News Archive

Dr. E.W. Coffin School students take their learning outside on Fresh Air Fridays.

​Dr. E.W. Coffin School, in the northwest community of Brentwood, is situated close to several city-protected natural areas, including renowned Nose Hill Park. Combining place-based and outdoor education with these easily accessible natural areas, Dr. E.W. Coffin students and teachers take their learning outdoors each Friday.

Fresh Air Friday was introduced to the staff in June of 2015 by the school’s principal, Cathy Polski, and helps students deepen their understanding of what they learn in the classroom.

Over the course of this year students have participated in a variety of nature-based lessons that directly connect to their classroom work. For example, students in Kindergarten learned how to identify the Trembling Aspen tree in our wooded nature ground by analyzing tree bark with a certified arborist. Grade 4, 5 and 6 students hiked up to Nose Hill Park to discover the Medicine Wheel created by the Blood Tribe. These activities are just a few examples of how Dr. E.W. Coffin’s Fresh Air Fridays supported, enhanced, and gave real-life meaning to their classroom work.

Fresh Air Friday was intentionally planned to highlight and engage students in understanding curricular outcomes and processes. Critical thinking and problem solving skills are paramount to Fresh Air Friday lessons.

“Fresh Air Fridays are important because it gives students time away from their desks and exposes them to kinds of learning that can’t be learned in the classroom,” stated Grade 6 student Sean D.


Teachers are also supportive of Fresh Air Fridays. Kim Cowdy, a Grade 4/5 teacher and technology expert commented, “I like the opportunity to create a rapport with students that I wouldn’t be able to in the classroom setting.“

Fresh Air Friday has been a great accomplishment at Dr. E.W. Coffin and the teacher, student, and parent community has done a wonderful job of making this new initiative a success.