January 10-14 at NorthBay in North East, Maryland
The ANCA Outdoor School Summit brings together directors and management staff from overnight outdoor schools, residential environmental learning centers, and nature-based camps across North America. These organizations share the unique challenges of housing and feeding program participants for multiple days, and the Summit fosters a space to solve problems and build connections in this particular field. ANCA holds the Outdoor School Summit in person every two years.
The 2025 Outdoor School Summit takes place at NorthBay, an outdoor school situated on the shores of Maryland's Chesapeake Bay. NorthBay’s impressive campus offers a scenic waterfront setting for Summit participants to learn and network throughout the event.
This Summit is relevant to any organization that offers overnight, multi-day programs that are based in environmental education, and we welcome all professionals in leadership or management positions at these organizations.
The Outdoor School Summit is the single most useful gathering of practitioners in the country for residential EE programs. Imagine all of the biggest challenges you have at your center, and in this one weekend gathering you will leave with ideas and ways to approach all of them ... from people who have been in the same place as you!
— John DiDiego, Education Director, Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont
About the Summit
Programs
Summit programs include a variety of sessions, field trips, and networking opportunities. Each program offers you the chance to connect with peers in a collaborative learning space, gaining fresh insights and practical tools, while building a network of professional relationships that will strengthen your work throughout the year.
Participants in a session at the 2023 Outdoor School Summit.The Outdoor School Summit uses an "Open Space" system to conduct conference sessions. On Saturday of the Summit, all participants come together to collectively suggest and select session topics. Summit organizers then create a session schedule for the following two days. Given this system, we invite you to bring management-level and program topics to the Summit to suggest as sessions.
This system allows you to collaboratively create your Summit experience, and provides the opportunity for you to be an active participant rather than a passive listener. This is also an excellent way for you to get to know your peers and how similar organizations work.
We are currently accepting proposals for Facilitated Discussions at the Summit. Learn more about submitting a proposal here.
Schedule
Friday, Jan 10
Arrive and get settled, dinner at NorthBay
Saturday, Jan 11
Field Trips and activities, followed by the Open Space introduction in the evening
Sunday and Monday, Jan 12 & 13
Open Space sessions, with time for networking in the evenings
Tuesday, Jan 14
Summit wrap-up and departure
Lodging & Location
NorthBay is situated in Elk Neck State Park, which spans over 2,000 acres that include forests, marshlands, white clay cliffs, and sandy shorelines. The nearest airports are the Philadelphia International Airport (an hour’s drive) and the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (an hour and fifteen minutes).
Lodging at NorthBay offers full immersion in the Outdoor School Summit experience. You will have easy access to all the amenities of NorthBay's campus, as well as the scenic landscape of Elk Neck State Park.
NorthBay
Over 300,000 public school students from 350 schools and 21 districts have participated in NorthBay’s outdoor residential education programs since 2005. These immersive, multi-day programs allow students to learn about a variety of subjects while they conduct authentic investigations of environmental issues. NorthBay also offers innovative tutoring programs and team-building day trips for students, as well as retreats and activities for all ages.
NorthBay's campus features an impressive array of facilities, including:
- Lodging for up to 600 people, with a variety of cabins, bunk rooms, and hotel-style rooms
- A dining hall with a 550-person capacity
- An adaptable high-tech theater
- An expansive gymnasium, appropriate for multiple sports and activities
- A variety of adventure elements such as a high ropes course, zipline, and both indoor and outdoor climbing walls
Registration
The registration fee is $495. Please note that registration does not include lodging. Learn more about lodging fees here.
Registration includes:
- All sessions on Sunday and Monday
- Transportation for Saturday Field Trips and activities
- Additional learning and networking opportunities with professional peers
- All meals, from dinner on Friday to breakfast on Tuesday
Sponsorship
Summit sponsorship is an opportunity for businesses and organizations to engage with ANCA members, building brand awareness and marketing leads, while also supporting our profession's ability to deliver impactful environmental education experiences.
FAQs
Curious about the Outdoor School Summit? Here are some frequently asked questions about the event.