Outdoor Education (General Procedures)

Follow the school's first aid emergency response ((consult First Aid Plan and First Aid Emergency Response) and the school board’s concussion protocol (consult Concussions).

An emergency action plan and response to deal with evacuations and lockdowns, including specific direction for participants with accessibility needs, must be followed and communicated to all students. 

• Some activities refer to an “In-Charge” person. While the teacher is in-charge and responsible for the overall safety and well-being of students under their care, sometimes there are other personnel who must be identified as “In-Charge” related to specific situations (for example, a pool lifeguard). In activities where an “In-Charge” person is designated, that person, in consultation with the teacher, must make final decisions regarding safety of the students

• An individual who provides safety and skill instruction, and monitoring for an activity, and possesses the required qualifications (e.g., experience, certifications). This role could be fulfilled by a teacher, volunteer, or an employee of an outside provider. An instructor does not have the authority to supervise.

• Refer to the Qualification section.

• A commercial company, volunteer organization, or individual, not associated with the school board, who possess the required qualifications to provide safety and initial skill instruction, and monitoring for the duration of an activity.

• A responsible adult (e.g., Educational Assistants, Retired Teachers, Co-op Students, Parents/Guardians, Teacher Candidates) approved by the Principal/Designate who is under the direction of a Teacher and has been instructed on their monitoring responsibilities. Refer to your school board’s policy on volunteers assisting with student’s physical activities.

• The vigilant overseeing of an activity for management or direction. Activities, facilities, and equipment have inherent risks, but the more effectively they are supervised, the safer they become.
• The Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education includes three Types of supervision, Direct Supervision, On-Site Supervision, and In-the-Area Supervision. These types of supervision take into consideration the level of risk, which is related to the number of participants, the skill level of the participants, the type of equipment used, the environmental conditions, the age, and developmental stage.
• The three types of supervision described are not hierarchical but represent the type of supervision that activities require and the type of supervision that is inherently possible.
• Some activities in OPASSE transition from one type of supervision to another type of supervision (e.g., Direct Supervision to On-Site Supervision OR On-Site Supervision to In-the-Area Supervision).

• A supervisor is a teacher, parent/guardian/volunteer, or trip guide. This term is used only in relation to supervision ratios.

• A person with a current certification from the Ontario College of Teachers and under contract by the school/school board (i.e., teacher, vice-principal, principal). This person is legally responsible for the students and has the authority and responsibility to supervise.

• An individual who has the required certifications and/or knowledge/skills of the route and activity. This role could be fulfilled by a Teacher, a Volunteer, or an employee of an Outside Activity Provider and must be approved by the school/school board. Trip Guides have been instructed on their monitoring responsibilities.

• Direct Supervision:
  • Direct Supervision requires that the Teacher is physically present at the activity, providing visual and verbal oversight for management and direction of both, the activity and student safety.
    • Provisos:
      • No other activity can occur when part of the activity or the entire activity is under Direct Supervision when there is only one Teacher supervising.
      • The Supervision section of the relevant activity safety standards page in the Ontario Physical Activity Safety Standards in Education describes when parts of an activity are under Direct Supervision.
      • Where a Qualified Instructor(s) is providing the safety and initial skill instruction and monitoring for one activity and requires the Teacher to be present at that activity for management and direction.
    • An activity may be under Direct Supervision:
      • During the entire duration of the activity;
      • During the set up and take down of equipment; .
      • During the safety and initial skill instruction;
      • During the performance/practice of the activity skill; and
      • When the activities transition from Direct Supervision to On-Site Supervision.
• In-the-Area Supervision:
  • The Teacher is located in proximity to a combination of locations where the student activities take place, is circulating, and is accessible for providing management and direction of the physical activity and student safety.
    • Provisos:
      • The Teacher is circulating between the activities occurring at separate locations, and is readily accessible, or the location of the Teacher is communicated to the student.
      • Where a Qualified Instructor(s) is providing the safety and skill and instruction and is monitoring at a combination of locations, the Teacher is located in proximity to where the student activities take place, is circulating between the activity locations, and is accessible for management and direction.
      • Students may be out of sight for periods of time.
    • An activity or a component of the activity is under In-the-Area Supervision:
      • Where the same activity is located in separate locations (e.g., Fitness activities);
      • Where two or more activities under In-the-Area Supervision occur in separate locations (e.g., Badminton, Table Tennis, Handball (Wall));
      • Where the skill application of the activity takes place at a separate location from the teacher (e.g., Cross Country Running, Skiing (Alpine), Cycling, hiking on trails);
      • When the activities occur in double or triple gymnasiums; and
      • Where more than one Qualified Instructor is providing activities at a combination of locations.
• On-Site Supervision:
  • The Teacher is present at one location where the student activity takes place (e.g., gymnasium, sports field, climbing wall at an Outside Activity Provider’s facility, campsite) and is accessible for providing management and direction of the physical activity and student safety.
    • Provisos:
      • Where more than one activity occurs in one location, the Teacher is circulating between the activities and is accessible for management and direction.
      • Momentary presence in adjoining rooms (e.g., equipment room, outdoor storage shed, boathouse, staff tent) is considered to be On-Site Supervision.
      • Where a Qualified Instructor(s) is providing the safety and initial skill instruction and monitoring for an activity or a combination of activities at one location and the Teacher is present and is circulating and accessible for management and direction.
    • An activity may be under On-Site Supervision:
      • During the entire duration of the activity;
      • During the safety and initial skill instruction;
      • With activities using multiple stations while the Teacher is circulating;
      • When combining two or more activities at one location while the Teacher is circulating; and
      • When activities transition from On-Site Supervision to In-the-Area Supervision.