School Vision:
A community project - from playground to outdoor classroom

It all started several years ago, when the city of Stoneham closed its outdoor centre, taking away a valuable nature learning experience for students. The idea of a mini-centre in the school's own backyard was first launched by Ste-Foy teacher Donna Sinclair with the support of a few parents. This small idea grew into a larger initiative which developed over the years while still maintaining its original intent of an outdoor learning centre. The playground was renovated, trees, shrubs and perennials were planted and a special space for an outdoor classroom was created.

Read/see the story of this project on the school's Web site
http://www.cqsb.qc.ca/sfs/outclass.htm

Involving the community
The project drew in members from the Ste-Foy school community: students, teachers, parents, as well as the business community.

Shell Canada donated money. Other businesses donated in kind.

Students from all classrooms were invited to present their vision of the perfect playground. A committee of teachers and students took the best aspects of the various designs to create the final design which included hills, a pond, trees, a soccer field, gardens, a basketball court and a playground space.

Teachers and parents pitched in to build garden plots, create the pond, plant trees and build the needed garden shed.

To focus on the whole child, it takes a whole community. Each spring, on Tender Loving Care Day, students take down snow fences, fertilise the trees, clean and rake and plan new projects. One Saturday every fall the school community gathers to prepare the site for winter. Past students stay in touch and some are hired during summer months to help weed and water the area. Even today, students continue to maintain tree diaries where they note height, circumference and details relevant to the species.

Such a large scale and intense project created a dynamic in the school and the community that not only endures today but has become part of the School's Educational project and Success plan because a strong community and parent involvement directly translates into mores successful students in school.

Ste-Foy's Educational Project: http://www.cqsb.qc.ca/sfs/EducationalProject.htm
Ste-Foy's Success Plan:
http://www.cqsb.qc.ca/sfs/success-plan.htm