Frequently Asked Questions |
Teachers FAQ | Forms For Teachers | Parents FAQ | Kids FAQ | General Questions TEACHERS (also note resources at right) What lessons do you offer? To see a listings o the lessons we offer, go to our lessons page at: How do I best prepare my students? We encourage you to make use of our pre-visit curriculum packet which you can download here at: Do your lessons meet state NCLB learning standards/requirements? Absolutely. Our administrative staff includes former school teacher Meg Edstrom who taught 3rd-5th grade for three years in Maine. Meg’s teaching certification and experience in the classroom required an ability to deliver and guide curriculum under the auspices of No Child Left Behind standards. Meg, along with our Residential Program Director ’, aligned all of our current lessons to meet individual state learning standard requirements.” Download MS Word documents of how FBES is meeting the NCLB standards in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. PARENTS (also note resources at right) We request that you -- we can not handle the volume.
Our phone policy is that students are to have access to phones only in the event of an emergency. (You can imagine how hectic it would be to have 100 students wanting to use the phone!). Why can’t my child bring his/her cell phone? We have found that cell phones do not have a place at FBES. We have witnessed too many cases of cell phones being misused and causing unnecessary trouble. Please be sure your student DOES NOT bring a cell phone. How do I get in touch with the classroom teachers or the FBES directors in the event of an emergency? If you have an emergency, or need to contact someone at our school, call the school anytime at (207) 283-9951. Packing: How do I ensure my child doesn’t lose anything? We highly recommend labeling everything you are sending with your child’s name. Packing together with your child will make sure you both know what they are bringing. And, because kids will be kids, we highly discourage bringing anything valuable/expensive. Food: What’s the menu? Check out a sample week’s menu. on our campus page. Are there snacks available? In addition to providing healthy meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, fruit (usually apples, oranges, bananas and kiwis) is available to the students during their free time. What do I do if my child has food allergies? Our nurse works closely with our food service to accommodate as many food concerns as we can. As each child and allergy are unique, we deal with them on a case by case basis. We will work with you and your child to ensure that their dietary needs are met. Please contact us about your child’s specific needs. Teaching Staff: Do you have background checks done on your staff? Yes, all staff receive background checks and extensive training in the art and method of teaching children in the out-of-doors. Our staff includes individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds, including the natural sciences, humanities and education. Our naturalists are hired for their enthusiasm, energy, and past success working with children as well as those who return to FBES to teach multiple terms. Is your site handicap accessible? Yes. Two of our dorms are fully wheelchair accessible and the first floor of our main building, which has access to the dining hall, bathrooms, and the nurse’s and directors office is similarly accessible. FBES also has access to a beach wheelchair that can be made available upon request. Every effort is made to include handicap students to the fullest extent possible in everything that happens at FBES. How are dorm assignments, study groups and dining tables assigned? Classroom teachers are responsible for assigning students to their various groups. My child needs to leave early/midweek - what do I do? If your child needs to leave FBES for special circumstances, please make these arrangements with your child’s classroom teacher. When you come to pick up your child, we will have you sign a dismissal form. KIDS Who will my roommate be? Your classroom teacher is responsible for assigning dorm rooms, so he/she is the best person to ask. Who is my naturalist going to be? Your naturalist will be assigned to your study group when you get here, but you can check out our Staff page to see who works here at Ferry Beach. What is the weather like? FBES weather is typical of coastal New England: completely unpredictable! We get warm, sunny, beautiful days (even in March and November — REALLY!) and cold, wet rainy days (even in September and June!). No matter when you will be attending FBES, it is a good idea to bring clothes for a variety of weather — layers are highly recommended and rain jacket never hurts! Can I go swimming? No — For safety reasons we do not allow students in the water at any time. Besides, it is almost always too cold to go swimming in the Gulf of Maine from September to June. Finally, our insurance policy forbids students from going into the water. What kind of wildlife will I see? This depends on many things, including what time of year you are coming, how quiet your group is and just plain luck. FBES students in the past have seen foxes, egrets, squirrels, chipmunks, seals, porcupines, skunks and moose (just once, but it was here!). Then of course there are all the creatures at the tide pools! What happens during free time? Free time at FBES is a lot like recess at school — except that there is a beach here! You need to be with an adult from your school during free time and as long as that is true there are a variety of places you can hang out: the playground with a volley ball court, swings, climbing apparatus, and the infamous spinny cups, the basketball court, the beach and/or your dorm. When is lights out? 9 pm. Can I stay up later than that? No. Days at FBES can be long and tiring, so you’ll need your rest to be able to keep up! What’s a typical day at FBES? Check out this link to see what a typical day in the life of a student is. (oh, wait, that is yet to be developed’Ķworking on that!) What should I wear? Check out the packing list for a complete list of things to bring. Things to keep in mind are that we are on the ocean so weather changes quickly. Lots of layers are a good idea and remember that you will be outside, so don’t bring your best clothes — bring ones you don’t mind getting a bit dirty are a better choice. It is also good to know that if you school has a dress code, it is likely it applies here at FBES too. GENERAL QUESTIONS: How do I sign my child up for your program? We coordinate our programs through schools and school districts, so if you are interested in having your child attend FBES, discuss it with you child’s school or PTO. We are always happy to talk with interested schools or other groups including householders! What about if I home school my child? We are willing to work with groups of 10 or more to put together a program for householders. Our program is not set up to work with individuals but if there is an interested group with one person who is willing to act as the trip coordinator and liaison with FBES we would be happy to work with him or her. How many acres is the campus? The FBES campus is situated on 32 acres of coastal land. How do I apply for a job as a staff naturalist? Check out the staff page to find out all the details! How can I purchase FBES merchandise? Go to our store page to find out more about our merchandise and how to buy it! Are there ways besides the residential program to get the FBES experience? Please check out our pages devoted to Field Trips, Outreach at Schools, and Workshops we offer for more information on our other programs! How are you funded? About 87% of our funding comes from the tuition fees schools pay. The rest comes from individual donors who give to our events and annual appeals, as well as from foundation grants and business sponsors. Please check out our donations page if you are interested in giving to this great organization! Are you a government agency? No. FBES is an independent 501 (c)(3) educational non-profit organization unaffiliated with the government. |
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TEACHER RESOURCES PARENT RESOURCES
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