Chestnut Ridge students exploring new ways to learn
Churchville-Chili teachers are taking advantage of the Chestnut Ridge Nature Center and its five hiking trails behind Chestnut Ridge Elementary School.
Physical education teachers Brooke Elnicky and Greg Kincaid, along with Assistant Principal Jennifer Dixon, recently led their classes on mile-long hikes along the narrow trails through bushes, trees, grasses and flowers.
“We’re trying to provide a greater variety of learning environments and opportunities for our students this year due to COVID-19,” Elnicky said. “We’ve been going outside as much as possible, into the playground and our ‘outdoor gymnasium.’ The Nature Center is a perfect addition for hiking and exploring.”
Rules were laid out before entering the woods. Students learned safe hiking procedures, and were encouraged to respect the trail and not damage the plants or any animal or insect life. Everyone was reminded to stay healthy by social distancing and keeping their masks on.
“We are definitely planning on heading out to the Nature Center more often during this school year,” Elnicky said. “We’ll want to take a look to see how the trails change with the different seasons.”