Griffith Observatory School Visit Program
2008-09 School Year
October 15, 2008 UPDATE: |
Soon after opening in 1935, Griffith Observatory initiated one of the first school visit programs in the region. Generations of Los Angeles-area students made the pilgrimage in buses up Mount Hollywood for an experience under the stars. With the reopening of the renovated Observatory in late 2006, we welcomed back school groups for a unique experience in science education. Over 30,000 fifth-grade students and over a thousand teachers from hundreds of schools around the region participated in the Pilot School Visit Programs in spring 2007 and the 2007-08 school year. Now, we are pleased to announce the School Visit Program for the 2008-09 school year.
WHO: Fifth-grade students ONLY. As with the pilot programs, this year’s School Visit Program is open exclusively to fifth-grade students. The content and activities are aligned with the California State Board of Education Content Standards for fifth grade. Only fifth-grade classes will be considered for visits as part of the program this year. There will be no charge for students to attend a program during this school year.
WHAT: A two-and-a-half hour program with exhibit, building, and theater experiences. The program uses the Observatory’s telescope, exhibit, and building content as well as programs in the Samuel Oschin Planetarium and Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon theater. Museum Guides, Observatory Lecturers, and Telescope Demonstrators will guide students in standards-based learning experiences using our unique facilities. Each component of the program is designed to complement the others and to support the fifth-grade education standards. Click here for a two-page description of the program.
WHEN: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings. The school visit program is offered most Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings from Tuesday, October 21, 2008, to Thursday, June 11, 2009 (except for the last two weeks of December 2008 and selected other blackout dates). The program runs from 9:30 a.m. until 12:00 noon. Buses must arrive between 9:00 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. so the program can start promptly at 9:30 a.m. The program will accommodate roughly 350 fifth-grade students per day.
WHERE: Griffith Observatory. The programs will be held at historic Griffith Observatory (at 2800 East Observatory Road in Los Angeles). Access to the Observatory is available from Vermont Avenue. Friendly Observatory staff will greet buses, divide students into groups, and guide students through the program. You and your students must arrive by bus. The bus will drop you off and pick you up at the horseshoe driveway.
HOW: By advance phone reservations ONLY. We regret we will not be accepting reservations by fax, email, or other means for this year's program.
Remaining availability for the program is very limited. We shall process phone requests as they come in. Schools wishing to participate in the school visit program MUST make an advance reservation, receive confirmation from the Observatory, and return a certification form.
HOW TO MAKE A RESERVATION
Here are the steps of the reservation process:
1. Gather required information, including preferred visit dates.
2. Call the School Visit Program reservation hotline.
3. Arrange a reserved date (subject to availability).
4. Receive a confirmation package from the Observatory (U.S. Mail).
5. Secure bus transportation for your visit.
6. Each teacher must complete, sign, and return a certification form for his/her class.
7. Present confirmation letter when you arrive for your visit.
8. Contact us immediately if you are unable to come on your reserved date.
1. Gather required information, including preferred visit dates.
You will need to have the following information ready when you call:
| • | Teacher Name(s) | • | School Address |
| • | Teacher Phone Number(s) | • | School Phone Number |
| • | Alternate Contact Name | • | Number of students (per class) |
| • | Alternate Contact Number | • | Number of chaperones (per class) |
| • | School Name | • | School District |
Most importantly, you will be asked for your proposed visit dates. Please have several options available, and be prepared (with a calendar handy) to explore alternatives if your proposed visit dates are already full.
2. Call the School Visit Program reservation hotline.
RESERVATION HOTLINE NUMBER: 213-473-0891 |
To make a reservation, please call the Observatory school program reservation hotline. The hotline will be open Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. You MUST call during these hours; you will not be able to leave a message at other times. It is very possible you will be placed on hold when you call, especially at the beginning of the reservation period. We regret we will not be accepting reservations by fax, email, or other means for this year's program.
3. Arrange a reserved date (subject to availability).The agent will ask what days you would like to visit. The school visit program is offered most Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings from Tuesday, October 21, 2008, to Thursday, June 11, 2009 (except for the last two weeks of December 2008 and selected other blackout dates). Please have at least FIVE options available and a calendar handy in case you need to identify additional dates. Our ability to schedule your class is subject to the remaining program availability; as of October 15, 2008, this year's program was 95% reserved.
4. Receive a confirmation package from the Observatory.
Once the reservation agent has confirmed a date for your class, the Observatory will mail you a confirmation package which you should receive within ten (10) business days. The confirmation package includes your confirmation letter (with details regarding your reservation), information about the program and our regulations, and the certification form.
When you receive the confirmation package, please review it carefully and notify us immediately if any information needs to be corrected or if you have any questions.
5. Secure bus transportation for your visit.
It is your responsibility to arrange for bus transportation for your students. Everyone participating in the school visit program must arrive by bus. Individual, private vehicles are not permitted.
6. Each teacher must complete, sign, and return (by U.S. Mail) the certification form for his/her class.
As soon as you have secured your bus, each teacher MUST complete, sign, and return the certification form using the enclosed self-addressed, stamped envelope.
The signed certification form signals your formal agreement to the following:
| • | All teachers, chaperones, and students will abide by the school visit program policies and procedures and any instructions from Observatory staff. |
| • | All participating students are in the fifth grade. |
| • | There is at least one adult chaperone for every ten student participants. |
| • | Teachers/chaperones will participate actively in the supervision of their students. |
| • | The class has confirmed bus transportation for the visit. |
| • | Contact information for the day of your visit |
If your class includes students with special needs, please specify the number of students and the nature of accommodation they will require.
We regret that failure to abide by these and the other listed regulations will result in your class not being able to participate in the program.
7. Present confirmation letter when you arrive for your visit.
You may only visit on the day of your confirmed reservation. Classes without a confirmed reservation will not be admitted.
If you must cancel your visit for some reason, please let us know as soon as possible, as we may be able to make the space to another school. Please call the number on your confirmation letter.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Please be aware of the following requirements in planning:
• No Children May Attend Who Are Not Fifth-Grade Students. We regret we cannot permit siblings of students or children of leaders to attend the programs. Only students in the fifth-grade class may attend.
• One Adult Chaperone Required for Each Ten Children. To ensure a safe visit, the Observatory requires that each visiting class have at least one responsible adult Teacher/Chaperone for every ten students. The teacher must certify this in advance. The Observatory will not be able to schedule visits for classes without the required number of adults.
• Teacher/Chaperones Must Supervise Their Students. Teacher/Chaperones are expected to participate actively in the program AND in the supervision of the students. The requirements for a Teacher/Chaperone during the visit are described here; please make sure all of your adult participants are aware of their responsibilities. We reserve the right to remove students and/or classes who are disrupting the program.
• Special Education and Special Needs Students Welcome. The Observatory is able to accommodate both special education and special needs students (including those in wheelchairs, with visual/hearing impairments, or emotional issues). However, we need to have advance notice to understand how best to meet the needs of the students. Please indicate the number of such students and the accommodations required when you return your certification form.
• Transportation Required. Students, teachers, and chaperones must ALL arrive via a school bus. Schools must arrange and fund their own bus. As noted above, you must certify that you have secured a bus prior to your visit. Your bus must arrive at the Observatory no later than 9:15 a.m. to enable the program to begin promptly at 9:30 a.m. Buses will drop you off and pick you up at the Observatory’s horseshoe driveway; during the program, buses will need to park elsewhere in Griffith Park.
• No Food or Drink Permitted During the Program. To maintain the historic grounds and new exhibits, food, drinks, candy, and gum are not permitted at any time during the program. Teachers and Chaperones must enforce this policy.
THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN MAKING A RESERVATION
Please consider the following when requesting a reservation:
• Public Operations. Please be aware that the Observatory opens to the public on weekdays beginning at 12:00 noon.
• Restrooms and Snacks. Your students must be ready for the program to begin promptly at 9:30 a.m. This means they need to use the exterior restrooms and/or eat any snacks well before that time. There is no designated break scheduled during the school visit program.
• Activities After the Program. When the program is completed at 12:00 noon, you may be interested in one or more of the following options as an additional aspect of your visit. Once you have a confirmed reservation, please download and submit the necessary forms if you would like one or more of these options:
Visit the Stellar Emporium, the Observatory’s gift shop and bookstore, where students may shop or pre-purchase gift bags. If you are interested, please download, fill out, and fax back the form directly to the number specified on the form.
Stellar Emporium Grab Bag Order Form PDF
Eat at the Café at the End of the Universe, the Observatory’s café operated by Wolfgang Puck, where students may purchase food in line or pre-purchase bag lunches. If you are interested, please download, fill out, and fax back the form directly to the number specified on the form.
Wolfgang Puck Cafe Lunch Order Forms PDF
Bring Own Lunch. Students may bring their own bag lunches to the Observatory. No food may be stored inside the building or on the grounds during the visit. Students are welcome to eat on the lawn or sidewalks, but may not use the chairs and tables on the café terrace unless they have purchased food from the café.
OTHER OPTIONS FOR YOUR CLASS TO VISIT THE OBSERVATORY
With a limited capacity and a program focused exclusively on fifth-grade students, we recognize that many classes who wish to visit the Observatory will not be able to participate in the formal school visit program. Such classes are welcome to visit the Observatory during regular public hours of operation:
Tuesday-Friday 12:00 noon - 10:00 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
We regret we cannot guarantee tickets for the Samuel Oschin Planetarium. Such tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis only on the day of a visit.
