Grade 8 students at École Palliser Heights and Lindale schools will beat the winter blues this year by hitting the slopes in Manitoba for some fun and education.
Both schools plan to send their Grade 8 students to Asessippi Ski Resort in Inglis, Man., from March 3 to 5 as part of their annual out-of-province excursions. Palliser Heights intends to send 59 Grade 8 students and eight chaperones on the trip, while Lindale expects to send 36 students and six chaperones.
Board trustees with the Prairie South School Division discussed the applications during their Jan. 7 meeting and approved the requests.
According to Palliser Heights’ application form, the cost per student for this excursion is likely to be $160. Transportation is expected to cost $2,700 and accommodations would be $1,200. If all 59 students attend, the cost of the trip — excluding chaperones — is expected to be around $13,340.
Some of the learning objectives include applying and adapting selected activity-related skills — such as fire building, snow ploughing and compass reading — and strategies required for participation in alternate environment activities, such as backpacking, overnight camping, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, orienteering and quinzee building.
Students would also be expected to demonstrate skills necessary to administer basic first aid if an injury occurred after participating in winter activities.
The application package for Lindale School’s trip suggests students who attend the ski trip would pay $130.50, with additional add-ons such as tubing for $9, snowboard boots per day of $10, a snowboard only per day of $15.25, an equipment switch fee of $5, and skis only per day for $12.
The cost of the trip is expected to be $9,300, with $5,300 to come from decentralized funding and $4,000 to come from fundraising efforts.
The learning objectives would be the same as those listed in the Palliser Heights application.
The next Prairie South School Division board meeting is Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 1 p.m.
