Quabbin Field Trip

On Monday the Kindergarten went on its first field trip of the year to the Quabbin Reservoir. Accompanied by the first and second grades and a huge number of parent chaperones, we travelled to Gate 8 of the Quabbin to stock rainbow trout. It has been a tradition every April for grades K-2 to stock trout a few days before fishing season opens (this year it's April 17). Always a favorite for all, this year's trip was made even more special because we extended the trip to include a visit to the Charles L. McLaughlin trout hatchery in Belchertown. So not only did each child get a chance to personally put full-sized rainbow trout into the Quabbin, but each child got to feed some younger ones at the hatchery. Our hosts were Clif Read (DCR employee and Shutesbury dad), Ken Simmons (Mass. Fish and Wildlife biologist) and Jim Lagacy (Mass. Wildlife Angler Educator). They spoke to us about the Quabbin watershed and the joy of fishing and answered our questions about the fish we were looking at. It was very exciting to get out of the classroom and into nature, and share in their enthusiasm for fish and the outdoors.

A huge thank you goes out to Clif, Ken and Jim as well as our impressive turnout of parent volunteers! Thank you for a fantastic field trip!

Here is a link to David's dad, Fred's pictures. More pictures coming soon!

http://picasaweb.google.com/fred.steinberg/QuabbinFishStocking