Summer Programs
FAQs
Summer Programs Frequently Asked Questions
Financial Assistance
Financial assistance is available to local residents through our partnership with One22. One22 Resource Center is the Coordinator of Youth Enrichment Scholarships (YES), with major funding provided by the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole and Teton Science Schools. Click here to learn more about One22 scholarships.
Teton Science Schools is offering 10-day programs for middle school students this summer. The competitive scholarship process for Wolves and Bears is March 1st - June 1st. To apply for a scholarship, the interested student must submit a student questionnaire and we must receive a completed teacher recommendation by June 1st. We will be awarding scholarships to cover 40-60% of the cost of attendance, depending on the number of great applications we receive (full cost is $1985). All applicants will be notified by June 7th.
Will you be entering grades 6-7 in the fall? Wolves Student Questionnaire
Will you be entering grades 8-9 in the fall? Bears Student Questionnaire
For both the Wolves and the Bears program, this is the Teacher Recommendation form.
Teton Science Schools is offering a 26-day program for high school students this summer. The competitive scholarship process for Jackson Hole Science Expedition is March 15th - May 15th. To apply for a scholarship, the interested student must submit a student questionnaire and we must receive a completed teacher recommendation by May 15th. We will be awarding scholarships to cover 40-60% of the cost of attendance, depending on the number of great applications we receive (full cost is $6155). All applicants will be notified by May 17th.
Will you be entering grades 10-12 in the fall? Complete the JHSE Student Questionnaire. When you answer the question “Why are you interested in attending Jackson Hole Science Expedition?” please also include that you are applying for a scholarship and how receiving a scholarship would make this experience possible for you.
Online Registrations
You only need one account. You can use the same account each time you register, even if you’re registering for a different program, different child, or different year. More information on registering multiple children below.
Please select the “Don’t know your password?” link located under the login box and follow the instructions sent to your email to reset your password.
After 20 minutes of inactivity, your camp registration shopping cart will be emptied and you will be logged off.
We accept payment with cash or check in the office on our Jackson Campus.
Yes. Before adding any programs to your cart, create your account. When creating your account, add all children you plan to register. When you go to add a program to your cart, you will be prompted to choose which child to register for that program.
Only parents or legal guardians can register their children. At the time of registration, all forms need to be completed and signed by the legal guardian or parent.
Yes, anytime. For your child’s safety during the program, please keep your account as up-to-date as possible.
Only our registration and program directors will have your personal contact information, and will use it to communicate with you about your child’s experience and safety. We do not sell or share your personal information with any other agency, organization, business, or individual.
Confirmation will be emailed to the primary email on file once you complete your registration. Your invoices can be viewed in your account anytime.
Summer program cost is not a tax-deductible donation. For more detailed information, please consult your tax professional. TSS’s tax ID number is on the receipt that came in your email confirmation.
We require full payment at the time of registration.
Financial assistance is available to local residents through our partnership with One22. One22 Resource Center is the Coordinator of Youth Enrichment Scholarships (YES), with major funding provided by the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole and Teton Science Schools. Click here to learn more about One22 scholarships.
Registration Policies: Switch, Cancel, Waitlists, Transfers
For cancellations and switching of programs please contact the Summer Program Office of Teton Science Schools: 307.734.3707. experience@tetonscience.org.
Cancellation Policy: If you would like to cancel a registration for your child, please call 307.734.3707. If your request to cancel is received 30 days or more prior to the start date of the program week, you will receive a 50% refund minus a $25.00 administrative fee. The administrative fee is charged per child, per program. A refund will not be issued if you cancel within 30 days of the start date of the program. Although we make every effort to adhere to our program schedule, extenuating circumstances may cause Teton Science Schools to cancel a program, in which case a full refund will be issued.
Switch Program Policy: The switching of program weeks is allowed until 7 days prior to the start date of the originally registered program. Switches are based on availability. Please call 307.734.3707.
No, registrations for programs are non-transferable.
To be added to a waitlist when a class is full, click on the “Add to Waitlist” button for the program that interests you and add your name. If a space becomes available, you will receive an email or phone call from the Registration team. Let the Registrar office know within 24 hours what you decide.
At any time after adding your child to a waitlist, you will be able to see where they are on the list by logging in to your account and navigating to “My Activities.” Under the title of the waitlisted program, it will say “You are #X on the waitlist for this class.” This number will be updated if your child moves up on the waitlist.
We would like to accommodate as many participants as possible. However, we must limit group size to ensure participant safety.
Early childhood: Teton Science Schools adheres to state laws that limit the class size for preschool aged children based on the number of instructors.
Programs for children entering Grades 1-5: Capacity is based on vehicle passenger limitations and adult to child ratios. Middle School and High School programs are based on backcountry permits and vehicle usage.
Summer Program Information
As much as we understand that relatives or friends would like to be in the same program, groups are separated to ensure age-appropriate learning and activities. We do not allow you to register a child for a program if the child is outside of that program’s designated age range/grade level. Please note age requirements may be specifically listed for preschool programs.
Yes, however there is no discount in pricing for the missed days.
Yes! The Teton Valley Campus will have an early childhood summer program for children ages 3-5. There will be 12 campers in each session. Children must be potty trained.
The overnight camping experience is one of the unique features of these programs and is repeatedly hailed as the best part of the program! Unfortunately, we cannot make special travel arrangements or accommodations for kids who will not attend the overnight portion. If they cannot attend the overnight, they will not be able to attend departure day (Wednesday) for the camping trip. They are welcome to rejoin the group when they return Thursday afternoon to close out the camping experience or reconvene with their group on Friday at drop-off.
There would not be a refund for the missed program. You are welcome to register your child for subsequent programs based on availability.
No. Teton Science Schools’ summer programs are open to the general public.
The roster for any particular program week is kept confidential for security purposes prior to the start of programs. Please contact the parent of your child’s friend directly.
A minimum of two: one summer instructor and one summer AmeriCorps member. There may be additional staff or counselors in training present depending on capacity week-to-week.
All instructors are at least 21 years of age, are trained Wilderness First Responders, have passed all background checks, are trained in Teton Science Schools risk management policies, and have vehicle training specific to our fleet of vehicles. AmeriCorps members co-teach with our instructors, and have all completed Teton Science Schools risk management training, vehicle training, and first aid/CPR certification.
In addition, our early childhood instructors must have current pediatric and adult CPR and First Aid and go through an extensive background check as well as complete all licensing requirements for the State of Wyoming. Teachers will go through a training program that teaches about the specifics of our early childhood program, licensing protocols, best practices working with our youngest participants and best strategies for safety, behavior and group management.
The times of the program, where to meet, etc are included in the receipt that was generated and emailed at the time of registration. There is also a link on the email confirmation that will take you to the information sheet (travel info, how to prepare) and packing list (what to bring) for your programs. You will also receive a more detailed program outline at drop-off on the Monday of your child’s program week.
Parents will receive a schedule outline prior to the arrival week of the program week with an idea of the activities, locations, and themes the group will be exploring. The schedule is flexible and may change due to weather or the needs/interests of the group.
No - programs are designed for children only. Additionally, the daily schedule for any program is purposely kept somewhat flexible, so that instructors can change plans based on variations in weather, adapt to the needs or interests of the group, spend time at an unexpected wildlife viewing, or take advantage of any teachable opportunities that may surface. This built-in flexibility makes meeting up logistically difficult - if your child cannot attend a portion of the day, needs to be dropped off late, or needs to be picked up early, we ask that they do not come that day.
Day programs are weekday programs where kids are dropped off in the morning and picked up in the afternoon. A few of the “day” programs for 5th grades include a one-night camping trip during the week. By contrast, students enrolled in overnight programs are with TSS for meals and lodging for the entire date range of the program. These programs are for 7th-12th grades only and range in length from ten days to four weeks. Restrooms and accommodations are gender specific.
Unfortunately, no - we are not equipped to provide supervision, lodging, or meals prior to or after an overnight program.
Jackson Hole Science Expeditions (Gr. 11-12) and Grand Teton Pathfinders (Gr. 9-12) qualifies for 0.5 Carnegie Units of High School credit (80 hours) from Teton Science Schools Journeys School. The grading system is Satisfactory (S): Student has completed all course requirements for class or Unsatisfactory (U): Student has not completed all course requirements for class so no credit earned.
To receive High School Credit:
- Fill out this form completely in advance of course. The form is necessary in advance to receive High School credit.
- Upon Satisfactory completion of your course, TSS will send a transcript to the school noted on the form.
- After course completion, discuss with your school administrators if you can have these credits transferred and how they may be applied at your school.
To review our summer program policies, please click here.
You will see specific age ranges listed on the registration page to help you choose the appropriate age group. The Pikas program is for children who are 3-4 years old and/or still in a preschool or pre-k program. The Otters program is for children 5-6 years old who are entering Kindergarten in the fall. Please note that even if your child is 5 years old but is not entering Kindergarten in the fall they must register for the Pika program. If your child has already completed Kindergarten they are not eligible for our early childhood summer programs and must register to be in the Marmot program. Note that all children must be potty trained in order to participate in programs. If you would like to discuss your child’s readiness for any given program, please contact Paige Fisher at paige.fisher@tetonscience.org. Please also review our Summer Policies for more information about developmental readiness.
Travel Information
- Kelly Campus: 1 Ditch Creek Rd, Kelly, WY 83011, Kelly Campus Driving Directions (middle and high school programs)
- Jackson Campus: 700 Coyote Canyon Rd, Jackson, WY 83001, Jackson Campus Driving Directions (for early childhood and elementary programs)
Information specific to each program’s arrival/departure details is provided on each program’s information sheet (linked below).
Jackson Hole Science Expeditions
In your confirmation email, you will receive a link to the travel form which we ask for you to complete and submit once travel is secured. You will be able to pay your shuttle fees there if applicable. Please have a PDF version of your child’s flight itinerary and unaccompanied minor fee receipt to upload to the form as well as any contact information for people picking up your child at the end of the program.
Each overnight program has arrival and departure travel windows in order to streamline arrival and departure days. We provide complimentary shuttles for flights landing and departing during those windows. For liability reasons, we cannot allow participants to arrive outside of the travel window on arrival day and wait at the airport for us, or be dropped off early on departure day to wait for a flight past the end of the travel window. Additionally, if your child is flying as an unaccompanied minor, airlines require our staff to be present when the plane lands or takes off.
We incur extra staffing and vehicle costs when making trips outside of our travel windows, which is why we ask for the extra shuttle fee. We choose not to include this cost in our overall program tuition in order to keep the cost down for the majority of participants. Thanks for your understanding.
- If you are planning to have your minor child fly by themselves to Jackson, you may be charged an additional fee by the airline when you book your ticket, usually around $150 each way, but fees can vary. Whether you are charged this fee depends on the airline and your comfort level with your child traveling alone. For a fee, all airlines will provide the service for any minor regardless of age if you request it, but it is mandatory for certain ages depending on the airline. Additionally, some airlines have placed restrictions on the type of flight for which they will allow unaccompanied minors (ie. can’t be on a connecting flight or the last flight of the day). Please call the airline if you are unsure of their requirements or fees.
- Unaccompanied minor service is mandatory for:
- Delta, American Airlines, US Airways: 14 years old or younger.
- United: 15 years old or younger.
