Tag Archives: Schoolyards

All Parties Must Prioritize Publicly Funded Schools and Education

November 22, 2021

With a provincial election approaching in June, 2022, Fix Our Schools continues to be a non-partisan, parent-led, Ontario-wide campaign working to ensure that:

1.Every publicly funded school in Ontario is safe, well-maintained, healthy and provides an environment conducive to learning and working; a goal that has taken on increased significance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. A Standard of Good Repair for Ontario’s publicly funded schools is developed and implemented, which would include transparent metrics for school buildings, portables and schoolyards. These standards and associated metrics must include and address:

    • The $16.8-billion of disrepair in school buildings
    • A program to assess current repair backlogs in portables and schoolyards
    • Air quality and ventilation
    • Classroom temperatures
    • Accessibility
    • Environmental efficiency & durability
    • Job site safety for school construction projects and maintenance work
    • Drinking water
    • Asbestos
    • Cleanliness
    • Classroom space
    • Vermin, mold
    • Fire and electrical code

3. Publicly funded schools receive adequate, stable, equitable provincial funding that enables school boards to meet these provincial standards and publicly demonstrate positive outcomes by collecting and releasing associated metrics at regular intervals.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how critical school buildings and education are to Ontario’s children, their families, and our economy. With this in mind, we provided this input to the Ministry of Education as part of its 2022-23 Education Funding consultation process. Our sincere hope is that the Ford government will accept and act upon our feedback.

In the coming months, we will work to ensure that all political parties in this province prioritize safe, healthy, well-maintained school buildings, portables and schoolyards, and reflect this prioritization by including the following in their education platforms:

  • A Standard of Good Repair and associated metrics for school buildings, portables and schoolyards
  • Adequate, stable, and equitable provincial funding to achieve these standards and to collect and release the associated metrics publicly at regular intervals

Lessons in the Importance of Schoolyards

March 19, 2020

As social distancing continues and new norms are found, schoolyards continue to be busy with families and siblings out on their bikes and scooters, playing ball and running around. We wonder what children would love to see in their schoolyards?

Given that your children likely have some free time on their hands, we encourage you to take the opportunity to ask your children to draw or sculpt or collage their ideal schoolyard! We found some interesting ideas around the globe to get their creative juices flowing!

In Copenhagen, a playground was designed to teach children about road safety and looks pretty AWESOME!

This playground in West London was designed to heighten the many benefits of outdoor play on children’s development and to incorporate many natural materials.

Let us know what your children come up with as they imagine their ideal schoolyard.

Schoolyards are Key in Today’s Environment of Social Distancing

March 17, 2020

Fix Our Schools has always believed that schoolyards are a key component of school infrastructure. In today’s environment of social distancing amidst a global push to flatten the curve on the spread of the coronavirus, schoolyards have emerged as an even more integral part of our public infrastructure, providing a place to play catch, kick a ball, ride bikes or shoot some hoops.

Fix Our Schools is curious to see and hear how your local schoolyard is being used in the current environment of social distancing. Please email us at info@fixourschools.ca with photos or stories. Thanks!