Students get alternative education

A bright, sunny day on the mountain served as a perfect antidote for the mid-year doldrums for the eighth-grade class from Sisters Middle School on Thursday, February 2, as the group took part in the annual Winter Retreat at Hoodoo.

But rather than boarding down the slopes and chilling in the lodge, the students spent a full day testing themselves in teams, experiencing new activities, and even gaining tips on outdoor survival.

Brad Tisdel, best known for his work with the Sisters Folk Festival and the Americana Project, collaborates with the staff at Sisters Middle School for three "retreats" during the year, smoothing the transition toward high school through enhancing student self-awareness, practicing teamwork, and introducing eighth-graders to high school students.

"Not only do they gain valuable insight into themselves within the group, it is a great way to have shared experiences with their classmates and teachers outside of the traditional school setting," said Tisdel.

The students, broken into groups of about a dozen and paired with two high school leaders, moved through five stations during the day. Those stations included an introduction to Nordic skiing, an interactive music session led by Tisdel, a lesson in building a snow shelter, a live exhibition of dog sledding that included a team challenge, and a class on making fleece headwear.

"Our notion is to illustrate for students the need for balance in our lives while providing new experiences and challenging them to consider their roles in groups," said another staff member.

According to Tisdel, the cross-country skiing session is designed to expose students to a common recreational experience for Central Oregonians that the vast majority of the middle school population have never tried.

"We were surprised that only about 20 percent of this year's class had ever been on cross-country skis," he said.

"I liked the cross-country skiing the best because it was really fun and challenging," said eighth-grader Marie Coffey.

Probably the most unusual part of the day for the students came when choir director Rick Johnson split groups into teams of five or six and had them form a "sled dog team" using modified harnesses and a practice sled. Members had to decide who would make the best musher, the best lead dogs and other positions based on what they had been taught by Johnson when he demonstrated with his own dog team.

"I watched students from all different backgrounds work together as a team to achieve the goal of becoming a student-powered dog sled team," said Johnson. "I think the kids were impressed at how efficient actual sled dogs are and how their teamwork makes them so fast."

At a station run by teachers Paul Patton and Mike Geisen, students learned the basics of digging a snow shelter and about the importance of being able to start a fire.

"We feel this session is both practical and symbolic for eighth-graders moving on to high school," said Patton.

Staff members and students alike appreciated being able get outside the school walls and get together in a totally different environment than normal.

"It was wonderfully refreshing and a great way to connect with the kids at mid-year," said language arts teacher Megan Schoenecker. "In debriefing with the kids the next day, I heard over and over how much they learned and how much they enjoyed the day."

The final retreat of the year will be held in May, with students spending half the day on the middle school campus and half the day at the high school.

The Sisters Schools Foundation helps cover the cost of the retreats.