REVIEWS
For more than a decade Ross Cloutier has conducted program and
accident reviews for schools outdoor education programs. Integrating
his background in guiding, outdoor education, risk management, law,
and accident mediation, Ross has been able to assist schools in
assessing their programs and procedures.
Reviews may be done preventatively as a program review, or they
may be conducted as an post-accident review. Two of the highest
profile of these reviews were the Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School
Avalanche Review and the Lost Coast Trail Accident Review for the
Calgary Board of Education.
Preventative program reviews
are helpful to schools and outdoor education teachers by
providing objective input about their outdoor education operating
procedures and policies. These types of reviews simply require the
participation of the reviewer, outdoor education staff, and school
administration.
Post-accident reviews have
become the standard way for school boards to solicit an external
opinion on their outdoor education program, demonstrating to the
public, and parents, that the accident is being taken seriously.
These types of reviews are anything but straightforward to conduct.
In addition to school staff, there are the interests of coroners,
attorneys, insurers, families, school boards, and survivors to
consider.
COACHING
Many outdoor education teachers and administrators feel they
require input to their policies and procedures. The outdoor
education landscape has changed significantly in the last few years,
and teachers, principals, and school boards recognize the need to
discuss policies and procedures with an expert.
As a teacher, you want to be
sure that the documentation and processes you use will not leave you
hanging in the wind if an incident were to occur. Despite your best
efforts, the outdoor environment is still unpredictable.
We understand that.
As an administrator or board member,
you want to ensure that teachers are not
making de-facto policy by their programming choices, and an
objective perspective would make you more comfortable.
We can help.
