Washington Outdoor School Coalition
Members of the Washington Outdoor School Coalition (WOSC) and the team at Outdoor Schools Washington collaborate to connect students to overnight experiences at one of more than 40 outdoor sites in WA.
What is WOSC?
A coalition of Outdoor School Providers and Advocates committed to advancing the field.
WOSC Vision
Every Washington State student attends and benefits from overnight outdoor education experiences.
WOSC Mission
To foster a community of engaged and inspired citizens. Collectively, we will increase the reach and impact of overnight outdoor environmental education by advocating for support and reducing barriers to provide access to every student in WA State.
Resources and Information
One-Pager on the funding ask:
Outdoor Learning Grant Program One Pager
The details and numbers behind the one-pager
Fund OSPI’s Decision Package:
OSWA’s Request —> Expanding Student Access to Outdoor Education
Contacting Your Legislators
Find Your Legislators
To find which legislators represent you, click the District Finder and enter your address. A list of your Washington State Representatives and Senator, as well as your Congressional members, will be returned.
Email Your Legislators
If you prefer email, you may use the website's email forms to send messages to your legislators anytime. Click your legislator's name from the Member Email List page to the email form.
Top Priority Legislators and Important Committees
If you are interested in learning about the legislators and committees that are considered a priority, you can access that password protected information using the following button. This is also the home of the Legislator Tracking Sheet on which WOSC members can keep detailed notes about meetings and conversations that are had with elected officials.
Additional Resources
Example Letters
Letter to Governor Inslee (copy to Governor-elect Ferguson)
Send Bill Comments
We don’t have a reference here yet, so check back on which bills might need your input
If you would like to send a message to your legislators about a specific bill, you may use the Bill Comments form, which is accessible from each individual Bill Summary web page. After entering the bill number, click Search and select Comment on this bill to get started.
Are you interested in joining WOSC?
The coalition meets regularly to discuss ways to support the growth and evolution of the outdoor school programs across Washington State.
Sometimes the discussion is about hiring strategies and other times it’s about kitchen equipment. No topic is too abstract or too detailed! It all matters.
Please complete the interest form and we will be in touch about next steps.
Current WOSC Leadership
Jennifer Kidder, Chair - NatureBridge
John Hayes - Mt. Rainier Institute
Patrick Kissinger, Advocacy Chair - Cedar Outdoor School, Scouting America
Ray Cramer, Communities of Practice Chair - Islandwood
Swift Dispatch Archive
OSWA’s memo to WOSC members