Plan Your Play: The Nature Playbook

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Robin Friesen with Junior School students at Pacific Spirit Park

This year, our very own Coordinator of Outdoor Education and Risk Management, Robin Friesen, together with a team of people selected from across Canada, wrote a book to inspire Canadians to get outdoors with their families. Published with Parks Canada, The Nature Playbook invites Canadians to take action to connect a new generation of Canadians with nature.

The idea of this book is to try and give families, teachers, and human beings in general, a tool to use for brainstorming how they are going to get themselves, their loved ones, and their community outside. We know that our society has increasingly shifted towards staying inside more and more. But there is a growing body of research that points to the benefits of getting outside and connecting with nature including physical health, emotional health, mental health, and stress reduction.

As we head into summer, we hope that you can take minute to take a look at this book online or download a copy for the whole family to review and plan your play! Congratulations to Robin and the team of writers who were able to launch this very important work this year!

Employee Spotlight: Jennifer Galli

Meet Jennifer Galli: Associate Director, Advancement

Jennifer Galli, Associate Director, Advancement, with her two boys.

What impresses you most about the students at York House School?
I’m constantly impressed by the girls’ confidence. Every time one of the students get up to perform or make a speech or walk the runway at the Fashion Show, I’m in awe of their self-assurance. That is what I love most about York House; the teachers and staff create an environment where the girls feel comfortable to explore their talents and try new things.  

What impresses you about our community overall?
I’m impressed by the support of the community. The time that parents, alumnae, teachers, and staff put in to ensure that the girls have everything they need to be successful is amazing.

What are you most looking forward to at York House in the coming months?
I’m looking forward to the spring, I love the excitement of graduation and all of the events that go along with it. It’s such a wonderful time for Grade 12s and you can feel it in the hallways in May and June.

What is something that people might not know about you that you would like to share?
My husband and I own a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu studio in Lower Lonsdale. They call Jiu Jitsu “human chess” because it isn’t just a physical sport but one that requires a lot of thought and strategy – beating your opponent is less about size and more about smarts!