Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, August 22, 2020

9

EDUCATION AND YOUTH

Mountain Views-News Saturday, August 22, 2020 

SCHOOL DIRECTORY

CHRISTOPHER Nyerges


CONSIDER CREATING A BACKYARD “SURVIVAL 
CAMP”

 [Nyerges is the author of “Foraging California,” “Guide to Wild Foods,” “How to Survive 
Anywhere,” and other books. He can be reached at www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com, or 
Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 90041]

Alverno Heights Academy

200 N. Michillinda Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-3463 Head of School: Julia V. Fanara

E-mail address: jfanara@alvernoheights.org

Arcadia High School

180 Campus Drive Arcadia, CA 91007

Phone: (626) 821-8370, Principal: Brent Forsee

bforsee@ausd.net

Arroyo Pacific Academy

41 W. Santa Clara St. Arcadia, Ca, 

(626) 294-0661 Principal: Phil Clarke

E-mail address: pclarke@arroyopacific.org

Barnhart School

240 W. Colorado Blvd Arcadia, Ca. 91007

(626) 446-5588 

Head of School: Ethan Williamson

Kindergarten - 8th grade

website: www.barnhartschool.org

Bethany Christian School

93 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-3527 

Preschool-TK-8th Grade

Principal: Dr. William Walner

website: www. bcslions.org

Clairbourn School

8400 Huntington Drive

San Gabriel, CA 91775

Phone: 626-286-3108 ext. 172

FAX: 626-286-1528

E-mail: jhawes@clairbourn.org

Foothill Oaks Academy

822 E. Bradbourne Ave., Duarte, CA 91010

(626) 301-9809

Principal: Nancy Lopez

www.foothilloaksacademy.org

office@foothilloaksacademy.org

Frostig School

971 N. Altadena Drive Pasadena, CA 91107

(626) 791-1255

Head of School: Jenny Janetzke

Email: jenny@frostig.org

The Gooden School

192 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-2410 

Head of School, Jo-Anne Woolner

website: www.goodenschool.org

High Point Academy

1720 Kinneloa Canyon Road 

Pasadena, Ca. 91107 

Head of School: Gary Stern 626-798-8989

website: www.highpointacademy.org

La Salle College Preparatory

3880 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, Ca. 

(626) 351-8951 website: www.lasallehs.org

Principal Mrs. Courtney Kassakhian

Monrovia High School

325 East Huntington Drive, Monrovia, CA 91016 

(626) 471-2800 Principal Darvin Jackson

Email: schools@monrovia.k12.ca.us

Odyssey Charter School

725 W. Altadena Dr. Altadena, Ca. 91001

(626) 229-0993 Head of School: Lauren O’Neill

website: www.odysseycharterschool.org

Pasadena High School

2925 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, Ca. 

(626) 396-5880 Principal: Roberto Hernandez

website: http://phs.pusd.us

St. Rita Catholic School

322 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

Principal: Adela Solis (626) 355-6114 

solis@st-ritaschool.org

Website: www.st-ritaschool.org

Sierra Madre Elementary School

141 W. Highland Ave, Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-1428 Principal: Lindsay LUIS

E-mail address: LUIS.lindsay@pusd.us

Sierra Madre Middle School 

160 N. Canon Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 836-2947 Principal: Garrett Newsom

E-mail address: newsom.garrett@pusd.us

Walden School

74 S San Gabriel Blvd

Pasadena, CA 91107 (626) 792-6166 

www.waldenschool.net

Weizmann Day School

1434 N. Altadena Dr. Pasadena, Ca. 91107

(626) 797-0204

Lisa Feldman: Head of School

Wilson Middle School

300 S. Madre St. Pasadena, Ca. 91107

(626) 449-7390 Principal: Ruth Esseln

E-mail address: resseln@pusd.us

Pasadena Unified School District

351 S. Hudson Ave., Pasadena, Ca. 91109

(626) 396-3600 Website: www.pusd@pusd.us

Arcadia Unified School District

234 Campus Dr., Arcadia, Ca. 91007

(626) 821-8300 Website: www.ausd.net

Monrovia Unified School District

325 E. Huntington Dr., Monrovia, Ca. 91016

(626) 471-2000 

Website: www.monroviaschools.net

Duarte Unified School District

1620 Huntington Dr., Duarte, Ca. 91010

(626)599-5000 

Website: www.duarte.k12.ca.us

Arcadia Christian School

1900 S. Santa Anita Avenue Arcadia, CA 91006

Preschool - and TK - 8th Grade

626-574-8229/626-574-0805

Email: inquiry@acslions.com

Principal: Cindy Harmon

website: www.acslions.com

These days, there are a lot of good reasons to increase your personal survival 
quotient. And there are several distinct benefits to creating a “survival 
camp” right in your own backyard. 

For example, once you create a backyard camp, you can use it to teach your children survival 
skills without having to take all the extra time of travel that actually going to a remote camp 
might require. And in the comfort of your own backyard, you can teach your children all the 
essential skills that will help them lifelong – and let them have a great time learning it all.

WHAT’S A BACKYARD SURVIVAL CAMP

First, what exactly should be in a backyard survival camp?

Think of it this way. Your home was just ravaged by an earthquake, and it’s unlivable. There’s 
no power, and the gas is out. You’re now going to be living in the backyard camp that you had 
set up so long ago.

 You’re going to need everything that you’d have in camp in the woods, and it all needs to be 
self-sustaining. 

 You’ll need a shelter, a toilet, a way to cook, a way to wash, and somewhere nearby, a supply of 
water, food, and basic hygiene gear and probably some tools.

 If you’re any sort of camper or prepper, you probably already have all the elements of this camp 
here and there in your garage, and closets, and storage areas. But now we’re going to set it all 
up so you can “camp” in your backyard, alone, or with family and friends, for a short while, or 
overnight and longer.

 Let’s look at each part of the camp.

THE SHELTER

For most of you, this can just be a pop-up tent that you purchased at a backpacking store. Even 
if you don’t plan to keep it up all the time, find a spot that is level, and maybe shaded. If a nylon 
tent is out in the sun for prolonged periods of time, it degrades and falls apart in a year or so. 
The reason most tents last for years is because they are used for a few days once a year, and then 
they are packed up and stored. But if you’re going to keep the tent up more or less regularly, 
you’ll want to keep it out of direct sun, and possibly also treat the fabric with one of various 
products on the market to protect it from the UV rays of the sun, and extend its life. 

COOKING

Cooking outdoors is easy on just a grill set on rocks, and you also need to have a supply of firewood 
to burn. Firewood is easy to come by, and it needn’t be large. Small twigs start easier, and 
if you’re just heating a small meal, a handful is usually enough to heat coffee or soup. Keep your 
firewood up off the ground somehow, and covered from the rain.

 But cooking with an open fire can get old. You might consider having an old barbeque handy, 
as well as an hibachi. Both of these are easy to cook on, easy to store, and require minimal fuel 
for cooking.

 Maybe you want something more like your kitchen stove. I’d suggest a Coleman camping 
stove, which typically has two burners and requires a can of fuel. These are durable, long-
lasting, and easy to operate.

CLEANLINESS

 We’ve found old sinks in the past that were discarded on the street. We’ve taken them, built a 
frame to hold them up, and used them to wash dishes, or clothes, or our hands. If you have the 
space, this is worth having in the back yard.

 Another necessity is a shower. In the past, we’ve heated water in a can, and then taken a 
“shower” with a half-gallon of hot water and a wash-rag. However, these days solar showers are 
sold everywhere, and they are highly recommended. I would not leave home for a camping trip 
without one, and I always keep one at home for possible backyard use. These are heavy-duty 
plastic bags which you fill with water, lay in the sun for a few hours til hot, and then hang up to 
take your shower. They come in various sizes, and I think the 2.5 gallon is the ideal size in terms 
of weight and time it takes to heat the water. 

TOILET

 There are several possibilities for a toilet in your survival camp. 

 The easiest, of course, is just a hole in the ground, that you cover with some soil after each use. 
Location is critical, for privacy, and other concerns, such as underground water supply. The details 
of how you set up, use, and clean an outdoor toilet will depend on several factors, including 
the need for privacy, and the need to avoid the glance of peering neighbors. 

 A bucket with a toilet seat cover is a bit better, and this allows you to move it about as needed, 
and then to bury the contents as needed.

 These days, backpacking stores and camping stores sell a variety of camping and “emergency” 
toilets which are useful for car-camping, or camping in the backyard. These are worth considering. 
Don’t forget to stock up on a little extra toilet paper.

 Keep in mind that using a backyard privy is probably against the health codes of most cities, so 
you’ll want to do this in a way that does not attract odors or insects, and let everyone know that 
your having a backyard toilet is part of your “survival education” process.

OTHER

 A backyard survival camp has a lot of benefits. It allows you the luxury of testing your gear and 
your skills, and you might actually have to use it in a real emergency. 

 You might make something very temporary, or more permanent, depending on your particular 
situation in terms of yard size, visibility to neighbors, and other factors.


COVID-19 CHILDCARE FUNDING 

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors allocated $15 million in CARES Act funding 
for childcare vouchers to serve essential workers and low-income families in the County. The 
Office for the Advancement of Early Care and Education is contracting with the Child Care 
Alliance, a network of LA County Resource and Referral /Alternative Payment agencies, to 
distribute vouchers. 

Families seeking early care and education services may call 888-92-CHILD (888-922-4453). 
Eligibility for these vouchers is set by the state. 

At this time, Child Care Alliance are still in the process of implementing the program in partnership 
with LA County. Interested families are encouraged to call Child Care Alliance and 
provide contact information and zip code. The zip code will help them search their database 
for a Resource and Referral agency, which is where they will forward the family’s information. 
Once the program is implemented, a local Resource and Referral agency will reach out 
to the families to provide further details. 


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com