Frequently Asked Questions

As a new (or even returning) participant, you may have questions about what to expect on your first day of a program, logistics around payment for programs, and so on. You’ll find answers to the most common questions we get here. Many of the program pages have additional FAQs with questions specific to that program. If you don’t find answers to your questions on the website, feel free to send us a note.

General F.A.Q.s

LOGISTICS

Most of our programs at Crow’s Path are run out of Rock Point in Burlington, VT. However, we also run programs at Teage’s house and on the Long Trail, Winooski River, and other natural areas. See specific page programs for details.

Yes! There are a range of ways to get involved.

  • Donate: (will take you to an external PayPal site). We are a 501(c)(3). Your tax-deductible financial contributions help us keep our programs affordable and accessible.
  • Volunteer: Have a skill to share? Looking to see our programs in action? Come out and volunteer with us.
  • Intern: For adults 18+ looking to expand their teaching skills and learn more about our approach to education.
  • Jobs: Check here for any current job openings.

Conditions at our camp and on trips are rustic and our bathrooms include peeing in the woods, using the outhouse at our base camp, digging a cathole while out on excursions, or taking advantage of the port-o-lets at Rock Point’s parking lot (only occasionally will we have access to buildings).

Crow’s Path has a few rustic shelters at Rock Point. We occasionally make use of the green cabins at Rock Point, but are typically out on the land. In case of emergencies, we have access to several safe, dry indoor spaces on the property.

We can always find creative ways of playing outside whether there be wind, rain, snow, or sun. But safety is our top concern and given severe weather we will cancel. We try and give as much advance notice as possible, but forecasts can change quite quickly. We cancel programs when we see the weather as potentially dangerous. That said, 0F with no wind and blue skies can be significantly safer than 33F with rain and strong winds, and 10F can feel differnet in October versus March, so rather than rely on numbers we use our best judgement to keep us safe and happy. If you have concerns about weather leading up to one of our programs, please contact us.

We strive for a ratio of around 1 staff to every 4 kids. With interns our numbers are closer to 1 to 3.

Yes, we run a number of adult programs, including field walks, teacher trainings, college level courses, and expeditions.

At this point we do not host field trips for schools. We do facilitate teacher trainings to equip teachers with the skills needed to run outdoor-based programs at their schools. Contact us for details.

REGISTRATION + PAYMENTS

 

To register for a program, you will need to fill out a registration form (available here) and submit a non-refundable deposit (deposits are only cashed if you are accepted into the program).

We accept either cash or checks for our programs. Checks should be made out to Crow’s Path and sent to 56 Latham Ct, Burlington VT 05401. We do not accept credit cards, PayPal or other online payments. A non-refundable deposit is due with registration (the deposit will be cashed only after you have been accepted into the program). Check the program page for specifics on when payments are due.

Yes! Financial aid forms are available on the registration page for each camp. We strive to make all of our programs affordable to families and not let money be a barrier to participation. Please inquire about work trade opportunities as well. In the past we have had parents help by knitting us sweaters, taking photographs, offering help in our gardening, giving us honey, offering web support, and much more. We’re happy to take whatever help you can offer!

Be in touch early if you need to change enrollment in a program. Deposits are non-refundable, but depending on how early you cancel you may be receive a partial refund. Tuition payments are non-transferable. See specific program page for details on refunds.

Yes! While we would love to be able to accept everyone to our programs, we often have more applicants than we can accommodate. You will be notified if you are placed on the waitlist. We will hold your check until the program begins (unless you would prefer we shred it). We offer spaces as they become available to families on the waitlist. We give families 48hrs to accept or decline the spot before moving down to the next family on the list.

It’s hard to tell how many spaces will open up after a program fills. Some programs have long waitlists, while others may have shorter ones. Contact us to find about the waitlist for a specific program.

Our first priority is to get all kids who apply during the initial enrollment period into at least one week of camp (with a maximum of three weeks). After that, we will place kids in additional weeks. Families will be able to list their camp preferences and we will do our best to place kids in camps that they are most excited about. However, the more flexible you are, the easier it will be to get a spot! If a participant does not get their first choice camp we will try to place them by order of their preferences.

In lieu of prioritizing only new families or returning families, we strive to create a balance of age, gender and past participation in each week of camp. We also do our best to pair siblings when this is a priority for the family. Upon being placed for a camp that you have selected, your deposit will be cashed. We are so excited to see everyone out on the land!

Field School F.A.Q.s

LOGISTICS

Each family coordinates with their child’s teacher and/or principal. We are happy to connect new families with returning families to share experiences and strategies for connecting the Field School experience with their child’s academic school experience. The following documents can be helpful in showing teachers how our activities connect with state standards and class learning.

Burlington Schools have an updated attendance policy for Fall 2023 that will not affect your child’s attendance. Read more here.

What you bring, of course, depends on the weather and the type of program. General advice is to come prepared with what you need to be comfortable spending a day outside. This looks different for everyone, but some general rules apply that will keep a good day good:

  • Snack
  • Water or something else to drink (tea on cold days)
  • Lunch
  • Warm clothes
  • Projects from previous weeks
  • Knife (optional, we sell knives, all knives must lock open)

Conditions at our camp and on trips are rustic and our bathrooms include peeing in the woods, using the outhouse at our base camp, digging a cathole while out on excursions, or taking advantage of the port-o-lets at Rock Point’s parking lot (only occasionally will we have access to buildings).

Crow’s Path has a few rustic shelters at Rock Point. We occasionally make use of the green cabins at Rock Point, but are typically out on the land. In case of emergencies, we have access to several safe, dry indoor spaces on the property.

We can always find creative ways of playing outside whether there be wind, rain, snow, or sun. But safety is our top concern and given severe weather we will cancel. We try and give as much advance notice as possible, but forecasts can change quite quickly. We cancel programs when we see the weather as potentially dangerous. That said, 0F with no wind and blue skies can be significantly safer than 33F with rain and strong winds, and 10F can feel differnet in October versus March, so rather than rely on numbers we use our best judgement to keep us safe and happy. If you have concerns about weather leading up to one of our programs, please contact us.

We strive to have balance in both gender and age in our programs and take both of these into consideration in the admissions process.

You can find full staff bios here. Our staff are highly qualified in a range of skills and all are certified Wilderness First Aid or higher.

We strive for a ratio of around 1 staff to every 4 kids. With interns our numbers are closer to 1 to 3.

The Field School runs from 9am-3pm on either Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. Overnights begin at 9am and end the following day with a closing circle for families of the kiddos from 9-9:45am.

There are 2 overnights for the Field School, one in the fall and the other in the spring (see the calendar for dates). Overnights start at 9am like a normal FS day. There is a potluck dinner for families at 5:30pm that evening, and a closing circle, also for families, after the overnight from 9-9:45am.

The Field School is located at Rock Point in Burlington, VT. To learn more about Rock Point, visit the about page.

REGISTRATION + PAYMENTS

Registration for the Field School is open June 25 – July 12. New families are notified by July 20. You can find more details on the program pageContact us to be added to our mailing list for registration announcements in our monthly email newsletter.

We accept either cash or checks. Checks should be made out to Crow’s Path and mailed to 56 Latham Ct, Burlington VT 05401. We do not accept credit cards, PayPal or other online payments. A $200 non-refundable deposit is due with registration (the deposit is cashed only after you have been accepted into the program.). You can pay quarterly, by the semester, or upfront. The payment schedule is as follows:

  • August 15: First quarter, semester, or full amount payment due
  • November 1: Second quarter payment due
  • January 15: Third quarter, second semester payment due
  • March 15: Final quarter payment due

Please note, there is $25 fee for all late payments.

Yes! Financial aid forms are available on the registration page for each camp. We strive to make all of our programs affordable to families and not let money be a barrier to participation. Please inquire about work trade opportunities as well. In the past we have had parents help by knitting us sweaters, taking photographs, offering help in our gardening, giving us honey, offering web support, and much more. We’re happy to take whatever help you can offer!

Be in touch early if you need to change enrollment in a program. Deposits are non-refundable and tuition payments are non-transferable. Our refund policy is as follows: if you cancel

  • before August 15, you will receive a full refund on any payments made (minus the non-refundable deposit)
  • after August 15 and before September 1, you will receive a 50% refund on the first quarter payment and a full refund on payments for any subsequent quarters (minus the non-refundable deposit)
  • after September 1, we cannot offer a refund for the current quarter’s payment
  • after January 15 and before February 1, you will receive a 50% refund on the third quarter payment and a full refund on payments for the fourth quarter (minus the non-refundable deposit)
  • after February 1, we cannot offer a refund for the current quarter’s payment

Yes! While we would love to be able to accept everyone to our programs, we often have more applicants than we can accomodate. You will be notified if you are placed on the waitlist. We will hold your check until the program begins (unless you would prefer we shred it). We offer spaces as they become available to families on the wait list. We give families 48hrs to accept or decline the spot before moving down to the next family on the list.

While we typically have a long waitlist for the Field School (25-50), we often have a few spots open up during the year and can bring new kiddos in.

Summer Camp F.A.Q.s

LOGISTICS

What you bring, of course, depends on the weather and the type of program. General advice is to come prepared with what you need to be comfortable spending a day outside. This looks different for everyone, but some general rules apply that will keep a good day good:

  • Snack
  • Big water bottle
  • Lunch
  • Swimming suit + Towel
  • Projects to work on
  • Bugs spray and sunscreen 
  • Knife with a locking blade (knives are optional, and we do offer Mora knives for $17)

Conditions at our camp and on trips are rustic and our bathrooms include peeing in the woods, using the outhouse at our base camp, digging a cathole while out on excursions, or taking advantage of the port-o-lets at Rock Point’s parking lot (only occasionally will we have access to buildings and should not be counted on).

Crow’s Path has a few rustic shelters at Rock Point. We occasionally make use of the green cabins at Rock Point, but are typically out on the land. In case of emergencies, we have access to several safe, dry indoor spaces on the property.

We can always find creative ways of playing outside whether there be wind, rain, snow, or sun. But safety is our top concern and given severe weather we will cancel. We try and give as much advance notice as possible, but forecasts can change quite quickly. We cancel programs when we see the weather as potentially dangerous. That said, 0F with no wind and blue skies can be significantly safer than 33F with rain and strong winds, and 10F can feel differnet in October versus March, so rather than rely on numbers we use our best judgement to keep us safe and happy. If you have concerns about weather leading up to one of our programs, please contact us.

We strive to have balance in both gender and age in our programs and take both of these into consideration in the admissions process.

We strive for a ratio of around 1 staff to every 5 kids. With interns our numbers are closer to 1 to 4.

Different programs run at different times. Most of our summer camps run from 9am-3:30pm. See specific program’s page for details.

We do not offer care after camp. Pick up is at 3:30pm for most camps (check camp page for specifics). Our staff time at the end of the day is valuable, so please be on time. The first time you are late to pick up we will send you a reminder. After that, there is a $20 fee if you are less than 20 minutes late. After that there is a $40 fee.

We have camps at Rock Point, Red Rocks, and Wheeler Park. Each camp has the location listen in the description.

All staff are at least 18 years old and are wilderness first aid or wilderness first responder certified.

Yes! All lead staff are certified lifeguards. and any water activity is supervised by a lifeguard.

Every camp has ample time for swimming! Each camp has its own theme, so check out the descriptions of the different camps to see what specific activities your child will engage with. Each camp has multiple staff that offer different activities each day so you kid will always have a choice and not every kid will do every activity that week. There is plenty of overlap between weeks, so don’t despair if your kid wants to carve but isn’t signed up for Whittler’s Wharf.

No! While we have knives for sale, we provide tools for each activity we lead. We take knife safety very seriously and create a safe, controlled environment for kids to learn how to use these tools safely. If you are concerned about knife safety, please read our Safety Release form or contact us to learn more about our knife safety protocols.

Yes! If you are over 18, we have lots of opportunities for being involved in our programs. For volunteers, we ask that if you want to visit once you have to visit twice. We want for staff and participants to get to know the adults that come out to visit. While internships are unpaid. Internships are ideal for people interested in learning more about nature connection work and who can . Interns often receive credit through their colleges. Contact us to find out how to get involved.

REGISTRATION + PAYMENTS

Our updated schedule for the coming summer is posted by January 15. Registration for summer camps is open from February 1-8. We will notify families by February 22.  Contact us to be added to our mailing list for registration announcements in our monthly email newsletter.

We accept either cash or checks.Checks should be made out to Crow’s Path and mailed to 56 Latham Ct, Burlington, VT 05401. We do not accept credit cards, PayPal or other online payments (since these take a percentage). A non-refundable deposit for each camp is due with registration, the remainder of your balance is due on June 1. If submitting registration for a camp after June 1, the full cost of the camp is due to register and reserve your spot. Please note, there is a $25 fee for all late payments.

Yes! Financial aid forms are available on the registration page for each camp. We strive to make all of our programs affordable to families and not let money be a barrier to participation. Please inquire about work trade opportunities as well. In the past we have had parents help by knitting us sweaters, taking photographs, offering help in our gardening, giving us honey, offering web support, and much more. We’re happy to take whatever help you can offer!

Crow’s Path cancellation policies are based on our investment in staff, program planning, as well as equipment purchases before your program. We cannot recover our expenses if you cancel. Short-notice cancellations often prevent others from attending. Our instructors design programming, gather materials, and commit themselves based on enrollment. By following through on your financial commitment you are supporting the work we do and valuing the time and labor of our staff in making our high-quality programming possible.

Participant Cancellation:

Once accepted into a camp, deposits are non-refundable, and payments are non-transferable. If you need to cancel, please be in touch as soon as possible. Our refund policy is as follows: if you cancel

  • before June 1, you will receive a refund of any payment beyond the deposit for each camp
  • after June 1 and more than 2-weeks before camp starts, you will receive a 50% refund of any payment beyond the deposit for each camp
  • any time 2-weeks or less before camp starts, we cannot offer a refund

Under Enrollment Cancellation:

In the event that a program is cancelled because of under enrollment, you will receive a refund of 100% of any payment, including the deposit

  • Donations made in an amount above the base rate of the program are nonrefundable.
  • Any payments (even “non-refundable deposits”) will be returned if you are unable to participate in a program due to lack of approval (or partial approval) of a financial aid request.

Cancellation due to an Extreme External Circumstance: (Natural Disaster, Pandemic, Other Unforeseen Act of Nature)

 Cancellations due to extreme or unforeseen circumstances are rare, and we do our best to make alternate arrangements to run our programs so long as we can do so safely, in compliance with local and state regulations, and in alignment with our mission and philosophy.If we cancel a program due to extreme circumstances

  • after registration but before final payments are due, you will receive a refund of any payment beyond the deposit for each camp
  • after the final payment is due, no refund will be offered 

COVID19 Update: Specifically for 2020 Summer Camp

At this time we do not know whether or not summer camps will run as normal. We are closely tracking updates and will continue to respond to the evolving public health situation in accordance with the Vermont Department of Health and local regulations. It may be that we are able to run camps, that some camps are cancelled while others are able to run, or that all are cancelled. Our updated policy for summer camp families is as follows: 

 If you cancel

  • before April 15, 2020, you will receive a 100% refund including deposit
  • after April 15, 2020, deposits are non-refundable and non-transferrable, even if we must cancel due to COVID19 or another other unforeseen external circumstance

If we cancel due to COVID19 or other unforeseen external circumstance

  • after June 1 and more than 2-weeks before camp starts, you will receive a 50% refund of any payment beyond the deposit for each camp in which you’re enrolled 
  • any time 2-weeks or less before camp starts, no refund will be offered

Please Note:

  • Summer Camp payments are now due in full on June 1. If we do not receive payment by that time date, spots will be offered to the wait-list
  • If your family chooses to keep your child home for any reason, or if we send your child home due to symptoms of illness, no refunds will be made

It’s hard to tell how many spaces will open up after a program fills. Some programs have long waitlists, while others may have shorter ones.

Yes! While we would love to be able to accept everyone to our programs, we often have more applicants than we can accomodate. You will be notified if you are placed on the waitlist. We will hold your check until the program begins (unless you would prefer we shred it). We offer spaces as they become available to families on the wait list. We give families 48hrs to accept or decline the spot before moving down to the next family on the list.

Our first priority is to get all kids who apply during the initial enrollment period into at least one week of camp (with a maximum of three weeks). After that, we will place kids in additional weeks. Families will be able to list their camp preferences and we will do our best to place kids in camps that they are most excited about. However, the more flexible you are, the easier it will be to get a spot! If a participant does not get their first choice camp we will try to place them by order of their preferences.

In lieu of prioritizing only new families or returning families, we strive to create a balance of age, gender and past participation in each week of camp. We also do our best to pair siblings when this is a priority for the family. Upon being placed for a camp that you have selected, your deposit will be cashed. We are so excited to see everyone out on the land!