February 22nd, 2022

On a chilly Thursday morning as a fresh layer of snow blanketed the ground, Grade 8 students and staff from Courtland Avenue Public School gathered at the skating rink in Victoria Park in Kitchener. This was one of many trips that Allison Moore, a guidance and physical education teacher, has made this winter season.

Moore’s efforts coordinating the skating program began with the discovery of skating equipment at the school, which had not been used since the beginning of the pandemic. With the help of her colleague Sandy Falco, they got the ball rolling.

“We had a lot of the skates and helmets from a past hockey program that we did before COVID,” said Moore. “The skates are just sitting here, we should be using them. How can we make this happen for our students?”

A student's skates are laced up by a staff member.

Sandy Falco helps students get laced up at Victoria Park.

Coming one class at a time, to abide by COVID-19 safety guidelines, the students have been making the 650 meter walk from their school to the skating rink. In the process, they get to enjoy the outdoors, and explore the public spaces available right around the corner.

“We know that we are so lucky that our school is located where it is, because we have access to so many great places in the community. It’s awesome that we can just walk down here,” said Moore. “It’s great for the kids. They get to experience something in their community that they might not have really realized was here.”

For Moore, it’s about even more than the physical exercise. It gives students a chance for social-emotional learning, as they navigate the process of trying something new, falling down, and picking themselves back up to try again. Of course, it’s also a great opportunity to laugh and strengthen friendships.

“My hope is that they’ve tried something new that they haven’t tried before, to have a little bit of fun. It’s important to find these moments of joy in what can be really challenging times,” said Moore. “You can hear it when you’re here. They’re laughing, they’re smiling, they’re helping their friends out.”

In three images, a student goes from struggling to skate, to finding their balance

Reed goes from learning to doing in less than an hour.

Reed is a Grade 8 student at Courtland Avenue Public School, and offered an overview of his progress that morning.

“Well, I’m skating at Victoria Park with my friends, and our class, and I don’t know really how to skate, but I’m working on it,” said Reed.

Before long, though, Reed had discarded the skating aid and was moving confidently across the ice on his own two feet.

Reed wanted to express his thanks to Moore, Falco and all the staff who had helped to make this opportunity possible.

“I feel very happy that they took their time to organize this for our classroom and the school,” he said.

A student removes their skates while sitting on a park bench

Reed undoes his skates as the class finishes their skating session.

The reactions that Moore sees from students are what it’s all about for her.

“They’ve loved it. It’s been so positive. There’s been just a buzz around the school,” she said. “The classes come back and they’re like, ‘that was so much fun, that was awesome,’ asking to go again. It’s been really well received with the students.”

Moore is quick to credit all of those who have helped to make this program a reality for Courtland Avenue’s students. From other schools and the Kitchener Minor Hockey Association who have donated additional equipment, to Moore’s colleagues who have donated their time and effort, it’s been a display of teamwork.

The quality of the ice has stood out especially, and Moore wanted to credit the staff from the City of Kitchener and the community volunteers who help to ensure it is ready for their arrival.

“We’ve come down a handful of times already, and it’s always been fabulous,” said Moore. “They do a great job. Many mornings it’s like glass.”

In the end, the reactions from the kids make it all worth it.

“It just makes me so happy. It’s so nice to see them out here enjoying winter. We know sometimes it’s hard to get outside in these months, so it’s giving them that opportunity. To see kids laughing and having fun, basically being kids.”