**Update 3/12/20**I am sorry, but GDA has cancelled all tours due to the Coronavirus scare.  We will try to reschedule for June.

What: Tour of Guide Dogs of America Facility. 

• In this field trip, students will have the opportunity to learn how guide dogs are trained, how they could become a trainer or get involved in other ways to help with the GDA mission, learn more about the challenges blind people face, and how to act if they encounter a Guide Dog.
• If a class is not in session, the group will be visiting the dormitory area where the
  students stay for 21 days while training with their guide dogs. The children should
  conduct themselves in a mannerly way, asking questions one at a time.
• You will have a kennel visit where you will have an opportunity to see and interact, in a
  limited fashion with a group of dogs. Children need to be well behaved and avoid
  making the dogs nutty!
• Guide Dogs of America (GDA) has been offering guide dog mobility services, free of charge, to qualified blind and visually impaired individuals, since 1948. GDA breeds, raises and trains Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds to be partnered with blind men and women living in the United States and Canada.

Who: Students ages 9 and up only and parents.  Younger siblings will not be permitted to attend the field trip.  We need a minimum of 15 students in attendance or we will have to cancel this field trip.

Cost: Free

What You Need To Know:

• Rules of Conduct2 – Copy
• The more the kids know about the whole process prior to our arrival the more they will get out of the presentation (i.e. what is a guide dog? How do they help?).  Please go over these materials with your students: Q&A, Student Worksheet/Questions for Review, GDA Answer Sheet 4-8, HandDrawnDog, CLASSROOM EXERCISES, Overview&MeetingaGDAteam, GDA booklist-non-fic 4-8
• Have the children formulate questions that they might like to ask.
• There is no charge for our visit or tour of course, and you are under no obligation to do anything.  However, the children are never too young to realize that this is primarily a volunteer effort and we find that they are much more enthusiastic about the program if they feel they are doing their part.  Take a peek at the how children can help document and see if you might be interested in “partnering” with Guide Dogs of America.  Also, you can view Giving Opportunities.
•  Each child can contribute a dog toy that we use for our puppies that are in the kennel or add to  gift baskets for our Open House Silent Auction and it can be the “gift that keeps on giving” since people pay good money for our lovely baskets and it all goes to support GDA.
• no food products for the pups, not even homemade dog cookies – we have our puppies on a very specific diet and don’t want any upset tummies.
• Visitors are not allowed to have lunch on the school grounds. GDA can provide
  directions to a nearby public park, which would be suitable for a picnic after your tour.
• Sign Up Using the Google Sheet below