Activity Safety Plan

Outdoor Education General

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Description

What Is Outdoor Education?

Outdoor Education is a broad educational approach that uses the natural environment as a dynamic classroom. It emphasizes experiential learning, environmental stewardship, and personal development through activities such as.

  • Nature walks and hikes
  • Wilderness survival skills
  • Orienteering and navigation
  • Gardening and conservation projects
  • Team-building and leadership exercises
  • Outdoor science, math, and literacy lessons

Overall Activity Risk Classification (High, Moderate, Low)

High.

Follow all divisional protocols when planning high risk activities.

This activity is appropriate for students in grades K-12.

Risk Management

  • Consult Risk Management for additional general safety requirements and outside provider guidelines.

Special Rules/Instructions

  • All outdoor education excursions must be approved by the principal or designate.
  • Approval must include consideration of: itinerary, suitability of excursion activities to the curriculum, travel time, safety factors, supervision arrangements, age appropriateness (consult the school board’s field excursion policy).
  • Consult the school board policy related to maximum number of days allowed for outdoor education excursions. A teacher must be designated as the supervisor in charge of the excursion.
  • Parental/guardian consent forms must be on file prior to any student going on camping/swimming/canoeing/backpacking excursion.
  • Information on parent/guardian consent forms must include: itinerary including dates, routes, locations, contacts, relationship of excursion activities to curriculum, supervision arrangements, cost per student, behavioural expectations, inherent risks, and where applicable, parent/guardian information meeting.
  • In an emergency situation (for example, lightning, severe weather, medical emergency) the supervisor in charge of the excursion must follow school board protocol.
  • If the excursion takes place at an outdoor education facility and their emergency protocol is to a higher standard than the school board protocol, then the outdoor education facility protocol must be followed.
  • For all excursions requiring transportation, a list of students in each vehicle as well as a list of the drivers and license plate numbers of the vehicles will be left at the school; the list will also accompany the teachers/supervisors on the excursion.
  • For overnight excursions, students must provide medical information to the teachers/supervisors.
  • Refer to your school board policies regarding student medical/dietary conditions and student medications.
  • Teachers and trip guide/instructors must:
    • be aware of and respond to changing weather and water conditions prior to and during the trip;
    • cancel, postpone or alter the excursion if conditions put students’ safety at an elevated level of risk. (for example, wind, temperature, lightning storms, fog).
  • Teachers/supervisors on excursions must have a list of parent/guardian contact/emergency numbers. Prior to the excursion, teachers/supervisors must create an Emergency Action Plan.
  • Students must be provided with a list of recommended clothing and personal items suitable for the specific activity.
  • When combining two activities, consult the safety guidelines for each activity.

Supervision

  • Both male and female supervisors must accompany mixed groups for overnight excursions.
  • At least one supervisor must be a teacher.

 

First Aid

  • The school’s first aid plan/emergency response (consult First Aid Plan and First Aid Emergency Response) and the school board’s concussion protocol (consult Concussions) must be followed.
  • The school evacuation and lock down plans must be communicated to students and followed in the case of an emergency.

Definitions

  • In-Charge Person:
    • Some activity safety pages refer to an “In-Charge” person. The teacher is always “In-Charge” and responsible for the overall safety and well-being of students under their care.  However, sometimes other personnel must be identified as “In-Charge” related to specific situations (for example, a pool lifeguard).  In these situations where another “In-Charge” person is designated, that person in consultation with the teacher are to make final decisions regarding student safety.
  • Instructor:
    • An individual who provides activity specific skill instruction.  They must possess the required certifications. This role could be fulfilled by a teacher, parent/guardian/volunteer or an Outside Activity Provider employee.
  • Lifeguard, Assistant Lifeguard and Aquatic Instructor:
    • Refer to the Qualification section of the activity safety plan.
  • Outside Activity Provider:
    • A non-school/school board facility (outside facility) contracted by the school/board to provide activity services.
  • Parent/guardian/volunteer:
    • An adult who has been approved by the principal/school board to accompany a school group on an outdoor education activity.  This individual must complete all school/school board requirements for volunteers and must be instructed on their specific  responsibilities (for example, supervision).
  • Supervision:
    • The vigilant overseeing of an activity or sport for regulation or direction.
    • All facilities, equipment, and sports have inherent risks, but the level of risk decreases significantly with effective supervision
    • Manitoba Physical Activity Safety in Schools designate three categories of supervision:  Constant Visual Supervision, On-Site Supervision, and In-The-Area Supervision. The categories take into consideration the activity specific level of risk, the participants’ skills, and the participant level of experience. The three levels of supervision are not hierarchical but represent the type of supervision that an activity requires and the type of supervision that is inherently possible.
  • Supervisor:
    • A supervisor is defined as a teacher, parent/guardian/volunteer, or trip guide. This term is only used for supervision ratios.
  • Teacher:
    • A person with Manitoba Teachers’ Society teacher certification who is under contract by a school/school board. This person is legally responsible for the students.
  • Trip Guide:
    • An individual with the required certifications and/or knowledge/skills of the route and activity. This role could be fulfilled by a teacher, a parent/guardian/volunteer or an Outside Activity Provider employee.  The trip guide must be approved by the school/board.
  • Types of Supervision:
    • Constant Visual Supervision:
      • The teacher is physically present, watching the activity in question. Only one activity requiring “Constant Visual Supervision” may take place while other activities are going on.
      • Curricular example: During a track and field lesson, some students are practicing high jump, some practicing relay, and others practicing distance running. The teacher is at and is watching high jump.
      • Intramural example: During a school outdoor special events day, some students are involved in parachute games, some in relay games, and others in a team scavenger hunt around the school. The intramural supervisor is at and is watching the parachute games.
    • In-the-area Supervision:
      • “In-The-Area Supervision” means that the teacher could be in the gymnasium while another activity is taking place in an area adjacent to the gymnasium.  “In-The-Area Supervision” requires the teacher to be readily accessible.
      • “In-The-Area Supervision” occurs during activities in which students may be out of sight for periods of time and the location of the teacher is not nearby (for example, alpine skiing, cross-country running) or during activities where single or multiple “In-the-Area” activities are happening at the same time (for example, a gym divided by a curtain or wall with badminton or table tennis on either side of the wall).
      • The following criteria must be in place:
        • The teacher is circulating and is readily accessible
        • The location of the teacher has been communicated to students and volunteers;
      • Curricular example: During a track and field lesson, some students are practicing high jump, some practicing relay, and others practicing distance running. For distance running, the students are running around the school and at times may be out of sight.
      • Intramural example: During a school outdoor special events day, some students are involved in parachute games, some in relay games, and others in a team scavenger hunt around the school. For the scavenger hunt, the students are running around the school grounds and at times may be out of sight.
    • On-site Supervision:
      • The teacher is present but not necessarily constantly viewing one specific activity. Momentary presence in adjoining rooms (for example, equipment room) to the gym is considered part of “On-Site Supervision”.
      • Curricular example: During a track and field lesson, some students are practicing high jump, some practicing relay, and others practicing distance running. Students participating on the track (relay) can be seen by the teacher who is physically with the students practicing high jump.
      • Intramural example: During a school outdoor special events day, some students are involved in parachute games, some in relay games, and others in a team scavenger hunt around the school. For relay games, the students are participating on the playground and can be seen by the intramural supervisor.
Origin Date
October 9, 2025
Last Reviewed
June 5, 2026
Next Review
TBD
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