The YMCA staff provides food service and facility maintenance. The program dates back to the summer of 1965, with a district-wide program for San Bruno Park Schools started in 1966, and a pilot Outdoor Education program approved in 1968 with 650 pupils. More than 225,000 children have attended Outdoor Education since its inception in 1968, and each year about 5,500 students and hundreds of teachers and cabin leaders spend a week at Outdoor Education.
Outdoor Education’s stated mission is to awaken in students an appreciation of the environment and the interdependence of all living and non-living things. The program is described as an award-winning Outdoor Education program. Both the academic program and the camp are certified Resident Outdoor Science Schools (ROSS) by California Outdoor School Administrators (COSA), and the camp maintains American Camping Association (ACA) accreditation. Jonathan Harris is listed as the contact for arranging tours, and Allison Collins is listed as the contact for further information about donations.
Last updated July 2, 2026.
• Ages: 11–12 years old
• Schedule: Students spend a week at Outdoor Education in a week-long summer school adventure
• Price: It costs more than $500 to provide food, lodging, instructors, equipment, and supplies for a student to attend a week of Outdoor Education.
Prior to attending San Mateo Outdoor Education, a naturalist visits the child’s school and provides a presentation to help prepare them for the experience. Students are supervised at all times by their cabin leader, naturalist, or teacher. A Healthcare Specialist is responsible for dispensing any necessary medication and will contact parents if the child experiences any health problems while at Outdoor Education. There are no phones available for students, and mail is distributed at teacher time Tuesday through Thursday. Students are asked to follow a clothing checklist, bring older but serviceable clothing, limit luggage to one duffle bag or suitcase and a sleeping bag, and note any special medical diets on the registration form and discuss them with the Site Director at least one week before attendance.
The San Mateo County Office of Education conducts the Outdoor Education program in cooperation with local schools and the San Francisco YMCA Camp at Jones Gulch. High school students have volunteered as counselors, now called cabin leaders, and teachers from the schools accompany their students. The YMCA staff provides food service and facility maintenance. The program dates back to the summer of 1965, with a district-wide program for San Bruno Park Schools started in 1966, and a pilot Outdoor Education program approved in 1968 with 650 pupils. More than 225,000 children have attended Outdoor Education since its inception in 1968, and each year about 5,500 students and hundreds of teachers and cabin leaders spend a week at Outdoor Education.
Outdoor Education’s stated mission is to awaken in students an appreciation of the environment and the interdependence of all living and non-living things. The program is described as an award-winning Outdoor Education program. Both the academic program and the camp are certified Resident Outdoor Science Schools (ROSS) by California Outdoor School Administrators (COSA), and the camp maintains American Camping Association (ACA) accreditation. Jonathan Harris is listed as the contact for arranging tours, and Allison Collins is listed as the contact for further information about donations.
Last updated July 2, 2026.
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