Wild Nomads Forest School Policies & Waivers
REFUNDS:
Due to the high cost of running a forest school including paying teachers, insurances, fuel, equipment maintenance, and administration costs, Wild Nomads Forest School does not issue refunds of any kind. However fund transference may be an option on a case-by-case basis.
Weather Cancellation:
If busses are running, and public schools are open in your area, we are operational. We are an outdoor forest school and will operate with students in all weather
Lightening Policy:
In the event of lightning, students will be confined to a pavillion, bus, or tent until the situation resolves. If lightening continues for more than one hour or conditions are deemed unsafe by staff, student parents will be notified and school will be cancelled for the day.
Over Payments:
In the event there has been a verified overpayment, e-transfer refunds under $50.00 will carry a $2.00 bank fee as charged by our financial institution.
Toileting and Handwashing
Wild Nomads Forest School requires that all participants are fully toilet trained prior to starting drop off programs.
If your child has an accident, educators will happily assist them in changing into their spare clothing. However, Wild Nomads Forest School cannot accept children into the drop off programs who are using diapers. Please ensure that your child is independently using a toilet prior to the start of the session. **Exceptions to this rule may be that a parent chooses to (temporarily) remain on site with their child to support their toilet training effort.
The washroom facilities at various sites vary from non-existent (buckets, privies and other facilities will be provided), to composting toilets and outhouses. The facilities are all outdoors, however the composting toilet at Barefoot Bushcraft is located directly beside the office trailer on the property.
Children must be comfortable using the “washroom” outdoors, with minimal “coaching” from an educator. All educators will carry appropriate toileting and hand washing tools such as toilet paper, wipes, hand sanitizer, water and soap.
Educators will provide children with hand washing opportunities before and after meals and after washroom breaks whether indoors or in the forest. The educators will carry water and hand soap and hand sanitizer for this purpose on each outing. Please send your child with a small hand towel for drying their hands, to be kept in their backpack
Leave No Trace Principles
Wild Nomads Forest School uses and teaches the LNT principles to guide our time spent in the forest whenever possible.
● Plan ahead and prepare
● Travel on durable surfaces.
● Dispose of waste properly
● Leave what you find
● Minimize campfire impacts
● Respect wildlife
● Be considerate of other visitors
“If we want children to flourish, to become truly empowered, we must allow them to fall in love with the earth before we ask them to save her.” ~David Sobel
Concussion:
In the unlikely event a student experiences a sizeable head impact, that student will be evaluated by First Aid trained staff and sent to hospital by ambulance and parent / guardian contacted.
Bullying:
Wild Nomads Forest School has a ZERO TOLERANCE policy for bullying. Students who make fun of, hit, kick, punch, or otherwise exert any unwanted force on another student will be suspended for at least the rest of the school day. Students who taunt, make fun of, call names, or otherwise harass other students will also be suspended from the program for at least the school day. No refund or transference will be allowed. In extreme cases, the authorities will be notified.
Duty Of Care:
As stated in the Ontario Education Act, Regulation 298, Section 20, “Ensure that all reasonable safety procedures are carried out in courses and activities for which the teacher is responsible”.
Duties of care have been identified within various physical activity programs, including duty to:
- provide and maintain safe facilities;
- provide and maintain safe equipment;
- provide effective supervision (quantitative and qualitative);
- provide proper/qualified instruction;
- inform participants of activity risks;
- provide first aid and medical accessibility; and
- keep up to date in the area of program safety.
Duty To Report:
Ontario’s Child, Youth and Family Services Act, 2017 (CYFSA) requires those who perform professional or official duties with respect to children to report suspected child abuse where there are reasonable grounds. This requirement applies with respect to children who are under 16 . If teachers have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child who is 16 or 17 is in need of protection, a report may be made even though it is not required.
Right Of Refusal:
With the exception of discriminatory factors such as disability, race, religion, sex, We reserve the right to refuse service to any student within the confines of Ontario Law. This includes students engaging in violent or threatening behaviour, intoxication, theft, and other illegal activities, unsafe behaviour which may result in injury of themselves or others.
We will tell any students to leave / call home if they demonstrate repeated safety infractions.
We may also need to tell a student to leave / call home if they are making other students feel uncomfortable, threatened or unsafe in any way.
There will be no compensations or refunds if told to leave or call home.