In conversation with Cheryl Hayles, Principal, Irma Coulson Public School

Evergreen’s Climate Ready Schools builds on our 30-year legacy of transforming school grounds across Canada into nature-rich play and learning environments for both children and their communities. The Climate Ready Schools Conversation Series is focused on connecting people and organizations interested in this important work with the knowledge and expertise of key leaders and change advocates who have partnered with Evergreen on these innovative climate adaptive design projects.

Cheryl Hayles is the principal of Irma Coulson Public School in the Halton District School Board (HDSB) in Milton, Ontario. She joined Irma Coulson in 2021 when the Climate Ready Schools Pilot was under construction. She is an advocate for the Climate Ready Schools work, helping to enhance and expand the reach of the project beyond her community.

What do you love about your Climate Ready School ground?

It is a naturally beautiful space. When you enter, there is an immediate calm that enters the body. It’s a place where students have a choice for a mindfulness activity, such as a walk or intentional observation of nature. It is also a place for risky play to promote movement in ways that students would not usually have the opportunity to do. The space is also a natural resource that supports our HDSB multi-year plan for environment leadership in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Why do you feel this type of transformation is important for school communities? The neighbourhood? The planet?

This is a huge transformation for the community! We are in a neighbourhood that is newly built so the natural environment had to give way to development. With this project we have re-introduced a natural ecosystem parallel to a major artery and in the middle of a 11-year-old community. The climate ready space is a natural buffer to traffic pollution as well as a scenic space for engagement with nature.

In terms of community spirit, the space is reflective of the diversity in our community and our commitment to build strong resilient communities. A natural environment in proximity is a contributor to the wellness of a community. It is our space to protect, learn from and grow with. The planet can benefit from a model of environmental stewardship which includes children as both beneficiaries and action-oriented advocates.

What changes have you noticed in how students interact with each other and the environment?

The interaction with the space influences students to be more curious about nature. Earlier this week, some Canada Geese were wandering around the area where students found eggs last year. We don’t know if it’s the chicks that have grown up or it is the adult parents who have come back to lay more eggs, but seeing these amazing birds certainly sparked curiosity from the Kindergarten class that was in the Parkour space. This sense of shared curiosity facilitates conversation among the students. Students self-organize based on what they are interested in and that eliminates issues of exclusion and minimizes conflict between students.

How are teachers using or animating the space during lessons?

No matter what lesson the teacher had planned, spotting the Canada Geese as described above changes everything. Spontaneous, interest-based learning takes over!

Our teacher leaders have been very involved in the HDSB Regional Outdoor Experiential Education Committee. Our lead team created an outdoor experiential learning library last fall to make it easy for classes to select tools that will help them with their learning.

In addition, one of our teachers applied for a “Learning for a Sustainable Future” grant. This will support Outdoor Habitat Creation, this action project will focus on students designing habitat elements such as birdhouses, bat boxes or insect hotels. We will use this year’s funds to purchase birdhouses to put in the climate ready space to encourage birds into the space.

Our teachers feature the space in their lessons. In the Language, Mathematics and Sciences, clear connections are made to the climate ready space. Environmental literacy cannot be overlooked at this time in education and therefore this space is key in our instruction.

How has guardian involvement in the school changed?

From my observations, the parents/guardians use the space as an opportunity to connect with their children. It’s a moment in nature with their family. They come early for school to allow time to stop by the climate ready space and they use it on the way home with their child(ren). When we have school events, the space is a destination stop for the family. The School Council raised $50,000 to contribute to this initiative. That is a significant contribution from our parents, and we are grateful for their support.

What connections has the school ground built in the community?

Our sense of community is bigger than the people in the area. The community has expanded to include anyone who is interested in learning about disrupting the climate crisis.

During the summer, we rely on our families to care for the garden boxes. This ties into food security as anyone who needs it can harvest the produce. The School Council contributed funds to prepare the garden beds.

Our community enjoys the space whether or not they have children in the school. It’s just a lovely space to walk through and enjoy.

Were there any unexpected impacts? What were they?

The unexpected impact is how quickly creatures have moved in. The morning after a fresh snowfall there are multiple footprints from creatures navigating the space. This is a huge interest for our students.

The design of the space has created quiet soundscapes. So, in some areas close to the outdoor theatre and along the main artery there is a sound barrier. It creates an immediate calm in the space which supports students’ mental health and wellbeing.

What are some of the challenges you’ve experienced in maintaining or adapting to the new Climate Ready School ground, and how have you overcome them?

Maintaining the grounds is an ongoing responsibility for which the HDSB has recently engaged a landscape company to do maintenance twice a year.

Our Eco Club takes care of planting the garden beds and looks after its care with the help of parents over the summer; our custodian team does a daily walk through to ensure cleanliness and safety; and our teachers and students report any issue that needs to be addressed.

I walk through the space most mornings to get to the entrance where I greet students and parents. It’s a pleasant way to start the school day for everyone. On the first day of school, we provide coffee for parents. This encourages our community to walk to school as something special may happen at the climate ready entrance!

What do you see as your role in the Climate Ready School ground now that it is “complete”?

The staff, students and I have the privilege of being the stewards. As the principal, my role is to ensure people feel supported to continue the work of promoting climate responsive actions. I am committed to the United Nations Sustainable Goals, so this is an opportunity to be action oriented for change.

What advice would you give to principals of other schools who are interested in pursuing a Climate Ready School ground of their own?

I would encourage them to pursue all opportunities for funding from 3rd party donors and work closely with their board’s environmental education team. What we have learned here at Irma Coulson Public School is to always keep the community informed and included in the process. We had to be flexible as the project evolved in real time to accommodate for logistics. With an open mind it will turn out to be amazing and have a positive impact on the school community!

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Are you interested in supporting the Climate Ready Schools program? Are you representing a school board interested in your own Climate Ready Schools journey? Please send your inquiries to climatereadyschools@evergreen.ca. We’d love to hear from you!