Who We Are

at our core

Vision, Values, & Mission

We strive to create a new model of education that focuses on the whole student.

Our Vision

We seek to create experiences and learning opportunities to ignite curiosity and passion for learning while developing confidence, resilience and courage in order to empower the changemakers.

Our Mission

Our mission is to reconnect our future leaders with the natural world and with themselves. These are the leaders who will lead their peers and their community to make the world a better place.

Blue Mountains Wild School Compass Forest Mountain Animal Water
the wildE way

Our Philosophy

We educate for leadership and sustainability through community and wilderness-integrated, entrepreneurial learning - in a natural environment.

To accomplish this, we designed a program founded on 4 pillars:

Mental & Academic

Physical & Health

Emotional & Mindful

Social & Natural Connectivity

our educators and staff

Meet Our Team & Faculty

Brayden-Plummer-Blue-Mountains-Wild-School-Faculty

Firstname

Position Title

Introduction to staff member.

Ali Bush Director of Teaching and Learning / Teacher

Ali

Director of Teaching and Learning / Teacher

Ali inspires her students to be engaged, critical thinkers and creative problem solvers through her interactive teaching approach, deeply rooted in respect for the environment and a passion for healthy active living.

Jeff Barrett Founder & Executive Director

Jeff

Founder & Executive Director

Jeff is the visionary founder of WILDE School Blue Mountains, with a rich background in outdoor education and ecotourism, dedicated to fostering a new generation of passionate, educated changemakers through meaningful educational experiences.

Brayden Plummer Director of Education

Brayden

Director of Education

After getting over kicking himself for not starting something like WILDE School 20 years ago, Brayden is honoured to be a leading member of the WILDE team.

Leah Peyton Program Director

Leah

Program Director / Camp Director

Leah is a creative and passionate person focused on outdoor learning and weaving the WILDE way into every part of children’s lives—both inside and beyond WILDE.

Pam Green Educator

Pam

Grade 1 & 2 Teacher

Passionate about sustainability, creativity, and adventure, Pam brings learning to life through exploration, foraging, and connecting with the land. She also shares her love of horses, weaving stories and lessons from her lifelong journey.

Curtis Shepard Educator & Summer Adventurer

Curtis

Grade 5 & 6 Teacher

Curtis’s own lifelong learning goals and experiences thus far have embedded in him a sense of wonder that he seeks to share with his students.

Diane Niec Kindergarten Teacher

Diane

Kindergarten Teacher

Diane is a multifaceted educator who combines her diverse skills to offer a uniquely immersive and creative learning experience.

CD Shrack Teacher

CD

Grade 4 & 5 Teacher

CD is a teacher and lifelong learner who inspires students through exploration, hands-on experiences, and opportunities to become well rounded, capable humans.

Sophie Keil Teacher

Sophie

Grade 7 & 8 Teacher

"I strive to empower students as critical thinkers and independent learners, encouraging them to follow their interests while supporting their unique academic needs."

Shelagh McKee Occasional and French Teacher

Shelagh

Grade 2 & 3 Teacher

Shelagh is an educator with experience teaching students all over the globe.

Olivia Damsma Music & French Teacher

Olivia

Music/French Teacher

Olivia is our Music and French teacher, who values nature's classroom through nurturing creativity, curiosity, and connection through outdoor learning.

Leah Ramalho Leadership & WILDE Friday

Leah

Leadership & WILDE Friday Director & Occasional Teacher

Leah is a dedicated outdoor educator with a strong background in environmental education and a deep commitment to connecting children with nature.

Garrin Carter Naturalist and Bushcraft Instructor

Garrin

Naturalist and Bushcraft Instructor

Garrin is a passionate nature connection facilitator that uses bushcraft and survival skills to help others relate to their natural surroundings .

Maria Hodgkinson Kindergarten EA

Maria

Kindergarten EA

"Hi, I’m Maria! I strive to help kids discover confidence and curiosity through outdoor learning. I love being part of an environment that supports growth, and I aim to build strong, supportive connections with students and staff."

Dave Bus Driver

Dave

The Wilde Bus Driver

Dave is the beloved driver of The Wilde Bus, known for his unwavering reliability, friendly demeanour, and the profound trust he has earned from both the parents and children of our school community.

The tuition does not cover the cost of our convenient Wilde Bus service. This is a separate service that parents can book each semester, or if it suits your convenience, as a one-off payment at the beginning of the year.

No, the cost of tuition does not include regular field trips; these are considered an additional expense. However, camping trips are included in the tuition fees, offering students valuable outdoor learning experiences and opportunities for personal growth.

To apply for admission to Wilde School, please complete our online application form and submit the required supporting documents. Our admissions team will review your application and contact you to schedule an interview and assessment as part of the admissions process.

We value parent involvement and believe in fostering a strong partnership between home and school. Parents can volunteer in classrooms, participate in school events and committees, and engage in regular communication with teachers and administrators to support their child's educational journey at Wilde School.

We invite you to visit our campus, meet our educators, and experience the Wilde School difference firsthand. Please contact our admissions office to schedule a tour or attend one of our open house events to learn more about our programs, philosophy, and community.

Yes, Wilde School is committed to making our holistic educational experience accessible and affordable for all families. We offer financial aid and scholarship opportunities to eligible families based on demonstrated need.  Please see our Wilde Way Bursary for more information.

At Wilde School, we prioritize inclusivity and personalized learning. Our educators are skilled in differentiating instruction to meet each student's unique needs, offering additional support, accommodations, or enrichment as required to ensure every student thrives. The small class sizes at Wilde School further enhance this tailored approach, allowing for individualized attention and fostering a supportive learning environment where every student can succeed.

We maintain small class sizes to ensure personalized attention and meaningful connections between students and teachers, fostering a supportive and collaborative learning environment. Typical class sizes are usually around 12 and not exceeding 14.

Yes, Wilde School offers a diverse range of extracurricular activities and programs tailored to the interests of our students. Our offerings have included clubs such as pottery, theatre, gardening, mountain biking, and canoeing. Given the size of our school, our sports teams primarily focus on individual sports like cross-country running and Nordic skiing, providing students with opportunities to develop skills, build teamwork, and pursue their passions outside of the classroom.

At Wilde School, our focus extends beyond academics to equip our students with essential life skills such as grit, perseverance, and adaptability. A significant component of our middle school program is cultivating the ability to become autodidacts, or self-directed learners. Our graduates are well-prepared to navigate any challenges life may present. Our holistic approach to education fosters resilience, curiosity, and a love for learning, empowering students to thrive in diverse educational settings and make a positive impact in their future endeavours.

We regularly assess and monitor student progress through ongoing formative and summative assessments, teacher observations, and student portfolios. We provide comprehensive report cards twice a year to communicate student achievement and growth in alignment with the Ontario curriculum. In addition, we create a Strategic Student Plan with our students and parents that sets out their goals and objectives for the year. We revisit this plan halfway through the year and re-evaluate its trajectory.

Yes, Wilde School adheres to the Ontario curriculum, but we enrich this framework with our distinctive approach which we call ‘the living curriculum’ and includes experiential learning, outdoor exploration, and character development. Our curriculum is not only about meeting the standard educational requirements but also about inspiring a deeper love for learning and fostering essential life skills. What's particularly fascinating is that our students consistently surpass the baseline expectations for their grade level. This achievement is a testament to the effectiveness of our holistic educational model, which nurtures curiosity, resilience, and a passion for continuous growth in each student.

Our curriculum at Wilde School emphasizes hands-on, experiential learning, outdoor exploration, and the development of essential life skills alongside academic subjects. We focus on fostering a growth mindset, building healthy relationships, and instilling leadership qualities in our students to prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.

Wilde School offers programs from Kindergarten through Grade 8, providing a seamless educational journey from early childhood to early adolescence.  We will be announcing a unique High School program in the coming months.

Wilde School is committed to providing a holistic and experiential learning environment that fosters curiosity, resilience, and a love for learning. Our educational approach integrates academic rigor with outdoor exploration, emotional intelligence, and community engagement to nurture well-rounded individuals prepared for lifelong success.

We prioritize student safety and well-being in all weather conditions, including winter. Our winter safety guidelines include dressing appropriately for the weather, staying hydrated, and taking regular indoor breaks when necessary. We closely monitor outdoor conditions and adjust activities accordingly to ensure a safe and enjoyable learning experience for all students.

We prioritize student safety and monitor weather conditions closely. In the event of severe weather or forest fires, we follow established safety protocols, including seeking shelter indoors and communicating with families as necessary.

We have established protocols and emergency response plans in place, and emergency services can typically respond within 20 minutes in the event of a serious emergency.

Wilde School is conveniently located with easy access by car, horse 😉 or our Wilde Bus service. For detailed directions and transportation options, please visit our contact page.

Yes, Wilde School is a peanut-free environment to ensure the safety and well-being of all students with allergies or dietary restrictions.

No, we do not offer a lunch and snack program at Wilde School. Students are required to pack their own lunches, and it is essential that these meals are substantial and of high quality to support their nutritional needs throughout the day. We encourage families to prioritize healthy and balanced meals that align with our holistic approach to well-being and learning.

There may be additional costs for specialized equipment, books, and optional extracurricular activities or programs. We strive to keep additional costs to a minimum and provide families with a detailed list of required and optional items at the beginning of each school year.

Tuition might go up annually to help the school meet its financial requirements and keep improving. We want to keep our programs accessible for many families and also need to cover important costs. Expected tuition increases are usually in line with inflation and the cost of making our school better. We promise to be open about any changes and will let families know early about any tuition changes.

We want all of our students to love Wilde School and the overwhelming amount of our students do, however providing a positive education experience is our foremost priority. We strongly encourage a trial day or even multiple days so that your students gets a feeling for the Wilde Way.

WILDE School starts at 8:45am and ends at 3:30pm (unless your child is in a club, these programs typically end at 4:30pm). We highly encourage parents to drop their children off right at 8:45am.

The first block of the day (25 min) is for free play (or water cooler time as Jeff calls it), we also offer study hall during this block. This is vital for students' morning routine to transition.

There is a lot of research surrounding the importance of transition times in students' daily routines in which they can free play, socialize and ground. It allows for students to ‘let a little air out of the tires’, which is very important for most students' concentration levels.

We encourage parents to communicate with your child's teacher first, coming to the team of directors if you need further support. At WILDE School we teach our students to be proactive problem solvers and not let any problems grow because they were left unattended.