A Commitment to Experiential Education
Before entering your child in our school's lottery, we kindly ask that you take a moment to read about our school and understand what it takes to be successful here. We want to ensure that all families are fully informed about our values, expectations, and the opportunities available for student growth and success. Access to the lottery application is available at the bottom of this page.
“Learning through direct experience” is essential and central to the curriculum at ALCS in so many ways, and it is part of the unique framework of the holistic education we wish to provide for your child. We work throughout the process of planning and implementing our experiential program to maintain connections to our work within the classroom. Often the class work occurring before and after an experience may come to life in a new setting. Concepts that are more abstract on paper can suddenly make more sense in real world applications. This program allows us to maintain a high level of engagement and enrichment through shared experiences that create a sense of belonging.
Students leave campus nearly every Friday to work, play, discover, & reflect on what they’ve learned in places like the Gila River, Little Cherry Creek, San Vicente Trail, the “Wave Climbing Wall”, Boston Hill, art galleries and local businesses.
In middle school, we call these days Fabulous Fridays. As students advance to the high school, these Fridays become Community Orientation, a course that allows high school freshmen and students new to Aldo a way to orient (or find) their way in high school as well as in our surrounding community. Following Community Orientation, high school students spend Fridays working and learning in the community through internships or on Internships and Youth Conservation Corp crews.
Beyond Fridays, middle school students attend two overnight camping trips - one in the Fall and one in the Spring. 8th grade students prepare for high school by participating in an overnight backpacking trip. In high school, students participate in an annual 4-day backpacking trip along with at least one multi-day, out of town grade-level trip. Besides integrating curriculum and building a stronger school community, these trips allow students to expand their self confidence and find previously unknown strengths inside themselves.
Current high school grade-level trips:
Sonoran Sojourn and Aldo Count (9th)
Conflict Awareness (10th)
Junior Science Trip (11th)
NM History and Marine Biology in Mexico (12th)
At Aldo Leopold Charter School, we believe that learning through direct experience is essential to creating a holistic, engaging education. Our experiential education approach connects classroom learning with the real world, fostering a sense of belonging, self-discovery, and community involvement. As part of our commitment to this unique educational framework, we require active participation from students and families.
Students and their families must make a commitment to attend Aldo Leopold Charter School. This commitment includes:
1. Commitment to Experiential Learning
We understand that Aldo Leopold Charter School’s mission emphasizes learning through direct experience. We agree that our child will actively participate in field experiences, community involvement, and outdoor activities that are central to the curriculum. This includes:
2. Overnight and Extended Trips
We agree that our child will participate in the following overnight and extended trips, which are integral parts of the curriculum at Aldo Leopold Charter School:
Middle School: Two overnight camping trips each year, one in the Fall and one in the Spring. Eighth-grade students will also participate in a backpacking trip.
High School: Annual 4-day backpacking trip and grade-level trips, such as Sonoran Sojourn (9th), Conflict Awareness (10th), Junior Science Trip (11th), and NM History and Marine Biology in Mexico (12th).
3. Support for Experiential Education
We agree to actively support Aldo Leopold Charter School’s experiential education model by:
4. Communication and Collaboration
We understand that successful experiential education requires open communication between the school, parents, and students. This includes:
5. Respect for the School’s Values
We affirm that we share the school’s core values of environmental stewardship, community engagement, and learning through direct experience and inquiry. This includes:
6. Financial Responsibility
We understand that certain costs may be associated with some of the experiential learning activities, including field trips, overnight camps, and special equipment. We agree to contribute to these costs as we are able. Subsidies are available with qualification for free and reduced lunch.
By acknowldgeing this agreement, we commit to supporting Aldo Leopold Charter School’s experiential education program and ensuring that our child fully participates in the educational experiences that are integral to their learning.
Before entering your child in our school's lottery, we kindly ask that you take a moment to read about our school and understand what it takes to be successful here. We want to ensure that all families are fully informed about our values, expectations, and the opportunities available for student growth and success. Access to the lottery application is available at the bottom of this page.
“Learning through direct experience” is essential and central to the curriculum at ALCS in so many ways, and it is part of the unique framework of the holistic education we wish to provide for your child. We work throughout the process of planning and implementing our experiential program to maintain connections to our work within the classroom. Often the class work occurring before and after an experience may come to life in a new setting. Concepts that are more abstract on paper can suddenly make more sense in real world applications. This program allows us to maintain a high level of engagement and enrichment through shared experiences that create a sense of belonging.
Students leave campus nearly every Friday to work, play, discover, & reflect on what they’ve learned in places like the Gila River, Little Cherry Creek, San Vicente Trail, the “Wave Climbing Wall”, Boston Hill, art galleries and local businesses.
In middle school, we call these days Fabulous Fridays. As students advance to the high school, these Fridays become Community Orientation, a course that allows high school freshmen and students new to Aldo a way to orient (or find) their way in high school as well as in our surrounding community. Following Community Orientation, high school students spend Fridays working and learning in the community through internships or on Internships and Youth Conservation Corp crews.
Beyond Fridays, middle school students attend two overnight camping trips - one in the Fall and one in the Spring. 8th grade students prepare for high school by participating in an overnight backpacking trip. In high school, students participate in an annual 4-day backpacking trip along with at least one multi-day, out of town grade-level trip. Besides integrating curriculum and building a stronger school community, these trips allow students to expand their self confidence and find previously unknown strengths inside themselves.
Current high school grade-level trips:
Sonoran Sojourn and Aldo Count (9th)
Conflict Awareness (10th)
Junior Science Trip (11th)
NM History and Marine Biology in Mexico (12th)
At Aldo Leopold Charter School, we believe that learning through direct experience is essential to creating a holistic, engaging education. Our experiential education approach connects classroom learning with the real world, fostering a sense of belonging, self-discovery, and community involvement. As part of our commitment to this unique educational framework, we require active participation from students and families.
Students and their families must make a commitment to attend Aldo Leopold Charter School. This commitment includes:
1. Commitment to Experiential Learning
We understand that Aldo Leopold Charter School’s mission emphasizes learning through direct experience. We agree that our child will actively participate in field experiences, community involvement, and outdoor activities that are central to the curriculum. This includes:
- Fabulous Fridays (Middle School)
- Community Orientation (High School)
- Community Service & Internships (High School)
2. Overnight and Extended Trips
We agree that our child will participate in the following overnight and extended trips, which are integral parts of the curriculum at Aldo Leopold Charter School:
Middle School: Two overnight camping trips each year, one in the Fall and one in the Spring. Eighth-grade students will also participate in a backpacking trip.
High School: Annual 4-day backpacking trip and grade-level trips, such as Sonoran Sojourn (9th), Conflict Awareness (10th), Junior Science Trip (11th), and NM History and Marine Biology in Mexico (12th).
3. Support for Experiential Education
We agree to actively support Aldo Leopold Charter School’s experiential education model by:
- Encouraging our child’s full participation in off-campus and community-based activities.
- Providing necessary equipment and resources for trips and outdoor experiences.
- Ensuring our child’s timely arrival and preparedness for all off-campus activities, including overnight trips.
4. Communication and Collaboration
We understand that successful experiential education requires open communication between the school, parents, and students. This includes:
- Participation in meetings or events that may arise to support the experiential learning program.
- Communication with teachers and school staff if there are concerns or if a child requires additional support.
- Staying informed about the schedule and requirements for field trips, overnight trips, and other experiential learning activities.
5. Respect for the School’s Values
We affirm that we share the school’s core values of environmental stewardship, community engagement, and learning through direct experience and inquiry. This includes:
- Respect and support the school’s approach to learning and its focus on the natural world and community connections.
- Encourage our child to adopt values of responsibility, cooperation, and curiosity during their experiential learning activities.
6. Financial Responsibility
We understand that certain costs may be associated with some of the experiential learning activities, including field trips, overnight camps, and special equipment. We agree to contribute to these costs as we are able. Subsidies are available with qualification for free and reduced lunch.
By acknowldgeing this agreement, we commit to supporting Aldo Leopold Charter School’s experiential education program and ensuring that our child fully participates in the educational experiences that are integral to their learning.
