***Under Construction***
Please contact Serina Allison directly to book bikes for the 2024/2025 school year – serina.allison@sd71.bc.ca
Click HERE for bike information, bookings and resources.
The District Bike program includes 28 varying sizes of bikes, skill development equipment, helmets, adult reflective vests, adaptive equipment, and basic bike maintenance tools.
District Snowshoes
Click HERE for snowshoe info. and bookings
x5 Children’s MSR TYKER snowshoes
x25 Youth MSR SHIFT snowshoes
x20 Youth/Adult EVO snowshoes
The Outdoor Education Toolkit for Grade 9 to 12 developed to enrich and promote a culture of safety-mindedness, increase teacher awareness, confidence, and preparedness to teach outdoor education safety and risk management, and increase student awareness, confidence, and preparedness about outdoor education safety and risk management.
- Trip and activity planning tools
- Risk assessment guidelines
- Lesson Plans and for Grade 9-12
Comox Valley Parks/Trail Systems
Consider walking, biking, or taken public transit to some of our amazing and accessible park and trail systems in the Comox Valley.
Here are a few more to consider (let’s keep adding to the list):
- Browns River
- Bevan Trails
- BC Hydro Puntledge River Trails
- Nymph Falls
- Cumberland Lake Wilderness Society Trails
- Comox Valley Green Way and Brooklyn Creek Trail System
- Williams Beach
- Kitty Coleman
Here is a great list to start from for field and forest games to play with your students. They take little prep and are a fun interactive, and energetic way to learn about the natural environment.
Includes:
Circle Games — Cooperative Games — Adaptive or Special Needs Games — Dramatic Games — High Activity Games — Large Group Games — Nature Games — Camp Games — Quick and Easy Games — Rainy Day Games — Sports Orientated Games — Tag Games — Water Games
Click here for more nature based outdoor games
Orienteering Lessons and compass use — ready to use pintables
British Orienteering: Tri-O Package- Basic Orienteering
*** Please note the LRC also has an Orienteering Kit and two GPS Kits available for loan.
Build on biking skills with support from Gravity Mountain Biking. Call or email directly to find out more information on how they can support your school program. GMB is happy to meet and support your biking program off site too!
For access to district bikes please contact Serina Allison, serina.allison@sd71.bc.ca
Wip Climbing is a new facility to the Comox Valley located off of the connector in Courtenay. They welcome school group activities, offering a special of $10/student. This price includes any rental shoes or harnesses needed as well as a staff member with the students at all times. They also provide a room with chairs and tables for snacks and drinks, and belongings.
SD#71 Participating Schools:
- Cumberland Community School
- Lake Trail Community School
- G.P Vanier Secondary
- Highland Secondary
- Mark R. Isfeld Secondary
The National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP®) teaches students from grades 4 to 12 archery safety, technique, concentration, self-improvement and proper use of equipment. Through NASP®, schools can be certified to turn their gymnasiums into international-style archery ranges so students can learn this unique skill.
The objectives of the NASP® are to improve self confidence, motivation, concentration, focus, academic performance, and increase attendance in school.
Coonsider contacting Courtenay Fish & Game Club to bring your students to the outdoor range. Non-NASP participating schools can participate in their Archery 101 activity, NASP participating schools have access to the outdoor archery range and 3D forest course.
CIBC Wood Gundy School Cross Country Ski Program
This is an opportunity for students grades 3-9 to learn outside the classroom, to develop new physical and cognitive skills, and experience a sub-alpine winter environment with their peers.
The program consists of three 2-hour sessions. Lessons are taught by certified instructors. Students are taught safety and the basics of XC skiing in a fun atmosphere. Classic skiing and skate skiing techniques are learned.
***GOGrants–Consider pairing with winter nature based activities for other half of day***
Contact Serina Allison serina.allison@sd71.bc.ca for more details around planning activities.
Contact: Andrea comox@vipaddling.com
VI-Paddling-Comox Valley Branch offers introductory to advance dragon coat paddling programs for youth within our school district. They are located on beautiful Comox Lake out of Comox Lake Campground. The coaches are professional high-level paddlers that make the experience fun and exciting. The programs are 1.5 to 2 hour and available for grades 4-12, costing $15/student. There is one 10 person boat and one 20 person boat. Please contact Andrea to work out details.
***Consider matching this activity with a camping experience with Comox Lake Wilderness Society & campground OR the Courtenay Fish and Game Club***
***GoGrant funding available if paired with nature based activity’s. ***
Contact Serina Allison for more details, serina.allison@sd71.bc.ca
An opportunity to explore human impact on the outdoors. If we follow the simple 7 steps to no trace we will continue to be able to enjoy the outdoors in a sustainable way.
Consider utilizing this article when reviewing outdoor ethics and leave no trace. Click HERE for full article.
Some yummy links to healthy outdoor expedition meals.
A Canadian based resource for educators who teach in the outdoor classroom. Whether you are new to outdoor education or a seasoned wilderness guide, this teaching resource provides information through engaging learning experiences. Students can learn how to identify ticks and tick habitats so that they can avoid tick bites and recognize signs and symptoms of Lyme disease. Ready to use lessons, accompanying power point, and activities.