DEAR PARENTS Thank-you for volunteering your time to visit us at the Bluewater Outdoor Education Centre! We are looking forward to your visit. This power-point presentation has been designed specifically for parent chaperones. Information will vary from that given to students in some cases. *** Included at the end of this presentation is information about our emergency procedures, which we will discuss with students while you are here. Please take time to review them, and be sure to ask us any questions upon your arrival. The teacher organizing the trip will be your first resource if you have any questions. They should also be providing you with a brochure of important information to help you prepare for your trip. Have fun, and thank-you again for supporting our program! We can t do it without you! Deborah Diebel, BOEC Site Manager
CONNECTING WITH NATURE AND OTHER STUDENTS Research shows nature is a powerful antidote to the amount of screen time we experience, and the stresses of daily life.
CONNECTING WITH NATURE AND OTHER STUDENTS Time in nature improves grades, and helps soothe symptoms of ADD/ADHD, depression, and anxiety. Mental health improves with more time spent in nature. Take a deep breath, and enjoy!
CONNECTING WITH NATURE AND OTHER STUDENTS At the BOEC, we allow time for students to enjoy free time, and to focus on their friends, surroundings, and themselves. Please help us facilitate this time accordingly.
BLUEWATER OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTER
BLUEWATER OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTER
In case your family needs to reach us during your stay, our phone number is: 519-534-2767 It is easiest to reach us from 8:30 am to 4 pm each day. After hours, it is best if they can reach you by cell phone. Students are not permitted to bring phones with them.
E V E R Y T H I N G B U T T H E K I T C H E N S I N K!.... PACKING FOR YOUR TRIP
BRING. Sleeping Gear Sleeping Bag and a Warm Blanket Pillow Clothing Weather dependent Rubber boots, hiking boots Rain gear Extra socks, mittens, HAT/Toque Dress in layers at night (It s cold on the Bruce!) Equipment Water bottle Camera Day pack Protection from insects in spring we prefer protective clothing over insect repellent Sun protection Sunglasses, hats, sunscreen Flashlight or headlamp Non-disposable dishes (no garbage, please!) Containers to pack lunch in on Day 2 Toiletries Towel and face cloth Shampoo, conditioner, etc. Other as required Medications Please keep secured from students Lip balm (with SPF recommended)
DO NOT BRING Gear Knives, matches Electronics Cell phone (see notes below) ipod/ipad Mp3 Players Gameboy Personal Care Items No aerosol smellies
DO NOT BRING SINGLE-USE WATER BOTTLES Please bring a reusable water bottle. Single-use bottles will be sent back home with you. This is the link to a presentation prepared by Bayview Public School students about the effects of single-use water bottles on our environment.
CHECKLIST FOR CAMPING TRIPS.
FOOD! You will be sharing meals with either the classroom teacher and other adults, or one of the student cooking groups. The classroom teacher will communicate with you regarding meals. You may have to buy, prepare, and pack some food ahead of the trip. Please communicate with the teacher regarding meals and any food sensitivities. You will be cooking over the campfire! Please bring your own reusable dishes and water bottles no disposables.
LITTERLESS, NUT FREE LUNCH On the FIRST DAY, we ask that you bring a LITTERLESS LUNCH. No garbage (we accept recyclables and compost). NO NUTS, please!
GIMME A BREAK! Parents, please take breaks! Usually parent chaperones don t want to miss a thing, but please feel free to have some downtime. Discuss with staff at the beginning of your trip the best times for breaks. Breaks can be taken at the campground, or in the lounge area of the Lodge at the main site. Please also feel free to explore the trails. Just let us know where you will be. Coffee and tea will be provided first thing in the morning. If you are an avid coffee drinker, and would like more, please ask our staff at breaks and assist them in the Mason House kitchen. If you would like a shower, you can use the showers in the Lodge, or in the Mason House. We do not want you to be TOO tired at the end of your visit!
Where Will We Sleep? Prospector Tents at Spry Lake (Ours look a teeny bit different than this one.)
OUR CAMPFIRE PIT
SPRY LAKE CAMPGROUND
SPRY LAKE CABIN
The School House The Bruce Power Environmental Learning Classrooms
THE OLD MASON FAMILY BARN CIRCA 1886
WE ARE A DARK SKY PRESERVE This is our night sky on a clear night above the old Mason Family barn
THE OLD MASON HOUSE Circa 1908 Our Office
THE E.S. FOX ASTRONOMY OBSERVATORY
The Lodge (circa 2006) has two dorms, a dining hall, kitchen, and washroom facilities. THE LODGE
WHAT WILL WE DO AT THE BOEC?... The options are endless! Before the trip, the teacher will decide with our staff on a program that matches what the students are doing in school. Plan to be outside the entire time, except class time in the Schoolhouse. The following slides show SOME of the options. PLAN for FUN!!
ORIENTEERING!!!!
FLIGHT ARCHERY
HIKING!
FUR TRADE GAME! (This Is The Indoor Portion)
TREE DETECTIVES
FRESHWATER ECOLOGY CRITTER DIPPING!
Team-Building Games!
CANOEING!
EVENING CAMPFIRE!
FOR RECESS TIME WE HAVE STILTS, FRISBEE GOLF, BALLS, SKIPPING ROPES, SIDEWALK CHALK, A TRAIL RUN, AND MORE!
EVERYONE LOVES THE SURVIVAL GAME!
Our Staff: Mr. Allemang (Mr. A) Outdoor Education Specialist
Our Staff: Mr. Tew Outdoor Education Specialist
Our Staff: Ms. Diebel BOEC Site Manager
Our Staff: Mr. Clark BOEC Custodian/Property Manager
Our Staff: Mrs. Mielhausen BOEC Office Professional
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES You will receive more instruction when you arrive, but please take the time to read these over before you come. We very much appreciate the help and support of all of our volunteers in emergency situations. Keeping students safe is our first priority. It is imperative we all follow procedures. Please do as directed and pay attention to the needs of staff in an emergency situation. Thank-you!
EMERGENCY FIRE PROCEDURES YOUR ROLE You will be informed of a fire over the walkie-talkies or by word of mouth. (In case of fire at the main site, you will hear a smoke detector, and a man s voice repeating, Fire, Fire ) Efficiently gather students at the main campfire pit. Count students. (At the main site, evacuate students from buildings and meet at the sign-post. Adults leave last.) Staff should inform you of a 9-1-1 call immediately via walkie-talkie. (If you have not heard this within thirty seconds, call 9-1-1 from a cell phone.) Staff will take you to a safe warm place. (At the main site, gather everyone at the Emergency Sign Post near the barn. If the barn is on fire, gather in Dining Hall.) Ensure staff instructions are followed efficiently and safely. On overnight 2, ensure the Site Manager (or BOEC Principal) is contacted asap. Ensure an adult meets emergency vehicles at the road. Once everyone is accounted for, take students to a safe warm building at the main site, away from the fire. The teacher will have a set of keys. Campground Emergency Address 440 Spry Lake Road Main Site Emergency Address 3092 Bruce County Road 13
EMERGENCY LOCK-DOWN PROCEDURES YOUR ROLE Anyone can trigger a lock-down if a threatening person appears on-site by communicating over the walkie-talkie, Attention all staff. We are in lock-down. Try to have a BOEC staff member do this, if possible. Stop everything. Follow the instructions of staff within 20 seconds. Remain SILENT. DO NOT emerge from lock-down (no washroom runs), no matter what, until the OPP unlock the door and evacuate you. DO NOT publicize any information of the situation over text or social media. On overnight 2, call 9-1-1. Alert others via walkie-talkie. If possible, text ONLY the Site Manager (or BOEC Principal if Ms. Diebel is unavailable) to inform her of the situation. The teacher will have Ms. Diebel s phone number. Campground Emergency Address 440 Spry Lake Road Main Site Emergency Address 3092 Bruce County Road 13
SEVERE WEATHER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES YOUR ROLE You will be made aware of a severe weather situation via walkie-talkie by the Site Manager saying, We are under a Tornado/Severe Thunderstorm Watch/Warning. Please remain calm and proceed in an orderly fashion to your designated shelter area. If there is no time to evacuate to the main site, go into the Spry Lake Cabin. (In the event of a regular thunderstorm take shelter in the cabin or tents, and hold in place until given further instructions from staff.) If there is time to get to the main site, evacuate to the School House. Go to the central hallway in the School House. Have everyone sit on their knees with heads against the wall, and on the ground, and hands covering their heads. Bums in the air. Remain this way until the Site Manager clears the group to return to regularly scheduled programs via walkie-talkie. Overnight 2 Follow the same procedures. If severe weather is suspected, parents may check in with radio reports or follow the Environment Canada website on their cell phones and keep teachers informed. Adults will take on the responsibility of informing any students on-site of the situation. Grey-Bruce Stormwatch on Facebook is also a good resource, if you can access it from your phone. Contact the BOEC Site Manager (or the Principal if Ms. Diebel is unavailable) asap to inform her of any action taken, or for help monitoring the situation. Campground Emergency Address 440 Spry Lake Road Main Site Emergency Address 3092 Bruce County Road 13
MISSING PERSON EMERGENCY PROCEDURES YOUR ROLE Consider entering our phone number and emergency address into your phone. Consider also entering that of the other chaperones into your phone. Maintain privacy by deleting these at the end of your stay. Inform a BOEC staff member as soon as you realize someone is missing. Staff will contact 9-1-1 when timelines for this match BOEC protocols. Gather all of the students together. Supervise them. Students MUST be contained in one room so as not to confuse police dogs with scents, if dogs become necessary for the search. Gather information about the missing person: name, age, birthday, where and when last seen, direction they were heading, clothing, frame of mind, history of disappearing, any suspicious activity. Have cell phones and radios available. Follow the instructions of BOEC staff. Parents may be asked to search specific areas. We have search protocols, and you will be involved in the search. Please follow the instructions of staff. On Overnight 2 follow the procedures in the teachers red folder. Contact the Site Manager (or Principal if Ms. Diebel is unavailable) asap. Main Site Emergency Address 3092 Bruce County Road 13 Campground Emergency Address 440 Spry Lake Road
FIRST AID EMERGENCY PROCEDURES YOUR ROLE Please alert staff to any first aid emergency asap. DO NOT move an injured student. Injuries (even minor) MUST be reported to BOEC staff so the appropriate paper-work may be filled out this applies to adult injuries as well as students. The classroom teacher will be consulted in all emergencies, and their decisions respected. Teachers hold legal responsibility for the students while at the BOEC. Remove students not involved from the area. Supervise them. Allow staff or other trained personnel to do the necessary first aid. Assist only if requested to. If an ambulance is called, one adult chaperone will be asked to wait at the entrance/driveway to direct the ambulance. One or two parent chaperones will accompany the student to hospital. Take medical forms. First aid kits can be found in the adults dorm rooms, the Lodge kitchen, the Dining Hall, the Mason House kitchen, the storage room in the classrooms, and hanging near the sound system in the barn. The AED is in the Mason House kitchen near the photocopier. If you use first aid supplies, please inform our staff so the kits can be replenished. Main Site Emergency Address 3092 Bruce County Road 13 Campground Emergency Address 440 Spry Lake Road
CONCUSSION EMERGENCY PROCEDURES YOUR ROLE Please alert staff to signs of concussion immediately. DO NOT move an injured student. Allow staff to perform an assessment, and decide whether to send the student to hospital. The school board has protocols staff must follow if a concussion is suspected. Remove students not involved from the area. Supervise them. If an ambulance is called, one adult chaperone will be asked to wait at entrance/driveway to direct the ambulance. One or two parent chaperones will accompany the student to hospital. Take medical forms. These MUST be filled out by the doctor and returned to the BOEC Site Manager. There will be a fee, the BOEC will pay this fee. If you pay for it initially, please get a receipt so we may reimburse you. The classroom teacher will be consulted in all emergencies, and their decisions respected. Teachers hold legal responsibility for the students while at the BOEC. Campground Emergency Address 440 Spry Lake Road Main Site Emergency Address 3092 Bruce County Road 13
This is the EMERGENCY SIGNPOST where we meet in case of fire or missing person when we are at the main site. It is in front of the barn.
Thank-you for your time! Enjoy your visit! It is going to be a great three days!
SEE YOU SOON!!