Everglades National Park SHARK VALLEY GUIDE

Workshops

To help teachers prepare for their class visit, park rangers conduct one-day workshops at Shark Valley. A workshop helps teachers to:

• Learn about the program's logistics and their field trip responsibilities;
• Acquire a familiarity with the habitats, wildlife, trails, and roadways;
• Understand how to relate classroom activities to the field trip experience.

New teachers, and those who have not participated in the program for the past two years, must attend a workshop.

Transportation

The Dade County School Board has regularly contracted for the transportation of students to park field trips. For schools receiving this pre-paid transportation, the park will notify the contracted bus company of the reserved dates. (All other schools must arrange their own transportation.) The number of people allowed on a bus is 66 (60 students and 6 adults). All field trip participants must be on the bus. No one is allowed to follow the bus in private vehicles. the only exception is when all transportation is provided by private vehicles. If such, please try to car caravan, so everyone will arrive at the same time.

Buses paid for by Dade County are rented for six hours and must leave the park by 1:30 pm (except for Dade County school field triops on Wednesday, then the bus must depart by 12:30 pm). To maximize your time in the park, please plan to depart from school as early as possible.

Scheduling

Field trip reservations are accepted by mail only. The reservation form is included in the annual School Visits to South Florida National Parks booklet mailed to teachers at the start of each school year. Trip reservations are filled on a first come, first served basis, and are finalized in early October. Reply letters are sent to all teachers who submitted reservation requests. Since there are usually more requests submitted than there are available dates, it is important to request your reservation early. Teachers who are flexible about dates increase their chances of success. A waiting list of those who did not receive a reservation is maintained in case of cancellations.

Program Evaluation

The Everglades National Park staff recognizes that teachers are an integral part of the educational efforts of the Park Service. To help us do the best job possible, your class ranger will provide you with an evaluation form to complete. Specific suggestions and helpful comments, on what worked and what didn't, are welcome. Likewise, after your field trip, you will be mailed a short evaluation completed by your rangers. If at any time you'd like to discuss a concern about the field trip program with a supervisor, please contact the Everglades Education Office at (305)242-7753.

The rangers look forward to sharing an Everglades Adventure with you and your class! While the general plan for the field trip remains similar from year to year, circumstances such as inclement weather, high water, and the program emphasis of the individual ranger can result in variability. Also, if the tram is out of service, an alternate activity will be conducted via a walking tour to Otter Cave Hammock (one mile round trip). Flexibility and adaptability are the keys to a successful day!