Villa Voice Summer 2019 VillaVoice Summer 2019 | Page 10

HIGHLIGHTS & HAPPENINGS
and increases focus. Bringing more outdoor time and nature exploration into a
child’s day helps mental, emotional, and physical growth and ensures they build
the resilience and imagination so important in the development of the whole child.
Time spent outdoors also improves a child’s concentration and ability to process
their thoughts which are essential to academic success. Exposure to the natural
environment is a helpful, useful, and valuable approach to counteract the effect of
“brain drain” that comes with the overuse of smart technology.
The Villa’s Outdoor Education enrichment program takes advantage of our large,
beautiful campus featuring wooded hillsides, water sources, and abundant plant
and animal life. Led by Outdoor Education Coordinator Ms. Jacquie Berting, Villa
students in preschool through 6 th grade participate in a vast and varied slate of
nature programs providing hands-on outdoor learning and discovery that cultivates
curiosity, teaches environmental stewardship, and fosters physical activity. Active,
guided observation, and activities along the nature trails, kiosks, and maps within
our campus help students develop collaboration skills and physical independence and
gain a deepened awareness of the Villa’s historic property.
Mr. Halaby elaborates, “The fact that we dedicate precious time within the school day
for Outdoor Education demonstrates the importance that we place on connecting with
our environment. There are many demands on the academic time within the school
day – we believe that time in the outdoors demands a portion of that time.”
St. Ursula Villa also prioritizes unstructured recess and playtime, especially in
young children. Early Childhood students have multiple “free play” times throughout
the day which is crucial to the social development of children. During these times,
children expand on their imagination and learn to employ interpersonal, face-to-face
problem-solving skills. Teachers and assistants are in tune with the social dynamics
of the students, and readily guide students through these situations.
St. Ursula Villa strives
to develop well rounded,
capable, and resilient
students who have a
working knowledge
of technology and
appreciate its role
in their personal,
educational, and future
professional lives and
who benefit from the
school’s emphasis
on enrichment and
development of the whole
child – striking the ideal
balance between “screen”
and “green” time.
9
“The fact that we
dedicate precious
time within the
school day for
Outdoor Education
demonstrates
the importance
that we place on
connecting with our
environment.”
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL KENT HALABY