Mother Nature’s classroom is expanding at an Okotoks school.
Foothills School Division trustees voted unanimously on Feb. 10 to expand the Nature-Based Learning program to Kindergarten to Grade 6 at École Percy Pegler School for the 2021-22 school year.
Jack Molyneux, trustee for Black Diamond, Turner Valley, Longview, said the program offers many opportunities for students.
“It has so much potential and so much going for it,” said Molyneux, an outdoorsman who went to Mount Everest base camp for a retirement celebration.
“This nature-based learning program is the next great step.”
The proposed program is open to all elementary-aged students. There is a minimum threshold of 100 students to be registered for the program to proceed.
At present teacher Ryan Lemphers has one Grade 6 class at Pegler and Graham Campbell has a Grade 4 class at Westmount. The students spend Tuesdays and Thursdays outside, weather permitting, for the entire day, rather than in a classroom.
Pegler principal Dinah VanDonzel said the school will re-open the engagement platform so people know how to register.
“We want to get the information out to the world, so they know what’s going on at Percy Pegler with nature-based learning,” VanDonzel said in an interview after the board meeting.
Lemphers said he believes reaching the 100 students will not be a problem. He, along with Campbell, VanDonzel and vice-principal Faye Holt made a presentation to the board on Jan. 27, which indicated 99 students were interested.
Lemphers said they are prepared – and continue to prepare – to adapt the program for the full-range of elementary students.
“As we work with our team of teachers, as we hire them into those positions, we will work collaboratively,” he said.
“The teamwork with the other teachers will be very strong… We will be able to bring the new teachers into the fold and work how we are going to plan interesting ways to engage students and use nature-based learning in the community.”
At present, there are kindergarten and junior kindergarten classes that go out for brief periods every day at Pegler.
“So, it (the program) is innate in our building,” VanDonzel said.
Okotoks trustee Sharon Nichols endorsed the program, however at the meeting expressed her concerns the impact the potential loss of students and/or teachers may have on division schools.
“We are ensuring that when the kids register, we are not impacting staffing at other schools,” VanDonzel said in the interview.
She said for example, the loss of 10 students at a larger school would have little effect on staffing, however the same loss at a smaller rural school could cost a half-time teaching position.
“We will allow the students to come or not depending on the impact on that school,” she said.
Campbell said the recruiting process for teachers may be more involved than a typical hiring of a teacher.
“Give a teacher a bit of a test drive outside and make sure they have the skill set for the program,” Campbell said. “Maybe have a potential candidate shadow Ryan or I or lead an activity in the outdoors to see how they would manage situations outside.”
Board chair Larry Albrecht asked if there is a possibility of extending the program to junior high and high school in the future.
Chris Fuzessy, Foothills superintendent, said discussion about extending the program to higher grades is “certainly on our radar,” and may be discussed at future board meetings.
Trustee Bill Young asked the question that was on every trustees’ minds as it was a freezing -32C with wind chill on Feb. 10.
“When it’s weather like this, will you be going outside?”
“No,” Lemphers deadpanned. “We want to set the kids up for success not make them suffer. We want to build up their confidence and also their readiness to be able to be outside.
“We have that -16C being the limit where kids can write comfortably with their gloves on.”
The cost of the program is projected to be $150 for each student, which will be paid through school fees.
As well, all students will need the proper outer wear such as winter gloves, suitable boots and jacket other winter wear.
Pegler School Council does have funds to assist families who are facing financial difficulties during these times with funding for the program.
Any families with children living outside the Pegler School busing catchment area who are wanting to take the program would be responsible for the students’ transportation to the school.
Parents who are interested in having their children in the program are asked to go to the engagement platform. As well there will be some information evenings, on yet to be determined dates.
