The Nature School at Kortright – Woodbridge

The Nature School at Kortright takes place primarily outside on Kortright Centre for Conservation‘s 555-acre property, with access to a wide variety of natural ecosystems, accessible trails, and multiple facilities.

Students have use of a 30,000 square-foot Visitor Centre, which includes a private indoor learning space in case of inclement weather.

Register for The Nature School at Kortright

The Nature School at Kortright:
WEEKEND PROGRAM:

Meet Our Team

The Nature School Staff Bios

Adrian O’Driscoll, Senior Manager, Community Outreach & Education Adrian O’Driscoll is an experienced administrative professional working with environmental professionals, teachers, and educators in developing and delivering environmental educational programs and experiences for students and families. Adrian has worked with TRCA for 25 years and is currently Senior Manager, Community Outreach & Education, managing the Peel Community Learning team and Kortright Centre for Conservation, in addition to overseeing the education teams and programming operating out of Claireville Conservation Area. Adrian has four children, enjoys canoeing, skiing, and hiking, and is the principal for The Nature School.

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Robert Wallis, Supervisor, Community Outreach & Education, TRCA Robert Wallis oversees the administration and operations of TRCA’s suite of Nature Schools located at the Toronto Zoo, Kortright Centre, Claireville, and Claremont Nature Centre. Robert has experience developing and delivering educational and outdoor-based programs and designing and administering assessment tools for student learning to a variety of grades. He chaired a number of working groups and committees related to outdoor recreation and education, collaborating with numerous environmental partners and stakeholders, was the Principal and Education and Curriculum Manager for over 10 years with Outward Bound, where he operated an inspected private school, has taught within the TDSB as an occasional teacher, and has been a Program Director and Education Coordinator/Instructor with Outward Bound, among other roles. Robert has his Bachelor of Education, is a certified teacher, has a Bachelor of Science, has a Master of Science and has a PhD in Genetics from Oxford University.

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Heather Stafford, Supervisor, Kortright Education, OCT Heather is an Ontario Certified Teacher and certified Forest School Practitioner. She has been with TRCA for more than 10 years, and has been part of the Education team at the Kortright Centre since 2012. Prior to joining TRCA, Heather worked at several other outdoor education centres and summer camps around Ontario, both delivering hands-on, exciting, nature-based programming and coordinating, supervising, and managing programs and staff. Heather has two young children as well as several fuzzy and scaly pets.

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Kelly Hosier, Teacher, The Nature School, OCT Kelly is a dedicated individual who holds a deep love and appreciation for the land where she plays, learns, and works. Throughout her life, she has been a committed lifelong learner, she is a certified OCT teacher, she is always open to new experiences and willing to unlearn in order to learn when necessary. Her existence revolves around her close connection with the land, which she both loves and respects. In Kelly’s life, engaging with nature is not just a choice but a fundamental necessity. Activities such as forest bathing, camping, hiking, paddling, and swimming serve as essential aspects of her life, allowing her to slow down, unwind, and find inner peace, which she then spreads to the people around her. One of Kelly’s primary goals is to inspire her students, family, colleagues, community, and friends to immerse themselves in nature and take risks to become lifelong lovers of the environment and life itself. She believes in the transformative power of nature and is dedicated to sharing this passion with others. Kelly’s life journey is a beautiful balance between the pursuit of new challenges and the serenity she finds in the natural world. Her commitment to lifelong learning and her unwavering love for nature will hopefully help guide the young minds of our youth.

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Kayleigh Newberry, Teacher, The Nature School, OCT Kayleigh is an Ontario Certified Teacher qualified to teach in the Primary and Junior divisions. She is passionate about outdoor education and uses its pedagogy to inform her teaching practice. She has worked for TRCA for five years and previously volunteered with the organization for four years. Kayleigh grew up visiting and exploring Kortright and the Village at Black Creek, which helped develop her love of the outdoors and learning. Kayleigh loves teaching and inspiring students’ curiosity, deepening their appreciation of nature, and getting them excited about learning.

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Rachel Stewart, Teacher, Kortright Programs, OCT Rachel started her career with TRCA at Kortright, teaching outdoor education to school groups and finding her happy place as a teacher after a number of years teaching in a classroom. After seven years at Kortright she moved to a program manager role, managing programs such as Peel EcoSchools and Monarch Nation before returning to Kortright in 2023 in a teacher role. She is thrilled to be working with early years programs at Kortright and remains passionate about connecting children and young people with the outdoors, seeing this as a vital brick in the wall we must build to combat climate change. Rachel is also a qualified music teacher and takes every chance she can to weave music into her environmental work.

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Julia Marks, Education Interpreter, The Nature School, RECE Julia grew up just a few minutes away from the Kortright Centre and has fond memories of visiting as a young student. Over the years, she developed a love for the outdoors, and enjoys being active and spending time in nature. While pursuing her studies in early childhood education, Julia completed a student placement at Kortright. After graduating, she began working at the centre as a camp counsellor, and is now the Preschool teacher for The Nature School. Julia is a Registered Early Childhood Educator and is completing the Forest and Nature School Practitioner course. She loves helping children learn and grow in a way that connects them to nature and the world around them.

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Education Interpreters Weekend programs are delivered by Kortright’s crew of qualified Education Interpreters. Our Education Interpreters have degrees in Environmental Science, Biology, Geography, Education, and other related fields. They receive extensive program training including training on child-led learning, nature-based and risky play. They are well versed in dynamic risk assessment and health and safety policies. These staff also sometimes support our weekday Nature School programming. They each bring their own passion for outdoor play and learning to the Nature School at Kortright.

Cancellation Policy

A non-refundable deposit is due upon registration.

If you wish to cancel your child’s registration prior to the scheduled end date of the school program, we require 30 days written notice by email to vservices@trca.ca. Fees will be pro-rated and charged for the notice period and the deposit will be forfeited. If you wish to re-enroll your child after cancelling, a new deposit will be due.

There are no refunds for school days missed or not participating in school activities.

If tuition fees are paid monthly, the non-refundable deposit due upon registration will be used to offset the last month of the scheduled school program.

Minimum registration numbers are required in order for The Nature School to operate. In the event The Nature School must cancel due to low registration numbers a full refund for the cancelled days will be issued.

View Our Other Nature School Locations

Claireville

Claremont

Toronto Zoo

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