SnowSchool Sites at National Parks Bounce Back After Long Pandemic

National SnowSchool Director Kerry McClay traveled to Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho to help interpretive rangers and staff prepare for their SnowSchool season after a long, pandemic-induced closure.

Photo Credit: Dawn Kish Photography

Recently, National SnowSchool Director Kerry McClay traveled to Craters of the Moon National Monument to help interpretive rangers and staff prepare for their SnowSchool season after a long, pandemic-induced closure.

With SnowSchool sites operating in a diverse array of communities and organizations nationally, some were hit harder than others by the challenges of the pandemic. In some places where government regulations shuttered on-site programs for multiple years and staff turnover was high, little institutional knowledge regarding SnowSchool program operations remained. To counteract this trend and help revive storied SnowSchool sites in high profile locations like Craters of the Moon, WWA has been increasing training, support and professional development for SnowSchool educators.

These resources have included our National SnowSchool Conference, online webinars for educators, and on-snow workshops conducted at SnowSchool sites. At Craters of the Moon, this included on-location demonstration of classic SnowSchool science activities and tried and true tips and tricks for educators to keep the winter exploration enjoyable for kids. 

“It was fun and we got a lot out of it!” said Greg Reed, Lead Interpretive Park Ranger at Craters of the Moon.

Photo Credit: Greg Reed

Photo Credit: Greg Reed