Registration for School District No. 42’s new Environmental School is set to begin this month, as the outdoor program hopes to welcome its inaugural class for 2011.
Former Yennadon vice-principal Clayton Maitland is heading up the program, which hopes to offer “place-based imaginative and ecological education,” by taking kids out of the classroom and conducting lessons outside in the natural environment and in the community.
In fact, there will be no classroom at all, as the program won’t be based out of any particular school.
To learn about civic politics, the class might visit city hall, says Maitland. If the lesson plan calls for biology, the class could visit a fish hatchery.
The program would not be based out of any particular school, and if weather disrupts an outdoor lesson, students would likely retreat to tents or shelters, says Maitland. More traditional, book-based research would likely take place at the Maple Ridge Public Library.
“Most of the places were are looking at for lessons have shelters there,” he said.
The school will be accepting between 40 and 60 students from kindergarten to Grade 7, which will be split into two or three classes.
“This style of learning may not be for all children,” Maitland admits. “It also takes a real commitment from parents.”
Parents will be interviewed as part of the application process, to make sure they know what they are getting into.
“They will have to commit to the style and philosophy of the program,” said Maitland. The program also requires a greater degree of parent participation
With the program taking the children to different locales everyday, one of the major functions of parents will be to transport children.
Maitland said he also wants to draw on parents’ skills and experience and hopefully incorporate them in the lesson plan.
“I hope we can use the expertise of parents, use their talents as part of the learning process,” he said.
Registration will be held at Maple Ridge’s Memorial Peace Park from Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, where tents and heaters will be set up to accommodate parents and children.
“We’re hoping to create a community and a culture,” said Maitland. “We hope to do that before school starts.”
• For more information, visit schools.sd42.ca/es/parents/registration/.
Registration
Registration is at Memorial Peace Park on 224th Street in Maple Ridge:
• Jan. 31, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.;
• Feb. 1, 8:30 to 2 p.m.;
• Feb. 2, 10 to 5 p.m.
After these dates, pick up registration packages from the School District No. 42 office at 22225 Brown Ave.
