Become a Trailblazer School or Centre
Welcome to the Pathway Trailblazer Program!
If you are in the Peterborough Region and can recruit at least four participating teachers at your school or Early Learning Centre, you could become a Pathway Trailblazer for the year.
This gives you priority access to many support services to help your group on your journey. In exchange, you agree to submit Landmark reports and may be asked to submit simple pre-and post-program surveys.
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.
Trailblazers work on Landmark activities, just like all participants in the project. Trailblazers sign an agreement to complete and report on at least one Landmark each school term. This agreement also allows you to select which supports would be most helpful to you and your students.
This Year's Community Supports for Trailblazers
Available supports may change from year to year, but here’s a sample of offerings for 2020-2021:
- 2-3 hours of free consulting time with experienced Outdoor Activity Consultants (see below)
- Free or subsidized programs from excellent local groups including Camp Kawartha, Think Outside (Nature Nancy), Otonabee Conservation, Farms at Work, GreenUP and the Kawartha World Issues Centre
- Virtual zoo tours or “Adopt an Animal” with Riverview Park and Zoo for primary grades
- Virtual nature-based music and story sessions with local musicians and storytellers
- A budget for purchasing materials to support outdoor learning
- Access to gardening advice and local naturalists to accompany group walks
- Access to guidance on integrating Indigenous knowledge into your outdoor programming
- Virtual visitors from the New Canadians’ Centre’s ‘Living Library’ to meet people from different cultures to learn their stories
Discover your School’s True Nature facilitates outdoor learning experiences with outdoor educators, who design and deliver curriculum-linked outdoor programming on school grounds.
ORCA offers many wonderful programs focused on Watershed Stewardship. Staff offer curriculum-linked activities from primary through secondary grades.
Their numerous bike education programs help increase competence and confidence on a bicycle, in a supported, safe, accessible, and fun environment.
Think Outside offers on-site outdoor programmings for children of all ages. ‘Nature Nancy’s’ many workshop topics incude A Bug’s World, Park Art, Snowshoeing, and Wilderness Survival.
The ‘Adopt an Animal Program‘ allows primary students to get to know a zoo animal through weekly virtual visits with a zookeeper for 6 weeks. This opportunity allows the students to learn about biodiversity, the importance of habitat, and the needs of living things.
‘Youth as Agents of Change‘ for the 2030 Agenda is an interactive virtual youth-led
webinar workshop series designed to educate and engage high school students in the important of the
Sustainable Development Goals.
The ‘Farm Fibre Documentary‘ highlights fibre production in Ontario and discusses the environmental impacts of the global garment industry. Includes an online Zoom meeting where students can ask questions of one of the farmers in the video.
‘Learning From the Land and Indigenous People‘ with Anishinaabe Educator, Nicole Bell, offers land-based learning for educators, children, youth, and families. The program is framed around the medicine wheel and traditional Anishinaabe cultural practice.
In-Person and Virtual Options
There are also opportunities to work with Master Gardeners, Local Naturalists and have interactive sessions with Librarian Kate Jarrett and puppeteer, Glen Caradus.
Need help? Check out the dropdown ‘Resources’ section for each Landmark on the website’s ‘Landmarks‘ page, and the many helpful videos in our ‘Video Centre‘. Our Blog has lots of activities – from Sun Catchers to cycling adventures!
We also hold periodic workshops for educators on many different topics. Make sure you’re on our mailing list to hear all about them.
Meet our Fabulous Outdoor Activity Consultants!
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.
Join the Trailblazer Waiting List
Add your name, email, and a brief message highlighting your school, classroom, and what interests you about the Trailblazer Program. We will contact you with more information when a spot becomes available!
Pathway Trailblazers for 2020/2021 School Year
Three cheers to our current Trailblazers for leading the way on the Pathway to Stewardship & Kinship
- Compass Early Learning and Care Home Childcare Program
- Compass Early Learning and Care, Peterborough Program
- Highland Heights Public School
- Immaculate Conception Catholic Elementary School
- Millbrook South Cavan Elementary School
- Northern Lights Children’s Daycare Centre
- Old Millbrook School Early ON Centre
- Peterborough Child and Family Centres
- Queen Elizabeth Elementary School
- St. Joseph (Douro) Catholic Elementary School
- Strath-MacLean Childcare Centre
- Sunshine Daycare
- Trent Childcare (campus)
- Trent Childcare (St. Luke’s)
Get inspired and top the Leaderboard
We are so proud of all our Pathway Explorers that every Landmark submission, with permission to publish, is added to the Activity Page of our website. This way the entire community can share creative ideas for engaging with the outdoors.
Want to see how you stack up against other classrooms? Every activity is awarded points, which are added to the seasonal Leaderboard.
To see how your group is helping to reach our community goal of 25,000 Landmark activities by 2023, check out the Goal Tracker. Look for your group on the Pathway Explorers dropdown list.
Win the Monthly Prize Draw
We hold a monthly draw from all the Landmark reports received that month. Every entry gives your class or group a chance to win! Winners choose a $50 gift certificate from a range of fabulous local businesses such as Kawartha Dairy, Wild Rock Outfitters, GreenUP Store, Ecology Park Plant Nursery, Camp Kawartha Store, Avant Garden Shop, and Gerri’s Arts and Crafts.
Note: Draw prize winners must be Ontario residents.