Cache Placement

[+bikehikecache]

I have started caching, and plan on now placing a cache myself. I was wondering if the grounds ofa public school would be an OK place to put a cache. Schools where I am (burbs of Atlanta) seem to try to be very secure. But on the other hand there are city sports practices here(school is county), and the gates are usually open in the day every day (and plenty of people park outside the gates and walk in, there's no fence.) What are your thoughts on this?

 

BikeHikeCache

[+JohnnyVegas]

There are caches on school property, I for one will not look for them, being a single male 50+ years, I do not need the hassle, the few I have seen I just drove past when I got there. it would have been nice if I knew they were on school property before I went looking for them.

[+JohnnyVegas]

edit

; entered post twice

Edited January 4, 2005 by JohnnyVegas

[+Thot]

I believe caches on or adjacent to public school grounds are discouraged. Authorities get antsy about strangers, especially strange men, hanging around school grounds.

 

I, personally, am not a strange man but almost all male geocacher are.

Edited January 4, 2005 by Thot

[+TEAM 360]

Yea, generally a bad idea...I went after a cache next to an elementary school once, and never even got out of the car. There were about 100 pairs of watchful eyes staring at me and there was no way to retrieve the cache with ANY level of stealth.

Saturday and Sunday would be the only days to do these types of caches, IF they haven't been found by all the kids running around...

[+Renegade Knight]

If a school allows recreation on it's grounds after school hours then yes a cache is ok.

 

However you should get permission, you should state when they can look. Most schools have strict rules about who can be there and signing in etc. during school hours. Also keep in mind the kids will find it and plunder the cache. Every male who is looking for the cache is going to feel like a perv (even thought geocaching is ok) thanks to societal stereotyping. Lastly if someone other than a kid who isn't aware of the cache (even if the cache has permission) finds it, it will be called in as a bomb and probably blown up. The kids will get a day out of school, parents will panic and your name will be mud. The police and bomb squad will understand when you explain you had permission but that’s not the story the public will get. The sheriff and county commissioners will consult their attorney to see if they can send you the billl.

 

If after all that you still think a school cache is a good idea...good luck. I had a cache on the trail outside a school fence by a creek that was a success.

Edited January 4, 2005 by Renegade Knight

[+Escapades]

There was a cache hidden on a school ground here in CA that was recently found and the bomb squad was called and they blew it up, I believe in Modesto. They evacuated the school. With everyone so worried about terrorism I think it is best to find somewhere other than school grounds.

Mike

[+Touchstone]

I completely agree. The Bomb Squads have enough finds under their belts now

[+New England n00b]

As a highly suspicious 30-something single male, I too would feel like a perv looking for a cache on school grounds where I otherwise have no business being...

[+Team Perks]

I'd never go after a cache on school grounds. I attempted to find one at a school--it was even a weekend and I still felt creepy.

 

On the other hand, I have no problem looking for caches at a college/university campus. I feel like I fit in at least a little better there.

[+Katydid & Miles Stone]

I would also add a "no" for the reasons above.

 

Having lived in the area at the the time of the 1996 Summer Olympics - you may want to considered a cache that highlights the event locations or monument in some fashion. MS

[+briansnat]

With all the great places to hide a cache, I think schoolgrounds would be one of the last places I'd consider.

[+wimseyguy]

As a highly suspicious 30-something single male, I too would feel like a perv looking for a cache on school grounds where I otherwise have no business being...

I gotta agree with the noob. He is pretty sketchy looking. I would be too snooping around the landscaping and under the benches near a school. Don't do it. Find a park or greenway if you want to have you cache to last and get found by happy cachers.

There are several small county parks adjacent to schools that are not open to the public during school hours. Every time I get in hiding mode I resist the temptation to hide one in them. Sooner or later, it would be found by curious students, or somone will ignore the time limits.

[+Cymbaline]

Possible spoiler for thread-starter/other Metro ATL folx...

 

One of my caches is in a county park. However, getting to the cache from the park is mostly a PITA. Approaching from a nearby county school is a much better alternative, and while not mentioning the school directly, the description does mention "approach via the right place at the right time".

 

Finders that have gone during school hours has thus far been smart/cognizant enough to take the harder approach**.

 

No problems thus far - no complaints from the school or law enforcement.

 

** - Of course, some folx appear to have taken the harder approach on sheer will.

[+Kealia]

Agreed with previous posters - I think there are enough other places without putting one on/near a school.

 

I have a small child in school and am very paranoid about people hanging around the grounds.

 

I, too won't search for school caches if I see them - and I'm NOT suspicious looking. I'm handsome - no, really I am.

[+bikehikecache]

Thanks for the advice. I thought this would come out negative, but just wanted to see how others felt about the idea. I am in 8th grade, and it would be in some woods off to the side of our school, but still school grounds. Now I gotta find another place. Oh well. Thanks anyway.

Bike Hike Cache

[+IBcrashen]

There is a cache around here that was placed on school grounds by the 7th grade class as a project for other classes to find and now is available to others.

[+Anonymous']

If you do place a cache on school grounds or near it I would put in the description that there is a school near the cache and they should go find it after school is done for the day. You don't want to be caching and have the whole school go into lockdown because of you.

[+Dave1976]

I agree I don't think that I would be interested in searching school grounds for a cache however if I was doing this as a class exercise with my students then it might be different

[+ChicagoCanineCrew]

I saw one person mentioned it... What does everyone else think about caches on *college* grounds?

[+Team GPSaxophone]

Agreed with previous posters - I think there are enough other places without putting one on/near a school.

 

I have a small child in school and am very paranoid about people hanging around the grounds.

 

I, too won't search for school caches if I see them - and I'm NOT suspicious looking. I'm handsome - no, really I am.

 

No, not suspicious looking at all :D

 

I take my kids with me when hunting caches near schools or parks. One time I didn't and I felt very uncomfortable seeing people watch my every move around their kids.

[+Renegade Knight]

I saw one person mentioned it... What does everyone else think about caches on *college* grounds?

Knock yourself out.

[+wimseyguy]

I saw one person mentioned it... What does everyone else think about caches on *college* grounds?

Now that is a different story. You have to be pretty far out there to look unusual and suspicious on a college campus.

Of course the cachers that like to hunt in their work clothes during lunch, or on the way home might look a little out of place.

Check out r0b's wayfinding sign series at Vanderbilt U for this concept taken to the extreme. They were fun. I have adopted a multi at NC State that takes you on a historic tour of campus before locating a 35mm, and another one leads to to a common, but unusual location for the final stage.

[+The Neverlanders]

There is one not too far from where I live. The cache placer contacted the school and got permission. She has on the page that it is on school grounds and WHEN you can look for it. Seems to me that she handled it well.