Camp Couchiching is offering a new program for students who will be learning online instead of returning to the classroom.
The Ramara-based organization is launching the Camp Couchiching Learning Centre, which will see a maximum of 15 students from grades 3 to 7 take part in activities under the supervision and instruction of the camp's trained staff while completing online learning with their regular teachers.
Students in Simcoe County are set to return to school, online or in person, Sept. 8. As long as that doesn’t change, the Camp Couchiching Learning Centre will start Sept. 14. It will give families time to see how online learning is going. They can then speak with Camp Couchiching about how its learning centre can “customize a successful plan for that individual,” said Camp Couchiching executive director Jen Dundas.
Learning from home can be stressful for both kids and parents, and Camp Couchiching wants to provide opportunities for students to do something both meaningful and educational during the time between online instruction with their teachers.
“We really feel that the joy factor is a little bit low right now, so we want to be outdoors as much as possible, we want time for unstructured play and we want people to feel less stressed,” Dundas said. “Also, parents can have that bit of respite and know their child is being cared for in a small cohort. This, we feel, is an opportunity that could be a win-win for families and the camp.”
Students can be signed up to take part in the Camp Couchiching Learning Centre for the entire school year or for one semester.
Families can choose from the camp’s traditional day, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (subject to change depending on the timing of the school day for online learners), or the flex schedule, allowing kids to arrive at 8 a.m. and leave by 5:30 p.m.
Depending on when students are taking part, the camp will host them at its community hub on Rama Road or its Oxford Street location in Orillia.
More information, including details about costs, locations and how to register, can be found here.
