Outdoor School Staff Apply Now

Staff Training Week

Outdoor School's paid training and preparation week runs Monday, January 18 through Friday, January 22, 2027 at Camp Ramah, with a day of district meetings in Newbury Park and Thousand Oaks on Tuesday. The schedule below is preliminary and may change.

The Camp Ramah dining hall with the mountains behind

Meals are provided at camp except where noted.

Monday, January 18 — Arrival, Tour & Orientation

10:00 am · Staff meeting and camp tour

  • Coffee and danish provided.
  • Individual introductions.
  • Full facility tour: dining hall, fields, health center, basketball / tennis / soccer courts, staff lounge, White House, kitchen, office, cabins, campfire area, gazebo, baseball field, and staff bathrooms and housing.

11:00 am · Move in and unpack

12:00 pm · Lunch in the dining hall

1:00 pm · Staff meeting and trails

  • Handbooks, pins, nametags, markers, and radios distributed.
  • Guided hike: campfire to treehouse to hilltop gazebo and back. Bring binoculars.
  • Hazards: poison oak, ticks, bees, rattlesnakes.
  • Health center protocols and nurse procedures.
  • Emergency procedures and staff regulations.
  • Nametag and radio use.

5:30 pm · Dinner

7:30 pm · Staff lounge meeting

  • History of Outdoor School.
  • Outdoor School presentation.
  • Health protocols overview.
  • Training schedule and hours.

Tuesday, January 19 — District Meetings (off-site)

8:00 am · Breakfast

9:00 am · Depart for district meetings

  • CVUSD District Operational Center, 750 Mitchell Road, Newbury Park, CA 91320 · (805) 498-4557.

10:00 am – 12:00 pm · HR meetings

12:45 – 2:30 pm · Health issues training

  • All Outdoor School staff, with district nurses.
  • Board Room, inside Conejo Valley High School — CVUSD Educational Center, 1400 E Janss Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362 · (805) 497-9511.

3:00 pm · Livescan fingerprinting

  • ACCU-PRINTS, 301 Science Drive, Suite 132, Moorpark · (805) 529-5288.
  • Keep your Livescan form — it is emailed to HR afterward.

3:30 pm · TB testing

  • Carbon Health Urgent Care — Moorpark Marketplace, 806 New Los Angeles Ave #A1, Moorpark, CA 93021 (across from the Livescan facility).

3:30 pm · Optional supply run

  • Some staff visit the storage area for camp supplies or make personal stops before returning.

4:00 pm · Return to camp

  • Camp Ramah, 385 Fairview Rd., Ojai, CA. Free time for personal errands.

5:30 pm · Dinner

7:00 pm · High school counselors discussion

7:30 pm · Night hike

  • Equipment: telescopes, laser pointers.
  • Topics: ISS viewing, noise management, activities, and games.

Wednesday, January 20 — Trail Class Workshops

8:00 am · Breakfast

9:00 am · Trail class workshop

  • Hike guidelines.
  • Journal use.
  • Plant identification.
  • Animal identification.

12:00 pm · Lunch

2:00 pm · Trail class workshop (continued)

  • Orientation techniques.
  • Playground and Gaa-Gaa games.
  • Electives overview.

5:00 pm · Dinner

7:30 pm · Campfire

  • Skits and activities.
  • Music and singing.

Thursday, January 21 — Trail Class Workshops

8:00 am · Breakfast

9:00 am · Trail class workshop

  • Geology topics.
  • Water systems.
  • Chumash cultural content.

12:00 pm · Lunch

1:00 pm · Trail class workshop (continued)

  • Rainy-day hike alternatives and activities.
  • Working with students, counselors, teachers, principals, parents, and Ramah staff.
  • Student discipline strategies.
  • Staff meeting procedures.
  • Bus rider protocols.

5:00 pm · Dinner in town

Friday, January 22 — Wrap-up & Weekend Dismissal

8:00 am · Breakfast

9:00 am · Trail class workshop

  • Final topic review and open discussion.

11:00 am · Weekend dismissal

  • No food service at noon.

Topics Covered During the Week

Rainy-day activities · electives · campfire entertainment · trail systems · working with students, counselors, teachers, principals, parents, and Ramah staff · discipline · hike guidelines · plant and animal identification · geology · water systems · Chumash culture · night hiking and astronomy · orientation · high school counselor coordination · parent presentations · health protocols · health center procedures · nametags and radios · staff meetings · bus protocols · Wednesday schedules · playground games · staff rules and emergency procedures · organizational history · hazard awareness · journal use · telescope and ISS activities · modifications for special needs instruction.

Sample Training-Week Menu

A past menu, for reference — the 2027 menu may differ.

All meals include a vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free option. All meals are nut-free.

Day Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Monday None Veggie / turkey wraps, chips, fruit, water Veggie enchiladas, rice, beans, salsa, green salad
Tuesday English muffins, scrambled eggs, breakfast potato, yogurt, fresh fruit, beverages Sack lunch for meetings Tortellini alfredo, steamed broccoli, garlic bread, tossed salad
Wednesday Breakfast sandwiches, croissant, fried egg, sliced cheese, hash browns, fresh fruit Falafel, pita, hummus, tzatziki, Israeli salad Chili bar (meat & vegetable), toppings, Fritos
Thursday Bagels & cream cheese, fruit salad, yogurt bar, beverages Pulled BBQ chicken sandwiches, grilled veggie sandwich, curly fries, coleslaw Dinner in Ojai
Friday Pancakes, scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, yogurt / oatmeal, fresh fruit None None

Questions

Contact Tom Hoegeman, Outdoor School Office — thoegeman@conejousd.org · (805) 497-9511 ext. 4248.

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