Minto Clifford Public School opens outdoor classroom

Minto Clifford Public School officially opened a new outdoor classroom on June 1.

The classroom, which  features student seating and a shaded podium, was designed by Hanover-based Ground Effects Landscapes.

“The  hope is that during the good weather that classes will come out, that learning is not only inside the building but also outside the building,” said principal Shelley Grose.

She noted the classroom will be especially useful for kindergarten students, who do outdoor learning on a daily basis.

“It’s going to be an exploration area where they can sit and gather materials and work together,” she said.

Grose explained the $37,000 project has been in the works for more than two years and was funded 100 per cent by fundraising co-orientated by the school parent council, through fundraisers such as meat sales.

Thousands of dollars were also raised during a Leslie Motors Ford Drive For UR Community event.

“This is a project that our school council has envisioned and worked hard to see happen,” said Grose.

The grand opening was held in conjunction with the school’s celebrations of Canada’s 150th anniversary in 2017.

Prior to the ceremony, students and staff gathered in the school yard and formed the shape of the number “150” for a drone photograph.