RANGELEY – It wasn’t class as usual last Friday at the Rangeley Lakes Regional School. Instead, at 8:30 a.m., students at RSU 78 loaded back onto school buses and headed up the road for a totally unplugged day at Saddleback.
It was the first UNPLUGGED day of its kind, according to RSU 78 Superintendent Susan Pratt, and the students were pretty excited.
“It was one of the best days I’ve ever had with kids,” said Pratt. “It was beautiful, the kids were fantastic, they were playing and having fun outside all day. The teachers had a fantastic day too – they feel incredibly rejuvenated.”
RSU 78 is in the middle of state educational testing so being at Saddleback all day provided a welcome break for everyone, she added.
Saddleback General Manager Chris Farmer was equally exhilarated. “Our goal was to give students a break from technology, get them outside for an entire day, and shake loose the stress that builds up from weeks of state testing,” he said. Farmer, who conceived of the idea, collaborated with Rangeley Lakes educator Nini Christensen to bring it to life. “It was an incredible occasion,” he said. As many as 150 students from Kindergarten to 12th grade, and 50 or so educators and administrators attended. “The school basically shut down for the entire day.”
Farmer explains that students had their choice of activities, including skiing, snowboarding, snow sculpting, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, relay races, and sledding. “We set things up loose, so kids could do what they wanted. There was no specific agenda and no mandatory activity. We kept it relaxed, and even the weather cooperated,” he added.
Students had just wrapped up several weeks of mandatory state testing, so the opportunity to get outside the classroom, away from electronics, and enjoy the beauty of Maine, was significant, Farmer said. For many RSU 78 students, it was a first visit to Saddleback, and for many, it was a first time on skis or a snowboard. Students were offered free gear and instruction, courtesy of the mountain.
Farmer’s FaceBook Page lit up with the positive reaction from parents:
- Thank you sooooooo VERY VERY VERY much to saddleback mtn for such an amazing day for the Rangeley school!!!!! What a beautiful day and awesome experience for our students!!!
- It was awesome for the kids to get out after all that testing.
- My kids have been talking about it nonstop tonight…Hope it becomes an annual thing! Yet another reason that I love our little school!
- So many first time snowshoers, x-country skiers and downhillers!
The Unplugged Day is part of Saddleback’s multi-year commitment to educators and students.
In 2009, Saddleback launched its PEAK Pass Program (Promoting Education and Activity for Kids), which originally rewarded Maine’s honor roll students in grades K-12 with deeply discounted season passes. The program is now available to kids beyond Maine and is designed to encourage students to perform well in school and stay active outside. Any student who makes the honor roll is eligible to receive the deeply discounted Saddleback PEAK Season Pass.
On Nov. 16, Saddleback surprised Maine’s 16 Teachers of the Year with a season-long commemoration, which started with free 2014-2015 Season Passes, valued at $13,200, and was followed by a “Wall of Fame” placed in the Saddleback Base Lodge and two pre-scheduled “Maine Teacher Days” at Saddleback, where any Maine public schoolteacher can buy one ski ticket and get one free.
For the remainder of the 2105 season Saddleback is offering the following education-related promotions:
All Kids & Teachers: Pay Your Grade! On April 18-19 teachers pay the lowest grade they teach and students pay the grade they’re in. That means 1st graders get a full day lift ticket for $1. School principals and superintendents ski for free. If you teach multiple grades then you pay the lowest grade you teach. Teachers and faculty must bring proof of employment.
College Students: Ski/Ride for Free. On April 19 we invite any and all college students to come enjoy skiing and riding at Saddleback Maine for FREE. A valid college I.D. will get you a full day ticket at no cost, with no catch. We just want you to enjoy some awesome spring skiing here at Saddleback Maine
Hope this goes again next yr!!! Our daughters had so much fun!!!