Amanda leads our Customer Experience team; actively listening and problem-solving for each customer that interacts with Outdoor School Shop. At ODSS, she currently oversees all aspects of the customer experience; from returns and product requests & reviews to our referral program and free school directory resource tool. Her vast experience in customer service and product knowledge comes from over 20 years spent in the retail industry working for companies such as Kohls, Columbia Sportwear and Silver Jeans Co. Her time was spent in merchandising and product training- she loves to provide detailed solutions to any question you might have. Please feel free to email her (& any of us at ODSS!) at [email protected] for any needs. If she does not have the answer to your question immediately, she will always dig and find it for you!
We are thrilled and lucky to have Amanda at Outdoor School Shop because she is also a stay-at-home mom of two adorable kiddos ages 5 and 1. She, along with her husband, loves to spend outdoor time on family walks and at the parks in and around Chicago IL.
Amanda devotes a significant amount of her time to maintaining and adding listings to our Outdoor School Directory. This directory is a free resource we make available on our site here to all qualified schools and families. As far as we know, it is the largest and most comprehensive list of outdoor oriented schools and program in North America!
What priority takes up the majority of your time?
I really want to ensure that all details regarding the school listing are correct. This is really important to the school founders, directors and admins. -- so I like to work closely with them so the details that they would like parents and caregivers to notice about their respective programs are front and center! We are happy to add as much information to school and program listings as you want to share and our directory format will allow. Sometimes there are so many compelling details about a school it is a shame to have to cut something! I always like to tell my school contacts to reach out to our social media manager, Jenny, and try to get a "Friday Feature" on instagram. Every Friday, we profile a school or program from North America. It is amazing to see the variety of programs that are out there! Jenny can be e-mailed here.
How many schools are in the current online school directory?
Right now, there are 1284 locations but we work each week to update the map and are adding new locations constantly. If you have not been in contact with us and don't see your school in the directory, reach out! We would love for you to benefit from the exposure the directory brings.
What information should I include in my listing and what is the benefit of adding my school to the directory?
We ask to have the name of your school or program, address, phone number (if applicable), email address, website, learning philosophy and approach to the great outdoors and any other information you feel is meaningful. All this info really helps parents get a bird's eye view of what you do. The website and email address are links so it is very easy for parents to connect with you. We can add general information about when you are open, the ages you serve, if you have camp options, and if you supply outerwear for the students or they must source their own. Remember, ODSS can always help with a bulk outerwear purchase!
Do I need to be an "Outdoor School"?
No way :-) We have many other 'outdoor' education groups, co-ops, micropods, homeschool groups, etc. that are also included in the directory. Our hope is to provide parents and caregivers with a wide variety of options. We are so happy to promote all and every program that strives to incorporate nature and outdoor time in the curriculum and focus.
What should I do if I want to be added to the directory?
Contact me! My name is Amanda and my general email address is [email protected].
Are there any more benefits to being a part of the directory that you can tell us about?
Yes! We have many more benefits- reach out to us today to explore all the resources we can provide you with!
