Each year, our Grades 5-8 students (and various high school students as well) have the opportunity to enjoy a four-day visit to our Outdoor Education Centre. Located on 135 acres of land near Gravenhurst, in the heart of Muskoka, the property hosts a variety of habitats, including lakefront, field, stream, marshland, old growth forest, and Canadian Shield. The cost of the trip is included in the annual tuition.
Our hands-on approach allows learning through education and recreation. Educational activities include vegetation identification, animal habitat study, the science of flight, stream study and GPS geocaching while recreational opportunities include cross-country skiing, orienteering, canoeing, native games, snow shoeing, campfires and night hikes. The facility also has challenging low-ropes and high-ropes courses. A recently updated 5000-square foot building hosts up to 40 students, and is staffed by two full-time outdoor education teachers and a chef.
The kitchen is fully equipped, and with all of those students out in the fresh Muskoka air all day long, their appetites are huge! Three meals a day plus evening snacks are provided and the students assist in the set up and clean up of all meals. Students enjoy a comfortable dining and lounge area where students and teachers enjoy a balanced and healthy meal or take a break and get ready for the next program.
The OEC offers a serene natural environment that enables our students to have fun while learning through a variety of exciting experiential learning techniques.
