Chaperone expectations

Chaperones play an important role in the success of each program by mediating relationships between Sky School staff and students. To ensure this role is effective, we ask chaperones to help us in the following areas:

• Safety. Chaperones are responsible for student safety during mealtimes, breaks, mornings before programs begin, and evenings after programs end. During these times, Sky School staff are preparing for other activities or resting and cannot supervise students. Specific responsibilities include:
  • knowing where students are at all times. Chaperones may supervise outdoor play or morning/evening walks, but students should not be allowed to explore the campus or mountain alone. Mountain lion sightings are not uncommon at the Mt. Lemmon summit.
  • administering medicine. Chaperones and teachers can administer medical care to students in line with regular school policy.
• Behavior. Chaperones are asked to help ensure programs are positive experiences for students. This can be accomplished by:
  • maintaining student behavior standards in line with the pre-program agreement and school expectations
  • preventing damage to facilities or the natural environment. We expect that students will not damage or destroy any of the University of Arizona's property, nor the National Forest resources of our campus.
• Logistics. Chaperones can always help with site logistics. Specific areas include
  • Mealtime serving and cleanup - help is always appreciated.
  • Dormitory cleanup - ensuring the dorms remain clean is expected throughout the program, with a thorough cleaning on the final day during move-out.
• Inquiry. During instructional times, Sky School staff are responsible for teaching and group management. However, chaperones can still contribute in the following ways:
  • Focusing. Chaperones can help keep students on-task in their work.
  • Questioning. Chaperones can participate in lessons by asking questions or otherwise engaging in the material. However a key part of the Sky School experience for students is authentic inquiry - please don't give answers to questions or prevent students from designing the inquiry project they have in mind.

Specific rules. Chaperones can help us enforce some common campus policies:

• Gender segregation. The dormitory with male students will be supervised only by male chaperones; female students, by female chaperones. We do not permit mixed-sex housing.
• No white lights (e.g. flashlights) after dark. White light can interfere with astronomy research happening at the site.
• Lights-out in dormitories by 1030 PM. Please help us keep the site dark and quiet for the astronomy researchers with whom we share the site.
• No students alone in dormitories or outside at any time. Mountain lions have been sighted on campus.
• No fires, fire-making implements, drugs (including cigarettes), or weapons of any sort are permitted for students, chaperones, teachers, or staff. The only exception is that adults may have small pocket-knives.
• If your group is lost. If you are alone with a student group and do not know your location, do not move. We will find you.
• If you hear an emergency air-horn, the campus needs to be evacuated for a head-count. Please ensure you have all your students and bring them to the campus gate on the main entrance road.