Local students will benefit from a new partnership. École élémentaire et secondaire publique Rivière Rideau, located on the Kemptville Campus, joined forces with the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada (CNAC). The partnership was announced on Friday. 

Biology and ecology will now be taught and experienced outdoors. Conseil des écoles publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario (CEPEO) is the first Francophone school board to sign on with the Forest School program. A total of 22 educators took part in the Forest and Nature School Practitioner program over the weekend.   

Amine Aïdouni, Surintendant de l’éducation, says Rivière Rideau is the perfect setting for such an approach to education. He noted CEPEO feels it’s important for its students and schools to connect with nature. 

Petra Eperjesi, Manager of national programs with CNAC, says the Forest School program has many benefits. She noted students will take healthy and appropriate risks, learn perseverance, develop resiliency and become more connected to place and each other.  

To learn more about the CNAC, click here.