Let's Make Every Day Earth Day!
Last week, we celebrated Earth Week as a lead up to the 53rd anniversary of Earth Day on Saturday. Spending time outdoors in nature has always been a cornerstone of education with balance at CDS, and all three schools had exciting plans to help reinforce this among our students.
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In the Junior School, Outdoor Ed teachers Mr. Johnson and Mr. Bartle scheduled themed days throughout the week, including morning announcements introducing the idea of the day accompanied by interesting facts. Here are some highlights:
*Grade 3s organized a light-tracking exercise to bring awareness of the importance of turning off lights when we don’t need them;
*the process of sorting litter into bins before we dispose of it, including attention to detail, was reviewed at Tuesday’s assembly;
*the importance of clean air and taking a walk outside, as well as not idling while waiting in parking lots;
*Grade 5s ran our annual food waste challenge by grade with the weighing and monitoring of food waste in the Dining Hall;
*Forest bathing and the health benefits of spending time outdoors walking among the trees. The act of doing this is not only therapeutic, but promotes happiness and wellbeing.
Students were encouraged to try all of these things at home too. The more we model this behaviour at home and at school, the more likely they are to become lifelong habits.
The Senior Kindergarten students won the food waste challenge averaging 30g of waste per student. This exercise opened everyone’s eyes to how much food waste we produce and how we must adopt better habits to help improve upon this. “Measuring our food waste is important because a lot of people waste food thinking the problem will solve itself,” said Aara in Grade 5. “Doing a challenge like this is important so people are reminded to waste less food."
Meanwhile, Middle and Senior School students got started on the spring campus clean up, planting seeds and flowers, including milkweed, clover and flowers in the greenhouse. The Grade 9 Green Industries classes prepared the garden beds for planting and tended to their tomatoes and peppers that are already started in the greenhouse. The Grade 12 Resource Management students continued to identify ideal places around the campus to plant several different species of trees.
Finally, the Student Council organized a campus wide clean up first thing on Friday morning for the early birds among us. It was a great excuse to get out and walk the campus for those who made it. Now we are all spruced up and ready for spring!
Land Acknowledgment
CDS wishes to recognize and acknowledge the land on which the school operates. For thousands of years, these have been the traditional lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. We also recognize the traditional territory of the Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabe and the Haudenosaunee peoples who also shared this land. CDS respects the relationship with these lands and recognizes that our connection can be strengthened by our continued relationship with all First Nations, by acknowledging our shared responsibility to respect and care for these lands and waters for future generations.
School Information
13415 Dufferin Street King, Ontario L7B 1K5
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
(905) 833-1220
communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca
Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.
