What would you do?

[Brutalfly]

I work for a school district at the lower elementary K-2 and I am throwing around the idea of GeoCaching in my building throughout our campus. 
I approached the principal about it and he told me I need to do more reading and get more info and that he likes the idea. 

This is what I want to do. 
I want to purchase some GPS instruments for my building 2-4 of them. 
Then I want to create a couple of cach's to place around our campus so the teachers and students can find them and work on the assignment that is in there or put together something and the class that has gotten all the the things throughout the whole year will win a prize.

With their being security issues and all kinds of things going on at schools I am worried about safety. These things will more than likely be placed around areas like sporting complexes and stuff like that. 
What do you guys think and suggest if this ends up as a thing for our school?

[+Aer72]

16 minutes ago, Brutalfly said:

I work for a school district at the lower elementary K-2 and I am throwing around the idea of GeoCaching in my building throughout our campus. 
I approached the principal about it and he told me I need to do more reading and get more info and that he likes the idea. 

This is what I want to do. 
I want to purchase some GPS instruments for my building 2-4 of them. 
Then I want to create a couple of cach's to place around our campus so the teachers and students can find them and work on the assignment that is in there or put together something and the class that has gotten all the the things throughout the whole year will win a prize.

With their being security issues and all kinds of things going on at schools I am worried about safety. These things will more than likely be placed around areas like sporting complexes and stuff like that. 
What do you guys think and suggest if this ends up as a thing for our school?

brilliant

[+kunarion]

30 minutes ago, Brutalfly said:

This is what I want to do. 
I want to purchase some GPS instruments for my building 2-4 of them. 
Then I want to create a couple of cach's to place around our campus so the teachers and students can find them and work on the assignment that is in there or put together something and the class that has gotten all the the things throughout the whole year will win a prize.

 

If you intend it to be listed on geocaching.com, be sure to read all about it: https://www.geocaching.com/play/hide

There are regional differences, but it's not common for a Geocache to be published on school grounds.  Also, an Official Geocache is available to all Geocachers, not just the school.

You may instead place containers in any way the school allows, temporary and for the school only, providing coordinates and info to persons hunting the containers, and not listing the cache online as an Official Geocache.  But you can explain that there is a worldwide game for persons who want to join and go find caches.

Edited March 2, 2018 by kunarion

[+niraD]

This sounds like the kind of thing that would be great as a private geocache (not listed on the geocaching.com site). Then you could set up the containers and assignments however you wanted. As kunarion mentioned, geocaches on/near school grounds are usually not published here. There are also other restrictions on published caches that may interfere with your educational plans.

When I have introduced new people to geocaching, I have tried to shield them from the technology. For short (1 hour) introductions, I spend about 30 minutes explaining how geocaching works, and then I take them to a location where I have hidden a number of containers. Then I have them take turns raising their hands and pointing out a hidden container. There is no GPS use; I just tell them where the area is that the caches have been hidden.

For longer introductions, I spend about the same amount of time explaining how geocaching works, and then we go for a hike and search for geocaches. I either hand them a device preloaded with cache data, so all they have to do is press GO, or I use my own device and tell them where it says "ground zero" is. This was also the basic approach used at the GPS Adventures Maze Exhibit that I visited. Experienced geocachers could use a sheet of paper with a list of coordinates, but newbies could use a preloaded GPS receiver.

Edited March 2, 2018 by niraD

[Brutalfly]

Thank you guys for the great information. 
I will definitely be using your advice and some of the information found on the site. 
 

[+NanCycle]

4 hours ago, aer72 said:

brilliant

NOT.

[+Manville Possum]

I hope Groundspeak has guidelines to keep geocaches and the people they attract off of school property. And I say that as a parent and 10 year veteran geocacher.

You have no idea what you are asking for.

 

Edit to add: I really need to check profiles before commenting. Joined yesterday, 0 finds.

Edited March 2, 2018 by Manville Possum
Fell for it

[+niraD]

24 minutes ago, Manville Possum said:

I hope Groundspeak has guidelines to keep geocaches and the people they attract off of school property.

They do. From the guidelines (emphasis added):

Quote

Stay away from restricted areas

Do not place geocaches in restricted, prohibited, or otherwise inappropriate locations. Some areas have additional regulations and laws that further restrict geocache placement. Geocaching HQ staff or a community volunteer may temporarily disable or permanently archive the cache page if any of the following is reported. (This list is not comprehensive.) [...]

• The geocache is problematic due to its proximity to a public structure. Examples include highway bridges, major roadways, dams, government buildings, schools, military installations, hospitals, airports and other areas defined in the Regional Geocaching Policies Wiki.

 

But with that said, I have found a cache that was placed on school property with the full knowledge and approval of the school administration. But it was placed in 2003 when things were a bit more flexible. And the final (the only physical waypoint) was moved off campus in 2009 after the container was repeatedly muggled.

[+The A-Team]

1 hour ago, NanCycle said:

5 hours ago, aer72 said:

brilliant

NOT.

If you have any concerns about the OP's idea or constructive advice to improve it, then feel free to speak up. Your post seems to imply that you see some issues, but didn't specify what those are or how they could be overcome.

[+The A-Team]

46 minutes ago, Manville Possum said:

You have no idea what you are asking for.

That's exactly why they posted here: to get more information about an idea they had. I applaud them for taking the time to look into the matter further rather than just forge ahead and potentially run into some common pitfalls. They've since been given some good advice, so hopefully they can turn that into a successful introduction to geocaching and geolocation for their students.

[+Manville Possum]

When I took part in the review process on another geocache listing service it was common for a student  pretending to be an educator asking to publish geocaches on school property. I just seen it so much that all are suspect now.  I'd just ask for a contact number so we could discuss it. 

[Brutalfly]

I just want to reassure you guys that I talk with my principal all the time and we have nothing but the safety and security of the student we teach in mind. 
We briefly chatted about this and would never make things public so other can come onto the school property. 
What we normally do is form a committee and discuss these types of ideas to the fullest extent we eliminate anything that could put children in danger especially with all the school things going on. 
I do have 3 children of my own and would never do anything to put them as well as my students in harms way.
If we did do something like this it would be kinda like an Easter egg hunt but just for our school and our students only. There would be no tracker for anybody to come onto the property. 
Just wanted to clarify all that. 
We do fully exhaust all good and bad things that could happen before we decide to do anything. 

Edited March 2, 2018 by Brutalfly

[+cerberus1]

Most already stated why it's usually an issue (caches on school property) , and caches have to be made available to all (except  for Premium Member Only hides, a PM-only benefit).

Making your own caches with placement  only for you, is a great idea with no issues, and you can switch 'em around to other locations when you want, to keep it interesting.   

IIRC, we did one of the last near us allowed on school property.  Placed by a teacher.  Emailed me for info to get started and we helped with swag n stuff too.  Placed their first cache during Winter, in a location that gets serious snow.  Published and we were FTF.  Entered the parking lot and a gazillion kids were looking out windows.  Both of us jumped outta the truck at the same time, waving ... and were waist/chest-high in snow.       Made for an interesting log.

 

[+Max and 99]

Brutalfly,

I helped a local teacher who wanted a grant for GPS units and to teach geocaching to her students.  The caches would just be for those students, so there was no need to publish them on the GC site. We walked around the school, chose different cache types for different hiding spots. She did a great job planning this activity for her students.

On the flip side: I was asked to talk about geocaching (specifically latitude/longitude) to my son's 3rd grade class. I informed the Principal and secretaries in advance what was planned, so they wouldn't panic if a kid reported a suspicious container.  Everything went great until it was time to go outside and find the cache, only to learn that the kids who were just outside during recess found it first and were so excited to show everyone else.   "Put it back, put it back, quick quick!"  Haha.

[+WarNinjas]

Sounds like a fun idea.  Obviously it wouldn't be published for all geocachers (And wouldn't be even if you wanted to)  Just try and hide it in a way that kids that are not intended to find it don't.  I am sure they are good at that. Maybe in a library book or something.

[+Team Taran]

I assist my sister in running a geocaching club for their after school program. We hide 6 to 8 geocachers in the schoolyard for each week for 5 weeks. Then if the kids earn it by paying attention and following rules we hide a like number of caches in the park near the school. None of them are published anywhere. I use gsak to create the cache details to load on their etrex 10s.  This program is limited to 3-5 graders. Have you investigated letterboxing as another approach to involving kids in hunting for things?

Edited March 3, 2018 by Team Taran
Second thoughts

[+Max and 99]

6 hours ago, Team Taran said:

I assist my sister in running a geocaching club for their after school program. We hide 6 to 8 geocachers in the schoolyard for each week for 5 weeks. Then if the kids earn it by paying attention and following rules we hide a like number of caches in the park near the school. None of them are published anywhere. I use gsak to create the cache details to load on their etrex 10s.  This program is limited to 3-5 graders. Have you investigated letterboxing as another approach to involving kids in hunting for things?

On average, how long do the geocachers have to stay still and in their hiding spot until the kids find them?  I hope they bring a book to read.

[+TeamRabbitRun]

On ‎3‎/‎3‎/‎2018 at 8:18 PM, Max and 99 said:

On average, how long do the geocachers have to stay still and in their hiding spot until the kids find them?  I hope they bring a book to read.

Right - if it's for a week at a time, that would count as "lurking" in any jurisdiction, and would definitely land the geocachers in the hoosegow.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

On 3/2/2018 at 0:36 PM, kunarion said:

 

If you intend it to be listed on geocaching.com, be sure to read all about it: https://www.geocaching.com/play/hide

There are regional differences, but it's not common for a Geocache to be published on school grounds.   

It's also common for a cache submission which shows the cache is *near* school grounds (not including colleges or universities) to undergo additional scrutiny by reviewers.  I had one that was about 150' from the edge of a park that *appeared* to be part of the school grounds on a map.  The cache itself was about 500 feet from the nearest school building.  The park was pretty much just a grass field behind the school boundary.  Once I explained that there were a couple of trails which could be used to access the cache that were not close to the school it was published.  The trails go through an infrequently disc golf course and the cache is beyond that in a somewhat densely wooded area.  It's one of those areas where even those that live in the area don't know exists and almost every other logs mentions seeing deer when finding the cache.