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Island Lake Public School begins outdoor classroom project

June 16, 2017   ·   0 Comments

By Jasen Oberemeyer

Island Lake Public School has begun construction for their new Outdoor Learning Space, the classroom continuing in line with the school’s environmental focus.

The idea began during the 2014-2015 school year with one of the school’s teachers, Jenn Bailey, originally as a place for the intermediate students to hang out. Brought forward with the school council, the concept eventually turned into the current idea, though now the whole school can use it, and it will stay open the entire school year.

“We got input from the students, from the staff, how it would look, what it would look like,” said Sean Singh, the school’s principal.

The learning space will be shaped like a compass, with inner and outer rings of armour stone seating, and will be intersected with four pathways. “It’s not a space where one person teaches, it’s where they learn together,” described Mr. Singh.

The classroom will face Highway 10, looking into Orangeville. Although Highway 9 will be behind the classroom, Mr. Singh explained that the tress there, along with looking into putting a living wall with plants, would help create a sound barrier.

He adds the classroom ties in with the school’s environmental focus, and by taking the curriculum connection to the environment outside, “In a space that doesn’t have four walls,” the classroom can represent that focus. The school also has a community garden, and an Environmental Learning Centre (The EcoPak).

Mr. Singh says that although the total costs are undetermined, they have been doing fundraising, and the school is very excited for its unveiling in September. “We can do a lot of our curriculum work outside.”

In regards to how the classroom will be used, Mr. Singh says, “The beauty of it is that we won’t know until we start doing it,” as the teachers and students are expected to come up with ideas for ways to use it.


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