SnowSchool Site Spotlight
Glacier National Park Gears Up for Winter Education Programs after Long Closure
SnowSchool field trips to Glacier National Park. Photo by Gracie Regala.
By Kerry McClay, WWA SnowSchool Director (December 4, 2025)
Preparation for the SnowSchool season begins long before the moment students venture out on the snow to explore their local winter wildlands. At Glacier National Park, one of the largest (over 2,000 participants engaged last year) and longest standing SnowSchool program sites, the staff is busy every fall booking field trip dates with schools, hiring seasonal staff and getting their educators up to speed on SnowSchool curriculum. This year’s preparation has been complicated by the government shutdown in November. During a time when they would typically be hiring their winter staff, the park was closed and permanent staff were on furlough.
“The shutdown was disruptive for sure. We lost valuable planning and prep time that we count on each fall, and the usual transition between wrapping up fall operations and launching into winter programming has been compressed into a much shorter window. Now we’re back at work, making progress and looking forward to another great winter season. Our focus right now is onboarding our winter team and setting them up for success. The support we receive from WWA plays a big role in that. From winter gear to SnowSchool educator training and the annual SnowSchool Conference, WWA has equipped our team with the tools and knowledge to deliver engaging programs that connect students with their winter environment.”
– Matt Daniel, Education Specialist, Glacier National Park
SnowSchool field trips to Glacier National Park. Photo by Gracie Regala.
“The jacket donation from SnowSchool [in 2025] transformed our Winter Education program here on the East Side of Glacier National Park. Here on the Blackfeet Nation, it has often felt unsafe to take students outside when the students show up without proper winter gear. We hand out all the coats almost every field trip during Winter and Spring field trips. Knowing students are warm means that they might enjoy the day a little bit more. I am thankful for these coats every day!”
– Jordyn Steele, lead education technician, Glacier National Park
SnowSchool field trips to Glacier National Park. Photo by Gracie Regala.
Now that they are back open, Matt and the GNP rangers are working overtime to make up lost ground in terms of hiring and training staff. To help with this effort, WWA has provided SnowSchool resources such as curriculum and activity guides, SnowSchool educator training, and our annual SnowSchool conference. With hard work and continued community support we aim to bring another successful season of SnowSchool experience to diverse communities and thousands of kids all across the country.
Recent Feedback from local teachers:.
“Ranger Liz took us out on the snowshoeing adventure and taught us so much. The activities were fun, held the childrens’ attention and taught them a lot about the animals that live in Glacier National Park. I think all who attended learned something. I’ve been teaching 32 years and this was an exceptional field trip. Thank you for all the effort, energy, and talent that you put into today.”
– 1st grade teacher, Kalispell, MT
“When we got back to the school, the kids couldn’t stop talking about things they learned and the activities. Their favorite facts were learning how snow was made and what animals do during the winter.”
– 2nd grade teacher, Big Fork, MT
SnowSchool field trips to Glacier National Park. Photo by Gracie Regala.
