Grades 6-8 Retreat to Winaukee 2024

Dear 6th - 8th Grade Families,

We are looking very forward to our annual beginning of the year retreat to Camp Winaukee, located in Moultonborough, NH on Thursday, September 5 through Friday, September 6. This trip began back in the 90’s, and we have gone every year with the exception of a couple years when Covid was in control of scheduling and once due to weather. This is a great trip that involves all of the upper school students and teachers for two days and one night. It gives both the students and the teachers a great chance to really get to know one another and help set a good tone for the year.

We will be leaving school on Thursday, September 5 at 8:30 AM from the back parking lot. We will travel on two chartered school buses and the two school vans. Students should arrive by the regular 8:15 AM time. They will be directed where to place their bags and then go directly to their homeroom as usual. After a regular homeroom the teachers will bring the students to their bus to prepare for departure. 

Once we arrive at Camp Winaukee, which is located on the northern edge of Lake Winnipesaukee, the students will be assigned to one of the 13 cabins. Each cabin will host about 8-10 students as well as a teacher chaperone(s). There are bathrooms within each cabin. The sixth graders will be in their own cabins, while seventh and eighth graders will bunk together. After eating lunch in the Camp Dining Hall, the students will begin taking part in their activity periods. There are several activity periods over the two days, which include swimming, kayaking, arts & crafts, outdoor games, board games, and other activities. Each student will participate in all the different activities. After eating dinner there will be a period of an hour and a half where students can participate in a party, play in the indoor gym, or continue with games or crafting. We will then have a campfire before heading to the cabins for the night. On Friday morning, breakfast is served at 7:00 AM, followed by more activity periods, packing up and an early lunch. We will load the buses, and depart for GUS, arriving back in time for 3:00 dismissal. 

Included you will find the packing list, medication consent forms, and an overnight permission form. The forms will need to be printed out, completed, and returned to the student’s homeroom teacher as soon as possible, but by next Tuesday, September 3 at the latest. Please direct all health and medication questions to Nurse Julia Bugeau-Heartt 978-927-1064 x176 or jbugeau-heartt@gus.org. 

Please contact me, bemerson@gus.org  as soon as you can for any dietary issues your student may have, orr for any other questions you may have. 

This has been a wonderful trip each year and we have found it to be a very rewarding trip for all involved. The students and teachers have really enjoyed the opportunity to meet and get to know the people they will be seeing everyday throughout the school year. 

Trust and Go Forward,

Bruce Emerson

PACKING LIST-CLOTHING

  • Warm jacket/fleece                  

  • Rain Coat

  • Long and short sleeve shirts

  • Shorts

  • Long pants

  • Sleepwear

  • Extra pair of shoes

  • Underwear/socks

  • Bathing suit

 

OTHER

  • Sleeping bag/pillow

  • Reusable water bottle

  • Flashlight

  • Bug repellent

  • Sunscreen

  • Towel

  • Toilet articles

  • Plastic bag to put wet/dirty clothes in 

 NOTES 

  • Remember to count what you are wearing as part of the above list.

  • Please let Bruce Emerson know of any dietary restrictions as soon as possible.

  • No cell phones or electronics please. Teachers will have their phones in the event a call home is needed. Bruce Emerson can be reached on his cell, by call or text, at 978-376-2981.

  • All medications and medication forms must be given to the school nurse by Tuesday, Sept. 3.

  • All prescription medication and all over-the-counter medication must be accompanied by a medication consent form, one form per medication. Each medication must be in its original prescription container, or original package, clearly marked with the students name.

  • Students may carry their own emergency medication (eg. Inhalers and Epipens) ONLY if the school nurse, in discussion with the parent/guardian, gives permission.

  • Contact Julia Bugeau-Heartt in the Health Office with medication questions 978-927-1064 x176 or at   jbugeau-heartt@gus.org

Upper SchoolBruce Emerson