Teachers

A young girl wears goggles and holds a yellow balloon

The Community Safety Village of York Region is an educational facility designed to bring safety messages to children from Kindergarten through Grade 5 in an exciting and interactive way. The Safety Village features a police education classroom with working traffic lights and signals, a fire education classroom, complete with a fully equipped apartment, a paramedic services classroom and a human rights classroom. All grades will engage in a full day of learning from all three emergency services, police, fire and paramedics, for a total of four hours. We have a miniature "Village" of more than 30 scaled-down buildings, roadways, operational traffic lights, road signs and a railway crossing.

The programs at the Community Safety Village are offered at no cost.

Helpful Hints

Select your grade level. If you have a combined grade, select the grade level you feel is most appropriate or combine appropriate grades together to create a class of 15 - 30 students per class
Three classes of the same grade must be booked for the same day to a daily maximum of four classes
Each class will receive multiple interactive lessons each day beginning at 9:30 a.m. and ending at 1:30 p.m.
The minimum number for each session is 15 students
The maximum number for each session is 30 students
Each lesson is approximately 40-50 minutes in length
Please have teachers share with the Safety Village educators any special needs or exceptionalities of your students prior to the start of each session.
Please ensure all students have appropriate outdoor clothing
Programs are subject to change based on weather conditions
Students attending the Grade 3 Bicycle Safety Program must bring their bike helmet with them. The Village does have a limited supply of helmets on site, as well as some bicycles with training wheels
If you are a late start school, determine when you can arrive at the village and when you must leave. Please keep in mind travel time, busing schedules, etc. Classes are run on strict timelines, therefore, if your class arrives late, the schedule will be adjusted accordingly
All classes begin at 9:30 a.m. Please arrive at the village approximately 10 minutes before
Please inform your bus driver to drop off and pick up students in the designated area, outside the main gates
Please ensure all students bring a nut-free lunch and snacks as there is no cafeteria on the premise
There are areas suitable for eating a packed lunch either inside or outside, weather permitting
Students are encouraged to bring only their lunch bags and necessary medications as there are limited hooks for backpack storage
Unfortunately, younger siblings cannot attend as this is an educational experience designed for a specific age group
School staff are kindly asked to wear their identification at all times, and make themselves known to the Community Safety Village staff upon arrival
We ask for no more than four parent volunteers to attend, please.
Classes are encouraged to bring one parent volunteer for every five students
For any special accommodations, please email csv@yrp.ca

Our Kindergarten to Grade 3 programs are offered from September to November and from April to June each school year. Our Grade 4 and Grade 5 programs are offered from mid-November until March.

Session Descriptions

Booking Information

Schools are required to book a minimum of three classroom classes for the same visit and encouraged to book up to four. Each class will rotate through all of the police, fire and paramedic sessions. Sessions run at 9:30 a.m., 10:50 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., with a 10-minute break between the morning sessions and a 50-minute lunch break before the afternoon session. Times are subject to change.

Kindergarten

Community Helpers, Firefighters are Community Helpers, Emergency Awareness and Hand Washing, and Respect

Police Lesson: Using play-based learning, kindergarten students will receive an overall understanding of community helpers with a focus on police officers in their communities. Students will be educated on the importance of being prepared, making good choices, and staying calm during an emergency. Students will visit our miniature police station and see a real police car.

Fire Lesson: Students will be introduced to fire safety and will learn what to do if their clothes catch on fire. Students will also dress like a firefighter and learn about fire safety equipment in the fire station.

Paramedic Lesson: Kindergarten students will gain awareness of what role paramedics play in the community and how they can help by staying safe and healthy. Students will explore the basic science of communicable disease prevention.

Human Rights Lesson: Students will learn what respect looks like, sounds like, and feels like. This lesson reinforces how students can show respect for themselves, others, and the world around them.

Grade 1

Introduction to 9-1-1, Safe or Dangerous, Water Safety, Household Hazards and Fairness

Police Lesson: Grade 1 students will learn to distinguish between an emergency and a non-emergency. Students will understand what services are available to assist in emergency situations. Students will learn when and how to make a 9-1-1 call.

Fire Lesson: Students will play the "Safe or Dangerous" game in Sparky’s Apartment and identify common items that are fire or burn hazards. Students will follow the mindset “Stop, Think, Don’t Touch!”. Grade 1 students will also be introduced to smoke alarms, home escape planning and additional important fire safety messages.

Paramedic Lesson: Through an educational game, Grade 1 students will learn about the science of sinking and floating in water and will learn how properly fitted life jackets save lives. Students will also tour the Hazard House where common household dangers such as burns, chemical exposure and cuts can occur.

Human Rights Lesson: Grade 1 students will understand that there are other viewpoints besides their own. Students will also learn that being fair means taking turns and playing by the rules.

Grade 2

Traffic and Pedestrian Safety, Home Fire Escape Planning and 9-1-1, Playground Safety and Basic First Aid, and Needs vs. Wants

Police Lesson: Grade 2 students are introduced to road sign and pedestrian safety. They then practice what they have learned by driving our battery operated mini-cars in our Safety Village with operating traffic lights and railroad tracks.

*Please note: Due to safety concerns, height and weight restrictions are in place in order to operate the mini-cars.

Fire Lesson: Grade 2 students will learn about the importance of home escape planning and then practice steps and apply their skills in Sparky’s Bedroom. Students will also build on their knowledge of identifying a 9-1-1 emergency and apply their learning using a simulated cellphone device.

Paramedic Lesson: Through an interactive playground scenario, students will learn to spot potential risks and learn about common sources of playground injuries. Students will also be introduced to first aid concepts including identifying first aid essentials and building a first aid kit.

Human Rights Lesson: Grade 2 students will learn about basic necessities for human survival and the relationship between consumer goods and happiness. Students will understand how advertisements can influence the items we buy.

Grade 3

Bicycle Safety, Stay Safe and Sound, 9-1-1 and Being Prepared and Climate Change

Police Lesson: Grade 3 students learn how to properly fit their bicycle helmets and how to safely ride their bicycles through the Safety Village using operational traffic lights, a railway crossing and bicycle lanes. All bicycles are provided for the students, some with training wheels, but they must bring a bicycle helmet with them to the village. There are a limited number of helmets available for students who do not bring one.

Fire Lesson: Grade 3 students will learn about the importance of smoke alarms and build on their knowledge of home fire escape planning. Through auditory identification, learners will be engaged in the challenge of staying safe and sound – practicing deciphering the different sounds of a smoke alarm. In Sparky’s Bedroom, students will action a realistic home escape plan.

Paramedic Lesson: Grade 3 students will learn what can you do to help someone waiting for an ambulance at school or home. Students will also tour the Paramedic Services’ Safety Station to see what equipment paramedics might bring with them and learn how we can all help paramedics Get2UFaster.

Human Rights Lesson: Students will learn about behaviours and actions impact the health of the environment. Students will learn what everyone can do to keep our earth healthy and reduce our carbon footprint.

Grade 4

Peer Pressure, Emergency Awareness, Recognizing and Responding to Medical Emergencies, and Clean Water Access

Police Lesson: Grade 4 students learn about making positive choices and the possible consequences resulting from negative choices. They learn how they can demonstrate several of their school board's Character Attributes in making positive lifestyle choices. Students participate in peer pressure scenarios, based on real-life experiences, to greater enhance their understanding.

Fire Lesson: Grade 4 students will be introduced to different types of disasters and the concept of emergency or disaster awareness. Students will learn about emergencies that are most likely to happen in York Region and work collaboratively in groups through an engaging Kahoot game. Learners will apply their learning in the lesson through cooperative education and create kits for a selected scenario.

Paramedic Lesson: Grade 4 students will learn about various medical illnesses including Asthma, Allergies, Choking, Seizures, Strokes and Unconsciousness with a brief intro to CPR. Students will be exposed to the knowledge and tools to feel more comfortable should they be faced with an emergency in their community.

Human Rights Lesson: Students will learn about water sustainability issues we are facing around the world. Students will understand the value of water by exploring what water usage looks like in our daily lives and how some of the goods we buy and use contribute to our water footprint.

Grade 5

Internet Safety and Appropriate Online Behaviour, Emergency Preparedness, CPR and Automated External Defibrillation, and Education Around the World

Police Lesson: Grade 5 students learn about Internet safety and appropriate online behaviour. They learn about the safe use of the internet, with a focus on social media, the dangers of sharing personal information online and how to protect themselves. Students will understand how someone's online actions can affect others' feelings and emotional well-being.

Fire Lesson: Grade 5 students will learn about personal emergency preparedness. This includes what to keep in an emergency kit in case they had to stay in their homes for 72 hours or evacuate their homes quickly with little to no notice. Students will extend their learning from the lesson and work collaboratively with their peers to try and make the best Shelter-in-Place kit or Go-Bag for different families in realistic emergency type scenarios.

Paramedic Lesson: Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is a lifesaving skill that can be taught in childhood and carried into adult life. This valuable lesson, when applied, would greatly increase someone's survival from a sudden cardiac arrest. This highly experiential session involves CPR mannequins and defibrillation trainers to give Grade 5 students a first-hand chance to perform CPR.

Human Rights Lesson: In this lesson, students will learn what quality education means and its impact on individuals and communities. Students will also learn about inequalities in education access and opportunities around the world.

Registration

All requests must be made online. Classes are booked on a first come, first-served basis. Please book your class early to ensure availability. It is advised that one teacher makes the booking for their class and others. More dates will become available through the school year.

*IMPORTANT* Unless you receive a confirmation email, your booking has not been scheduled.

Once confirmed by the Community Safety Village staff, you will receive an email confirming your class booking.

BOOKING STEPS

1. On the main page, select the grade you will be registering.

2. Select the date and time. If no time shows up for the day selected, then that day is fully booked or that particular class is not being offered.

Our programs are offered during the following months:

September to November - Kindergarten to Grade 3
November to March - Grade 4 and 5
March/April to June - Kindergarten to Grade 3

3. Please input the required information in the text fields or drop-down menus. All bolded fields are required to complete your booking.

4. A minimum of three teachers, who teach the same grade, must attend the same day to a maximum of four classes. Each class must be accompanied by an Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT), or support staff to ensure adequate supervision of students.

5. Please agree to the cancellation policy. Cancellations must be telephoned into our office is within 14 days of you school's visit.

6. Confirmation of you school's registration request will only be approved once reviewed by Community Safety Village.

7. If approved, you will receive a confirmation booking via email as well as a reminder prior to your visit to the Community Safety Village.

Teachers

Session Descriptions

Registration

Book your class now.