FAQs

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What if it rains, or the weather is bad? Students will have the proper gear to be comfortable outside. Teachers will coach students in how to use their clothing and strategies to be comfortable in adverse weather conditions. Teachers will carry a tarp, and gear to support students. We adapt the activity and the duration to suit the weather.  We will NOT go outside if the weather deems learning unsafe. (extreme cold, lightning, etc.)

Where will my child be learning on outdoor days? We will use the surrounding areas to Ecole Percy Pegler School. This may include: Natural areas surrounding the school. The Sheep River valley Downtown Okotoks Community parks and pathways Community facilities such as the art gallery, museum, library, etc. Kananaskis Country

What exactly will my child be learning?

Students in our program learn the same provincially mandated curriculum that a traditional classroom also learns. The difference in our program is in how we engage with the curriculum. We look for authentic experiences to bring the curriculum to life in our community and natural areas. Examples of this would include:

•  playing a game to demonstrate a concept, then using their lived experience to inspire a creative writing piece. 
•  Making observations and wondering about things we find and see in the outdoors to inspire academic research back in the classroom. 
•  Bringing math concepts such as measurement, and basic operations by studying and measuring tracks of different animals. Students will use addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to dig deeper into how fast, how far, how much further the animal(s) in question were travelling, or how much larger or smaller the measured objects are from other things.
• Applying science concepts to practical skills. For example, in grade 4 we learn about simple machines through bike maintenance and repair. Students take donated bicycles in all sorts of conditions, learn how to fix them, and then donate them to people who need them in our community.

What about a bathroom?

We will be designing the outdoor days around having access to bathrooms periodically throughout the day. In most cases we will be close enough to the school or an outhouse that we will be able to use those bathrooms, but in other instances, we may utilize other schools, some community infrastructure, and even some local partnered businesses. For younger grades, the use of a portable toilet may be necessary where facilities are not nearby.

What will your child to educator ratio be when outdoors? At the beginning of the year teachers work to build stamina, expectations and trust with students. As students gradually become more competent in being outside and teachers understand and see appropriate behaviours demonstrated we start to venture further from the school.  Once this trust has been established and students are meeting expectations we move more deeply into the community and nature.  We are never very far from the school and there is always someone available to come support our students if there is a need.  There are certain activities that require more supervision or involvement from parent volunteers. This is something coordinated by the teacher. It is important to note that students are engaging in purposeful learning under the guidance of masterful teachers. The teachers have training in wilderness first aid and Outdoor Council of Canada Field Leader courses. This allows for proper planning and situational awareness combined with solid teaching to create safe engaging learning.  In earlier grades teachers may have even more parents involved during the outdoor days on a regular basis to help support the little ones.

Will there be bussing available to Ecole Percy Pegler?

Parents will be responsible for getting their child to and from Ecole Percy Pegler School. There will be no bussing provided.

How will emergencies be handled? All staff will have first aid training and well stocked first aid kits. All staff will have an emergency communication device such as a cell phone. Staff will coordinate with the office and parents if the situation requires a pickup. What if my child is late, or needs to be picked up for an appointment? Communication will be the key to these scenarios. Teachers will have cell phones on them at all times when learning outside and can coordinate with pick up and drop off locations.

What kind of gear will my child need?

Students will be expected to come to school with a backpack and clothing that will allow them to be comfortable in all weather. If a family is unable to provide proper clothing for their child, the school can help support with clothing. Here is an example of a gear list for spring, summer, or fall seasons.

•  At least a 20 - 30 L backpack (depending on grade) with hip straps for support.
•  Sturdy footwear
•  Waterproof/ Breathable Rain jacket and pants AND/OR rain poncho
•  Synthetic fleece jacket (warm mid layer - NOT COTTON)
•  1 set of synthetic long underwear, top and bottoms
•  1 pr. of synthetic quick dry pants (Track pants are OK)
•  1 short sleeve t-shirt (NOT COTTON)
•  1 back up pair of wool or synthetic socks (incase feet get wet or cold)  
•  Toque and neck tube/Buff
•  Gloves for fall 
•  Waterproof mitts/ gloves for winter (warmer the better)
•  At least 1L of water (screw top preferred as they do not leak in pack)
•  Hat, Sunglasses, Sunscreen 
•  Healthy Lunch (must be a bag lunch that does not require a microwave)
•  Energy snacks (pocket snacks)