Boyne River Natural Science School — ‘mothballed’ |
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Boyne River Natural Science School is regrettably ‘mothballed’ as of 2003 March 28. Due to the lack of provincial funding for outdoor education, the Boyne, together with Pine River Outdoor Education Centre, and Noisy River Outdoor Education Centre, are no longer open for students. We hope that this sorry state of affairs can be reversed. Boyne River Natural Science School was one of the largest residential outdoor education centres under the umbrella of the Toronto District School Board. It was in operation from 1973 to 2003. Approximately 130 students and staff could be accomodated at the school for week-long or part-week courses in local history, geography, environmental science, and physical skill development. The Toronto Board of Education had pioneered the area of out-of-classroom education in Canada and had long recognized the value of having students study the Canadian environment through first-hand field studies in natural setting. The basis of learning theory at the Boyne River school was“the primacy of experience”. It is with great sadness that Boyne is no longer providing exemplary outdoor education experiences to Toronto students.
The Boyne River complex comprises 170 hectares straddling the Boyne River and is also located adjacent to a 500 hectare provincial park. Boyne River features a number of unique educational facilities: a greenhouse, library, maple syrup operation, aerial challenge course, climbing wall, saw mill, craft shop, apiary, archery range, 3 ponds, bird banding operation, and a trout hatchery. In the immediate area are modern farm operations, historical sites and museums, rural municipalities, and artisans’ workshops. Boyne’s first priority was to provide residential outdoor and environmental programming. As well, Boyne also hosted city-wide special programs, including Instrumental Music, Vocal Music, Art Week, and the Alison Parrott Athletic Leadership Week. Boyne River was proud of the range of programs that they offered. A Boyne teacher or specialist took the same group of students through all their scheduled activities. This greatly enhanced the development of rapport between staff and students. In effect, the Boyne staff member was in a mentoring position to the students in their charge— modelling professional teaching, and respectful, knowledgeable behavior in the natural environment.
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Boyne River Natural Science School
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For more information, contact Mark Whitcombe, District-wide Co-ordinator, Outdoor Education. |
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Click here for more information on outdoor education: http://www.tdsb.on.ca/instruction/outdooreducation/index.htm |
