Namanu Outdoor School Site
10300 SE Camp Namanu Rd.
Sandy OR, 97055
(503) 695-3280
FAX (503) 257-1592
Outdoor School site phones are only in operation during the Outdoor School session (mid-September to early November in fall; mid-March to early June in spring).
Letters to students should include the student’s name and school.
The Namanu Outdoor School site is about 25 miles from the MESD office. It takes approximately 35 - 40 minutes to reach the Namanu site from the MESD office. The closest community is Sandy. The Namanu site is located above the Bull Run watershed, west of Mount Hood.
Directions For East County Schools:
Proceed east on Stark street. Stark street ends when you cross the bridge over the Sandy River. After crossing the bridge, turn right and you will come to the town of Springdale (approx. 2 miles). At the Springdale School, veer right. In approximately 300 feet, you will come to a fork in the road. Take the right fork onto Hurlburt Road, and continue on Hurlburt Road approximately 2 miles to a four-way stop with a flashing red light. Turn right onto Gordon Creek Road. Follow Gordon Creek Road about 10 miles. The road dips down to the Sandy River, up to the plateau/ridge, and then back down to the Bull Run River. Please note that as you go through the town of Aims, Gordon Creek Road becomes Bull Run road. The road will twist and wind as it descends toward the Bull Run River. Take a right on Namanu Road, a small gravel road, marked with a Namanu sign. (If you reach the bridge over the Bull Run River, you have gone too far.) Continue down Camp Namanu Rd for 1.3 miles. The road is narrow, so drive cautiously. Veer right at the “Y”, park in the parking lot and walk down the stairs to the office.
Directions for For West County Schools:
Take Interstate #84 to the Lewis and Clark State Park exit (just beyond Troutdale). Follow the Scenic Highway 4.7 miles through Springdale and proceed as above.
DINING HALL
The dining hall at Namanu is centrally located, with the health center close by, as well as staff quarters. Much of the site is hilly and rustic.
Students, high school Student Leaders, Staff, and Teachers eat family style in the spacious dining hall. Hot, varied, and nutritious meals are prepared by our professional kitchen staff, and students are assigned to help set the tables, deliver and serve the food during the meal, and clean up after the meal on a rotating basis.
The dining hall serves as a central hub of activity throughout the day, and evening campfire programs are held in a community building near the dining hall in case of inclement weather.
CABINS AND RESTROOMS
There are three separate cabin areas at Namanu. Each heated cabin serves 6-10 students (a few from each class) and 1-3 high school Student Leaders. Cabins are supervised by staff members. All participants sleep on bunk beds with mattresses. Students should bring a sleeping bag (or blankets) and pillow for their stay.
The restrooms in the cabin areas are centrally located, and contain private stalls for toilets and showers. Some cabins feature restrooms and showers inside the cabin. In addition to the cabin area restrooms and shower houses, Namanu features a restroom / shower house building in a central location, as well as a restroom inside the nurse's station.
For students who prefer it, gender-neutral bathroom and shower options include the House of Health and the bathroom facility behind the dining hall. Both are centrally located. Many of the cabins have a bathroom in the cabin, and almost all have a small separate room that serves as a private changing area.
Information about these options will be shared at the orientation at the beginning of each week, and students will learn which staff members can help them access what they need. Students and Student Leaders will be given the information about private changing areas during the orientation process as well. Changing times for students and Student Leaders will be offered and planned for, on a cabin by cabin basis, under the leadership of the Program Leaders.
OUTDOOR SCHOOL NURSE
There is a registered nurse on site 24 hours a day while your student is at Outdoor School. The nurse takes care of injuries and illnesses as they arise, and also has commonly-forgotten items (like sleeping bags, jackets, and toothbrushes) available to lend. The nurse is available to discreetly clean soiled sleeping bags as needed throughout the week. If you have specific health care or dietary concerns, please contact the Outdoor School Program Nurse, Tom Eby: teby@mesd.k12.or.us
OTHER FEATURES
Weather permitting, the entire Namanu Outdoor School community gathers each evening for a campfire program at the outdoor campfire facility. Should inclement weather occur, however, the Namanu site features an open-air community gathering spot with a fireplace, benches, and a stage for evening campfire programs. Students perform skits and enjoy songs, and it is many students' favorite part of Outdoor School.
Field study, the "school" part of Outdoor School, takes place throughout the site, and takes advantage of our incredible local nature. The Namanu Outdoor School site is located along the Sandy River, and features lush forests and incredible wildlife.
From the Chinook Nation's Website: "The modern Chinook Indian Nation consists of the Clatsop and Kathlamet of what is now Oregon and the Lower Chinook, Wahkiakum and Willapa of Washington State. Our five historically important Tribes have existed since time immemorial in our aboriginal territory at the mouth of the Columbia River. It is here that our Chinook families welcomed Lewis and Clark to the Pacific Ocean and helped them survive the winter of 1805 and 1806."
The MESD Outdoor School program rents Camp Namanu in the Spring and Fall of each school year. Camp Namanu offers summer camp programs and rental facilities for private events. The Outdoor School program began using the Camp Namanu property in 1999.
