Boarding School

The Boarding School is for co-ed teens aged 15+ not engaged in the mainstream.

What You learn

English (all levels)

• Grades 9, 10, 11, & 12
• Our English courses are dynamic, unique, and engaging. We strive to tailor our courses to students’ interests. They may create their own whitewater magazine with reviews of the latest gear, bios, and advertisements. Or, a talkative group with a penchant for the profound might create a debate club. The storytellers sit around campfires and hold their peers in rapt attention. Our small class size ensures that all of our students get the support, encouragement, and creative inspiration they might require.

Writer’s Craft (EWC4C and EWC4U)

• Grade 12
• Our English curriculum extends beyond the 4 credits required to graduate.  Writer’s Craft shifts focus from all 4 strands of English (Writing, Reading, Oral, and Media) to the written language. Students will explore every facet of the craft, gaining more experience with persuasive writing, poetry, interviews and fiction to name just a few. A creative student’s dream. This course also looks great for University applications.
• Writer’s Craft is available at both College and University levels once a student has completed their Grade 12 English.

Mathematics (MAT2L and MEL3E)

• Grades 10 & 11
• As with all our other courses, we bring Math to life using experiential, hands-on methods, both in the classroom and in ‘real life’ excursions. These courses eliminate the age old question of “why are we learning this?” Here you learn Financial Literacy; learning how to save money to eat, plan for the future, and not be in someone else’s pocket. We encourage small-group learning so that math is neither feared nor seen in isolation by our students. Our math classes are tiny, relaxed and intimate. As a result, our math students have finished courses with newfound confidence and competency.

History (CHC2P and CHC2D)

• Grade 10
• We study Canadian History by living it. We dig and fight from the trenches, cook up Depression era delicacies, design our own national flags, and build Cold War bunkers. Historical tragedies and triumphs are brought into the context of what is happening now. Students emerge both humbled and inspired.

Outdoor Education (PAD1O – PAD4O)

• Grades 9, 10, 11, & 12
• Teaching and living outdoor education is in our bones. Our teachers have spent countless weeks, months, and even years dedicated to outdoor training and facilitation – and more than anything, they love to introduce students to the benefits of ‘getting out there.’ It helps that “out there” is on our doorstep. Rivers, hikes, forests, and swamps are all walking distance from our rooms. Canoeing and tripping, wilderness living, orienteering and navigation, survival and safety skills, environmental awareness, and interpretation, all help to bring the pages of the curriculum to life.

Leadership (GPP3O and PLF4M)

• Grades 11 & 12
• The success of each session at Boundless rests on the cohesiveness of the group. It is through these Leadership courses, that students learn to understand and appreciate the group process and the elements that create a ‘well-oiled’ team. Problem-solving, team initiatives, ropes courses, climbing and belaying, program design, teaching and facilitation, and group check-ins, are all key elements of these courses that encourage students to lean on one another, and enjoy contributing to the process while sharing mutual responsibility. The feelings and attitudes engendered by our Leadership course experience will serve them well into the future.

Science (SNC2P)

• Grade 10
• Science is us and among us, so in understanding it, we better understand ourselves. We take every chance to make science easy to digest and astounding at the same time. Experiments are the name of the game and there are few concepts that are not demonstrable and incredible. We make clouds, examine our own cells, play with lasers, test the effects of various liquids on teeth (not ours) and dissect organs (also not ours). Students leave class wide-eyed and full of questions about how the world all around (and inside them) works.

Integrative Arts (ALC2O)

• Grade 10
• It turns out, there are ways to express yourself without being limited to 140 characters. This course includes multiple strands of art, and offers students a brilliant array of options to explore and experiment. One week we may paint, the next we sculpt and fire some pottery. We have some drama activities in between lessons to loosen people up and then a night where we learn to salsa dance. There’s something for everyone in this course, and it’s not uncommon to see students feverishly working on their favourite pet project during downtime.

Environmental Science (SVN3M)

• Grade 11
• There is a trend that we intentionally choose courses that are useful, exciting and utilize our amazing location in Northern Ontario.  Environmental Science meets all these criteria as it focuses on current environmental challenges, the environment’s impact on health and sustainability and conservation.  It is a University/College course in one of the fastest growing job sectors with limitless local experiences. It is a 5 minute drive to visit logging operations, dams and sustainable farms after all.  Not to mention the organic farming that takes place on our property!