Outdoor Education

The 50th Anniversary Of The S. Bruce McLaughlin Northern Campus

The Power Of Outdoor Education

"The Outdoor Education programme’s experiential learning approach provides opportunities to foster self-discovery, develop resilience and focus on personal and community enrichment. With an established and dynamic curriculum, our students engage in a wide range of activities that take them on a journey through their Appleby career and beyond."

DOUG STAMPER - DIRECTOR, OUTDOOR EDUCATION

Experiential Education

• Introduces and immerses students into a total experiential learning environment in the Canadian wilderness
• Beginning in Middle One (Grade 7), students participate annually in Outdoor Education trips through to the end of Upper Two (Grade 10)
• Vital life skills are developed such as self-confidence, relationship building, collaboration and team building, and personal growth
• Students grow through supported challenges while participating in canoeing expeditions in the fall and winter camping experiences

Academic Integration

• Middle One (Grade 7) students incorporate their experiential education experiences into Art, English and Indigenous culture
• Upper One (Grade 9) Science students perform a biodiversity comparison between Appleby's northern and main campuses
• Project-based learning built across grades and academic subjects
• Senior One Global Experiential Co-op credit links action research from global trips into Social Science courses
• Experiential education reflection at the core of Senior Two (Grade 12) students' Global Action Plans

Middle School

• In Middle One (Grade 7) students experience Outdoor Education trips to locations such as Camp Kandalore and in the spring, Middle Two (Grade 8) students participate in an Outdoor Education trip to Camp Pine Crest

Upper School

• Upper One (Grade 9) students participate in autumn Outdoor Education experiences to build bonds in their advisor group, develop a sense of community, support one another, and develop an appreciation for the natural environment 

• Each winter Upper Two (Grade 10) students participate in a six-day trip to Appleby’s S. Bruce McLaughlin Northern Campus for a winter camping experience that allows for personal growth, skill development, and helps create lifelong memories 

• Students have the opportunity to develop a range of wilderness skills, including snowshoeing, quinzhee construction, wilderness navigation using a map and compass, outdoor cooking, and camping techniques 

• Each group is guided by Senior Two (Grade 12) and Senior One (Grade 11) Outdoor Leaders 

Senior School

• Senior Two (Grade 12) Outdoor Leaders assist as guides in all winter experiences, as well as plan and implement a six-day canoe trip 

• Senior One (Grade 11) students are enrolled in a university-recognized credit course that takes them out of the classroom for hands-on experiences to develop leadership and wilderness skills 

• Leadership team transfers knowledge and skills associated with the outdoors

• Outdoor instructors exemplify and promote co-operation, self-confidence, commitment, trust, responsibility and common sense

• Students travel by snowshoe, cook over open fires and spend two nights sleeping in a quinzhee, a snow-shelter they build themselves

S. Bruce McLaughlin Northern Campus

• In 1973 benefactor and parent Bruce McLaughlin made a gift to Appleby of Rabbitnose Island in Temagami, Ontario
• An 11-acre property in the heart of North Arm, Lake Temagami
• Core principles include training for leadership, an active reverence for nature and the environment, development of self-discipline, self-awareness and confidence, and growth of maturity and responsibility