As we all know, our 2020/2021 school year is going to look very different from our past school years. At Lakeroad School we have come up with some different ways to help our students thrive in this new school environment. One thing that staff has agreed will be an important tool this year is outdoor learning. Because masks must be worn indoors at all time for grades 4-8, outdoor learning will allow students to have some mask free learning time.

Aside from being able to remove masks, there are several other benefits to outdoor learning which include:
- an increase in children’s ability to focus due to being in a natural setting
- enhanced cognitive abilities
- improved mood and reduced levels of anxiety

The area we are looking to create for our students includes some sort of seating, such as large rocks or boulders. The seating will provide some level of comfort for the students so they don’t become too fidgety, it will help keep their clothes clean, and allow our teachers to keep somewhat of a classroom/learning setting.

We want the return to school to be a positive experience for our students. We believe that having some outdoor seating will be a very beneficial tool for our teachers. It will not only help them teach our students academics, but also show them they are capable of embracing change and adapting in our ever-changing world.