Long before this year’s COVID-19 pandemic, the students at Roland Park Country School could be found outside for class. In the early 20th century, RPCS had open air classrooms, requiring students to come to school equipped with blankets, sweaters and felt boots. In fact, during the 1932-1933 school year, RPCS had the best health record of all schools in Baltimore, with no confirmed cases of infectious disease, which was attributed to the 60 degree classrooms.
As different as things are today, the emphasis on learning outside, particularly in the Lower School, is stronger than ever. For years, the school’s curriculum has focused on interdisciplinary lessons beyond the classroom walls that encourage problem solving and risk taking. Learning outdoors also empowers students to make healthy choices in their daily lives, helps them understand how humans interact with their…