Rancho El Chorro Outdoor School Program
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Rebecca McFarland , Supervisor Amie Linscott, Secretary Rancho El Chorro Outdoor School San Luis Obispo County Office of Education 2450 Pennington Creek Rd San Luis Obispo, California 93405 (805) 782-7336 - FAX (805) 544-7559

 

Facilities

The campus facilities at Rancho El Chorro may be rented by organizations for weekend retreats, workshops, seminars, etc. Renting the facilities for personal use (i.e. family reunion) is allowed as long as insurance requirements are met.

Meeting facilities are also available to rent on a daily basis, Monday through Friday, during regular business hours.

Housing

1. Up to 144 people can be housed. (The recommended maximum is 90-100 people because of cafeteria capacity.)

2. Each cabin is furnished with four bunks. If only bottom bunks are used, this gives a housing capacity of 72 people. If all beds, top and bottom, are used, a maximum of 144 can be accommodated.

3. Mattresses, heat, and lighting are provided in the cabins. Each person should bring a sleeping bag, pillow, or suitable bedding.

4. Hot showers are available in the restrooms near the cabins. Each group is required to keep the restrooms swept and "picked up."

5. Users are asked to leave their cabins swept and cleaned of all litter and belongings before being checked out. Furniture is to be left as it was found, and not moved from one cabin to another.

Cooking Facilities

1. Indoor cooking facilities consist of an industrial type kitchen for large group meal preparation and a cafeteria which can seat approximately 100 diners. Pots and pans, place settings, and utensils are available.

2. The outdoor barbecue consists of a covered cooking area with a barbecue pit and a cold water sink. Additional food storage is available in a walk-in refrigerator alongside the main kitchen. There is picnic table seating for approximately 80-100 people. Groups must provide their own firewood or charcoal briquettes.

Meeting Areas

The auditorium has a maximum capacity of 150 people seated, with stage, restrooms, and a large outside patio area and is available to rent during regular business hours Monday through Friday . Also available for use in the auditorium is a VCR and television, overhead projector, overhead screen, PA system, and erasable whiteboard. The building must be left clean and orderly.

The auditorium meeting room is located behind the stage of the auditorium and can seat approximately 20-25 people comfortably. It also is available to rent Monday through Friday during regular business hours.

The cafeteria/kitchen may also be rented on a daily basis Monday through Friday, except during the Residential Season (January 1 through mid-June).

An amphitheater and fire circle is available to weekend groups for evening storytelling, skits, and singing. Groups must provide their own firewood.

Food Service

Food service for Residential Science Camp is provided through the Food Service Department at San Luis Coastal Unified School District. Tasty and nutritious meals are prepared on site. Rancho El Chorro staff, as well as cabin leaders and teachers, provide supervision during meal times.

All other groups using the campus (i.e. weekend groups) must provide their own food service or contract with an outside caterer.

Since the Campus is a natural preserve, the following conditions always apply:

• NO PETS of any kind may be brought to the Campus.
• NO FIRE ARMS of any kind may be brought to the Campus.
• Conference use of the Campus is restricted to the grounds surrounding the main buildings. Other than the self-guided trail, all surrounding areas and trails are restricted.
• Wildlife, plants and all natural features are protected and are not to be removed or destroyed.
• Fires must be confined to the fire circle or barbecue pit.
• Cutting of firewood, building of dams, throwing of rocks is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Children must be properly supervised to see that these conditions are met.

ALL FORMS OF TOBACCO AND ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED on all County Office of Education property. (Board Policy AR-4318, AR-7410.1)

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