Alternative Education
Ropes and Initiatives Course

What is the Ropes and Initiatives Course?
The school division's Ropes and Initiatives Course provides students with opportunities to meet physical, cognitive, emotional, and social challenges as individuals and in groups. These challenges are presented as games and problem solving activities using a low and high obstacle course. Activities are structured to provide students opportunities to

enhance communication skills, use individual and group problem solving skills, recognize diversity of members in the group as an asset, enhance the spirit of mutual support and cooperation among group members, develop a sense of trust in others, use physical skills such as strength, balance, coordination, and agility,

experience healthy risk-taking, build a sense of individual and group accomplishment, increase self-confidence, enhance leadership skills, apply skills developed and used on the course to everyday situations, and increase familiarity and identification with the natural world.

Student activities are divided into three categories based on location and purpose. Warm-up activities and field games take place on the ground and help group members become comfortable with each other. These activities introduce skills that will be addressed throughout the day in a fun, informal way. Low ropes course activities require group members to climb or be lifted to a height of twelve feet. These activities require assistance and physical effort from all group members. High ropes course activities involve climbing as high as thirty-five feet while attached to safety equipment. For these events, a climbing participant wears a helmet and a harness and is attached to a belay system similar to that used by rock climbers. During these activities, participants face personal challenges with encouragement and support of peers.

How is a student referred to the program?
Teachers, guidance counselors, and administrators schedule student groups for Ropes and Initiatives Course programs. Students enrolled in alternative education programs receive priority. Students involved in special education programs, student leadership positions, and athletic teams also may attend. Sponsoring groups arrange times and dates with the course coordinator. Students attending the course should provide a completed Participation Agreement and Liability Release Form, and a completed Health Information Sheet.

What curriculum and services are offered through the Ropes and Initiatives Course?
The curriculum used by the Ropes and Initiatives Course is based on the Experimental Learning Cycle. Basic expectations initially are presented to groups to ensure the physical and emotional safety of group members. Activities then are presented to introduce skills that members might find helpful in meeting challenges. Participants reflect upon these activities and recognize how the skills they use will help them with the next activity. A new activity is then presented so students can practice skills and discover additional skills that can help them meet obstacles. Through increasingly difficult challenges, students recognize what helps a team solve problems and what prevents a team from doing so. Final session activities provide students with an opportunity to reflect upon what they have discovered about themselves and their peers during the program and to set goals for applying these insights to other situations. Each session on the course reviews and builds upon the experiences offered in previous sessions. Students who attend the course several times find that activities offered are more challenging than those previously encountered and accomplished.

Is transportation provided to and from the Ropes and Initiatives Course?
Schools that access the program provide transportation to and from the Ropes and Initiatives Course located in Virginia Beach off of Witchduck Road, near the corner of Cleveland Street and Cleveland Place.

Whom can I contact for additional information about the Ropes and Initiatives Course?
Site Coordinator: Kema Geroux
E-mail: kema.geroux@vbschools.com
273 N. Witchduck Rd.
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Telephone: 757.519.9997 Fax: 757.519.9998
Office Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 2:45 p.m. Mon. - Fri.