Trailblazer: Acorn

Welcome Trailblazers

Welcome to the Trailblazer program! We are excited to welcome you the Trailblazer program with the Pathway to Stewardship and Kinship. Your participation gives you priority access to many support services to help your group on your journey. 

Pathway Landmarks are linked to the Ontario Curriculum for each grade. They include opportunities for outdoor learning and for older grades, encourage community involvement and leadership skills.

This is your dedicated portal providing all the information you’ll need to complete the program successfully. Below you’ll see how to sign up for your support services, information on submitting Landmarks and your personal outdoor activity consultant as well as details on how to submit your simple pre-and post-program surveys.

Trailblazer Agreement
Your Outdoor Consultant
Trailblazer Rewards + Icons
Pre and Post Survey Link
How to submit a Landmark Report

2022 Trailblazer Agreement & Community Supports

Your participation gives you priority access to Pathway support services as described below in your Trailblazer agreement. Please complete your agreement below and press ‘Submit’.

Trailblazer Agreement: Acorn

 

Pathway Supports for Early Years Trailblazer 'Acorn' Centres

This year (Sept 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023), we’re pleased to offer the following free-of-charge supports for Trailblazer 'Acorn' Centres working with young children:

  1. 2-3 hours of consulting time with our Early Years Outdoor Activity Consultant, Nancy Doherty (nancyd@pathwayproject.ca) to share ideas with your staff for program and playspace development.
  2. Potential to share costs for materials to facilitate outdoor discovery (e.g. plants, garden supplies, bird feeders and seed, 'loose parts' play materials); this can include materials to encourage families to get involved too (sending home garden seeds etc.).  Contact your Pathway Consultant to discuss your ideas and explore how we can help.
  3. Free access to training workshops (in-person or virtual) for your staff or parents.  We welcome suggestions for topics and speakers that would interest you.

Pathway Participation Agreement

 

The Pathway Project agrees to provide:
   1.  2-3 hours of consulting time with an expert Outdoor Activity Consultant, to share ideas and assist with outdoor program development.
  2.  A limited number of classroom guests and programs (indicate your preferences below).
  3.  A variety of print resources (options below).
  4.  Access to a seasonal newsletter with ideas for activities and upcoming events.
  5.  Access to training workshops (in person or virtual) for staff and/or parents.  We welcome suggestions for topics and speakers that interest you.
6.  Eligibility for our monthly draw for a $50 gift certificate for educators who share ideas through Landmark Reports.
7.  Access to the Pathway Website, full of ideas, training workshops, and opportunities to showcase local activities through our ‘Activity Centre’.

I (Educator) agree to:

1. Integrate Landmark-related activities into my programs (Landmark details are available at pathwayproject.ca).

2. Report Landmark-related activities to the Pathway website at least once each season.

3. Encourage my students to participate in Landmark activities at home.

4. Participate in a simple survey if requested.

I (Educator) agree to:

1. Integrate Landmark-related activities into my programs (Landmark details are available at pathwayproject.ca).

2. Report Landmark-related activities to the Pathway website at least once each season.

3. Encourage our families to participate in Landmark activities at home.

4. Participate in a simple survey if requested.

'The following supports are available for Early Years Trailblazer 'Acorns':
(Please check all of the following options that interest you)

The following supports are available for Kindergarten Trailblazer Classes:
(Please check all of the following options that interest you)

The following supports are available for Kindergarten-Grade 1 Trailblazer Classes:
(Please check all of the following options that interest you)

The following supports are available for Grade 1-4 Trailblazer Classes:
(Please check all of the following options that interest you)

The following supports are available for Grade 4-5 Trailblazer Classes:
(Please check all of the following options that interest you)

Grade 4

The following supports are available for Grade 5-8 Trailblazer Classes:
(Please check all of the following options that interest you)

Which of these Early Year Landmarks do you hope to work on this year?

Which of these Kindergarten Landmarks do you hope work to work on this year?

Which of these Grade 1-4 Landmarks do you hope to work on this year?

Which of these Grade 5-8 Landmarks do you hope to work on this year?

Which of these Grade 9-12 Landmarks do you hope to work on this year?

How would you assess your comfort with outdoor learning for your class?

How would you assess your comfort with outdoor learning for your children?

Pathway Supports for Grades 9-12 Classes

This school year (Sept 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022), we’re pleased to offer the following free-of-charge
supports for Grades 9 - 12 classes in participating schools:

1. For every participating class, we can provide 2 hours of consulting time with an expert Outdoor Activity Consultant, to share ideas and assist with outdoor program development.

2. Through our TRACKS partners, we can provide guidance in contacting local Indigenous Elders and appropriate sharing of Indigenous content in outdoor programs.

3. Free access to Landmark-related training workshops (in-person or virtual) for staff and/or parents. We welcome suggestions for topics and speakers of interest to you.

4. A limited number of classroom guests (let us know your preferences):

a. Zoom and outdoor programs with Otonabee Conservation. Grade 9-12 programs focus on ‘Watershed Science and Sustainability.’ Hands-on stewardship options can be discussed with conservation staff.

b. A locally produced video on local fibre production for the clothing industry. This new video discusses animal care, fibre processing, land stewardship and environmental impacts of the global clothing industry. The video, produced by Farms at Work, will be followed by a live Zoom interaction with a local farmer, where students can meet the farmer and ask questions about fibre production and local farm practices.

c. The Kawartha World Issues Centre is offering youth-led workshops to educate and engage secondary students on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This is an important framework to centre Indigenous Knowledge and leadership in the UN Sustainable Development Goals and protect Indigenous rights through climate action.

d. For teachers who haven't previously worked with 'Nature Nancy' the Pathway project will pay the full cost of one Think Outside program for
new teachers. Nancy is offering her snowshoeing program to secondary students this year, which includes bringing a class set of snowshoes to your school. The program also includes snowshoe games and exploring snowshoeing history and its role in local heritage.

e. A Zoom or in-person visit with a recent immigrant to Canada through the New Canadians Centre to encourage inter-cultural exchange and understanding.

f. Do you need help to identify local plants and animals? We can help you find a local naturalist to visit your class.

g. Looking for help to set up an indoor or outdoor growing space or garden? We can help you find a nearby Master Gardener.

The following supports are available for Grade 9-12 Trailblazer Classes:

* Each class will be assigned an Outdoor Activity Consultant to work with you

(Please check all of the following options that interest you)

Grade 9-12 Support Options:
Note: Community Resources and activity ideas are available to anyone on the Pathway website, under the ‘Landmarks’ tab >Gr 9-10, Gr 11-12>’Support Material’

Meet Your Outdoor Activity Consultant

Taking your group outdoors requires special planning, and we have the perfect people to help you build your skills and confidence.  Our four Outdoor Activity Consultants have a wealth of specialized experience from years of working outdoors with children and youth.

Our outdoor consultants can help you with program planning, finding resources, offering guidance and connecting the curriculum with outdoor learning experiences.  While they’re not intended to do programming for you, they are delighted to work with you to discover the rewards of being outdoors.

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Nancy_leftJ

NancyT@pathwayproject.ca

Greetings! I am Nancy Thomson, an Outdoor Activity Consultant with Pathway to Stewardship and Kinship. However, to many students and teachers, I am known as ‘Nature Nancy.’  When the students see me coming, they know they are in for time exploring and learning outside!  For the past 6 years, I have been running Think Outside which brings outdoor education programming to schools using local greenspace to connect people to the earth and to each other. With 25 years of Outdoor Education experience in many different settings, I look forward to sharing with teachers, parents and children to grow the important work of the Pathway team.

Hi! I’m Kelly King, a settler living in Nogojiwanong/Peterborough. With a B.A. in Indigenous Studies from Trent University and a Master’s degree in Environmental Studies from York University, my work has focused on Indigenous histories of place, settler responsibilities to land, and community arts practices. I’m currently the Outreach and Education Coordinator with the TRACKS Youth Program, which connects youth to traditional ecological knowledge and positive ways of engaging with the land and with each other. I’m passionate about localizing environmental perspectives and supporting people in building their relationship to the territories they call home. 

Kelly

Kelly@pathwayproject.ca

Kim

Kim@pathwayproject.ca

 
Hi! I’m Kim Dobson. I have always loved being outdoors. That luckily translated into a career for me in outdoor education for 30 years before retiring in 2019. 
Now I am excited to be an Outdoor Education Coordinator for the Pathway Project.  I’m looking forward to sharing the tips and tricks that I have learned over the past 30 years and translating that into getting even more students outside of the four walls of the classroom and developing a greater understanding and appreciation of the natural world. I hope to help teachers discover the incredible value of using these Landmarks to create a community of caring individuals.

Hi, my name is Nancy Doherty.  As an Early Childhood Educator and a grandma, children are my passion. I have always loved the outdoors and growing up with a dad who was a Conservation Officer, our house was always full of orphaned critters.  Those early experiences helped me view the natural world with respect and awe. With our wonderful seasons in the Kawarthas, I make sure to get outside every day –  it makes me happy!  I look forward to collaborating with the Early Learning Community to develop program connections to the Pathway Landmarks.

NancyD2withname

NancyD@pathwayproject.ca

STEP 6: Discover the three Trailblazer Steps and Benefits

Download Trailblazer Flag
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Benefits of Level One:

  • priority access to Pathway community supports (P.D. workshops; in-class programs; newsletters, website)
  • opportunities to share ideas with other schools/centres
  • potential for access to materials funding to support outdoor learning
  • eligibility for monthly Landmark draws
  • recognition on Pathway website; access to Level 1 icon to use on school website and
    correspondence
  • belonging to a community of educators doing important work to benefit students and the
    environment

To complete Level One:

  • surveys received from staff and parents 
  • At least one Landmark report each season
Download Trailblazer Flag
Download Transparent Logo

Benefits of Level Two:

  • access to Pathway community supports (P.D. workshops; in-class programs; newsletters, website)
  • opportunities to share ideas with other schools/centres
  • potential access to bussing subsidies to support unique outdoor learning opportunities
  • eligibility for monthly Landmark draws for teachers who continue to submit reports
  • recognition on the Pathway website
  • belonging to a community of educators doing important work to benefit students and the environment
  • access to Level 2 icon to use on school website and correspondence
  • school receives an Oak tree on completion of Level Two, as permanent recognition of their efforts and commitment

To complete Level Two:

  • all staff submit at least one Landmark report during the school year
  • staff promote the Pathway  with families and encourage them to participate
  • staff reach out to other teachers or schools to encourage participation in the Pathway project
Download Trailblazer Flag
Download Transparent Logo

Benefits of Level Three:

  • access to Pathway community supports (P.D. workshops; in-class programs;
    newsletters, website)
  • opportunities to share ideas with other schools/centres
  • eligibility for monthly Landmark draws
  • recognition on Pathway website
  • access to Level 3 icon to use on school website and correspondence
  • belonging to a community of educators doing important work to benefit students and the environment

Completing Your Survey (Early Learning Centres Only)

At this time, this survey is currently ONLY for participants in Early Learning Centres taking part in the Pathway Project

Before you take this survey you should know:

  • You do not have to take this survey – it is your choice.
  • The survey should take a few minutes to complete.
  • The survey will not ask for your name.
Pre-Survey Link

Direct Link: https://bit.ly/3Gv94GG

How to Log Your Landmarks

 

Unsure how to submit Landmarks? Follow this step-by-step tutorial to register and report. Then, check the leaderboards, keep up to date on monthly prize winners and follow the goal tracker for project progress.

Landmarks
Submit a Landmark
Group Leaderboards & Activity Centre
Monthly Prize Draws
Follow the Goal Tracker