The NSSEO Board meeting scheduled for January 8, 2025, will commence at 6:15 pm with a closed session. The regular session will follow immediately at 7:00 pm.
TIC Facilitator
This page is for those who have already attended one or all three of the Teams Initiative Course (TIC) training days. This page is a a quick reference for our current facilitators to access all TIC information.
TIC/UCC Reference Videos
Teams Initiative Course (TIC)
The Teams Initiative Course provides participants with an opportunity to work together in a group to problem solve as a team. The group works to develope skills including: problem identification, collaboration, communication, leadership, followership, dependence, independence and interdependence. Below is a list of initiatives on our course.
All Aboard is a great warm up activity to get students working in very close proximity with each other to prepare them for higher teams challenges throughout their day. It can also just be a fun activity for your group. The goal of this activity is to get all participants to be able to stand on this small platform without touching the ground. All participants must have at least 1 foot on the platform and must be standing. Students are not allowed to "dog pile" and stack themselves up on it. Working together, they can try to balance for a designated amount of time, such as 5 seconds.
The Spool itself is a barrel which spins on an axel that is supported by two posts. Depending on the level of challenge the spool can be raised or lowered as the participants physically assist each other in getting from one side of the spool to the other. This activity involves physically lifting participants, diminishing resources, and focused spotting. The Spool is one of the more challenging elements of the team building activities.
("rock climbing")
The 22' Climbing Wall is a very popular activity with students. Students will be taught how to wear a harness properly and to follow safety protocols when climbing. Students climbing work to achieve their own personal goals by either getting both feet on the wall, climbing halfway up, or going to the top and ringing the bell. Students will work in groups of 3, with a belay captain and 2 anchors to "team belay" their climbing partner by giving their undivided attention to the active climber. Every step up the climber makes, the "belay team" will take a step back to continue to support the climber. The belay team will also be responsible for helping their climbing friend get down safely by walking slowly forward. Staff can be rotated into these positions to support students as needed.
Participants are challenged to get everyone up and over the Wall by physically lifting the climber; there are no ropes or ladders. Students who are not lifting the climber absolutely must be spotting the climber. Sunrise Lake has a 9 foot wall and a 12 foot wall, either can be used depending on the age and abilities of your students. The Wall is one of the most challenging activities offered at Sunrise, but it is very safe when participants are following all of the rules.
The goal of the Incomplete Bridge is to get everyone in the group from one platform to the other using the boards provided. Participants will need to work together to build a bridge using 2 boards that, alone, are too short to reach the end platform. If someone falls off, the facilitator can choose to have the 1 person or whole group reset based on level of challenge desired.
In the Nitro Crossing, working together as a whole group, participants will need to problem solve how to get from behind the rope boundary into the hula hoops using the rope swing. Participants need to be creative for how to access the swing and how to work together to safely swing across the woodchips or "hot lava." If a student steps into the woodchipped area outside of a hula hoop, they can be asked to start over or the whole group can be asked to start over, depending on the level of challenge you are looking for.
The Spiderweb is a good initiative to do to start practicing lifting and lofting each other. Participants will work together to get everyone from 1 side of the web to the other without touching the web. There are many modifications that can be done to raise or lower the level of challenge, such as closing off used holes or only using a hole that requires lifting.
The Squeeze Box requires participants to be in very tight spaces with their peers. Participants will work together to go over or under the Squeeze Box and see how many participants they can get inside. It is also very fun once inside to try to get students to change corners or move in a specific way. Participants can also try to exit the Squeeze Box in a different way from which they entered. (There is an emergency release door in case a student panics or is injured.)
While still a part of the TIC, the Sunrise Path is a course unto itself, similar to the UCC but with a greater emphasis on teamwork. The Sunrise Path consists of 3 sections: a v-cable with a rope crawl, a two part tension traverse, and an hourglass cable. Depending on time limits and student abilities, classrooms have the option of attempting all or just part of the Sunrise Path. While much of the Path is completed by working with a partner, all students are expected to spot active participants.
The Suspended Tire is attached by chains to two posts, allowing the tire to be raised off of the ground. The challenge of the Tire is to get all of the participants from one side of the tire to the other side of the tire, by going through the tire. This activity requires physical lifting of participants and focused spotting practices.
TP Shuffle is a great warm up activity, where students stand on a log or logs and must work together to get from area of the platform to another. For example, once all students are standing on the log, the facilitator may say, "While staying on the log, work together to "line up" alphabetically, by first or last name, by date of birth, etc. Students have to use communication skills to work together to help everyone get into the correct position without falling off. This can be made even more challenging by telling students they can't speak.
The Traversing Wall is an opportunity for participants to practice spotting and call/response for teams course activities. In groups of 3-4 (1 active climber, and 2-3 spotters), participants will try to traverse left or right on the traversing wall. While a student traverses, the spotters will walk along with them in the appropriate "spotters stance" to help ensure safety for the climber. The goal for this activity is to have students travel sideways from one side of the wall to the other, instead of climbing upwards. For a challenge, groups can try to cross each other or go through a hula hoop (indoors wall).
The Trust Fall activity begins with warm-ups on the ground to build trust and develop safety & catching practices. Sunrise has a platform with a designated maximum height for falling. The faller is required to keep his or her body stiff and double-checks the readiness of the catchers before falling backwards into their open arms. Due to the potential for serious injury it is imperative that all participants are able to follow all safety rules.
The Tunnel is a fiberglass tube approximately 12 feet long with an 18 inch diameter. Students can either crawl through the tunnel individually or, for a greater challenge, pass a partner crawling simultaneously from the opposite end. This activity will have extreme physical contact within an enclosed space.
The Whale Watch is an 8'x12' balancing platform. Students enter the platform from one side and before exiting at the opposite end they seek out the "sweet spot" that will allow the whale watch to balance for a predetermined number of seconds. Students can attempt the challenge individually, with a partner, in small groups, or with the entire class. Although this is a low-risk activity, care should be taken to not pinch any fingers or toes.
The Whale Watch is an 8'x12' balancing platform. Students enter the platform from one side and before exiting at the opposite end they seek out the "sweet spot" that will allow the whale watch to balance for a predetermined number of seconds. Students can attempt the challenge individually, with a partner, in small groups, or with the entire class. Although this is a low-risk activity, care should be taken to not pinch any fingers or toes.
The Zig Zag consists of 5 stumps with notches in them for boards to be placed in as a bridge. Students are provided with 3 boards of varying lengths and have to work together to figure out where boards go within those notches in order to get everyone from the starting location to the ending location 5 stumps later. Students work on balancing, supporting their peers and problem solving in order to select and pass the correct boards to one another and to walk across safely. To increase the level of challenge, participants or whole groups can be asked to restart if they touch the ground.
Universal Challenge Course (UCC)
The Universal Challenge Course consists of 6 different initiatives, all including different ways to get from one location or platform to another, either via boards, tires, or ropes. Groups are welcome to schedule 1 section or all 6 sections of the course based on interest and group ability. Many of these initiatives are accessible to students who are differently abled, such as in a wheelchair. The UCC is an opportunity for students to select the level of challenge they feel comfortable with, while the group supports them and keeps them safe by staying engaged and spotting their peers.
The Incline Beams consists of 2 boards that are angled up to a platform (that can be raised and lowered). Participants are welcome to walk up the beams on 1 board or 2, forward or backward, and with or without a blindfold. Participants can select the level of challenge that they feel comfortable with. All other participants should be spotting these activities.
The goal of the Cargo Net is to get from one platform to the other by crawling across the cargo net. All other participants should be spotting.
For the Web Beams, participants travel from one platform to another by walking or crawling across our web beams. Participants are welcome to walk across the beams on 1 board or 2, forward or backward, and with or without a blindfold. Participants can select their own level of challenge. All other participants should be spotting and paying close attention because the active participant is four feet above the ground.
Students traverse from one platform to another using the Burma Bridge. This is a thinner rope with "railings" and requires some upper body strength and balance to walk across. Spotters must be engaged to support the active participant as needed.
The Tire Traverse is one of the most popular activities on the UCC, but it is also very physically challenging, requiring upper body strength and coordination. Participants traverse from one platform to another via swinging tires. Spotters must be engaged and able to support traversers in case they need help or fall. 2 long boards can be placed inside the tires as an accommodation to make this activity more accessible (but still challenging).
The Floating Beams is one of the more challenging elements on the UCC. Working individually or while trying to pass a partner, participants walk across two boards that are suspended by cables, which allow the boards to move side to side and up & down simultaneously. This activity requires balance, patience, and strict adherence to all safety rules.
