This page is designed for teachers and educators who have registered their class for an LPS School Program. Please carefully review to prepare you and your class for a program. Feel free to reach out if you have any further questions or concerns.
Fees and Subsidies
We have a sliding-scale pricing model. Lake Park Society is a non-profit and our program fees are based on recovering our costs. Even so, we recognize that many classes cannot pay the full cost-recovery rate. We are proud to provide financial accessible programming by offering subsidies under our Connection Grant program.
You will be provided with an opportunity to select a Connection Grant subsidy and input a discount code during registration. Subsidies are issued on a self-declared basis, with no additional application required. Unused subsidies will be applied to future school year programs and to provide additional financial support for classes that cannot afford our sliding scale rates. Please contact us if you have any questions about our pricing, or if our programs remain inaccessible at the maximum subsidy rate. We have additional funding options to ensure all students can participate.
Providing funding for transportation is beyond the financial scope of LPS. Therefore, we strongly encourage all teachers to consider additional sources of funding/grants that may provide extra support for transportation costs and/or remaining program costs. We recommend that you explore the following SD71-EOL resources to help you in this search, and apply for grants as early as possible.
Policies and Safety Considerations
Reservation Policy: Your reservation will not be confirmed until payment is received. Payment is due 4 weeks before program date. If your program remains unpaid at this time, you will forfeit your reservation, allowing time for another class to book this date.
Cancellation Policy: No refunds will be issued to programs that are canceled with less than 2 weeks’ notice. This excludes programs cancelled on behalf of Lake Park to Society, due to weather or other factors. It is very hard for another class to fill a program with short notice. Please contact us as soon as possible if you are considering canceling your program. We will do our best to reschedule.
Program Choice, and/or Activity Choice: LPS will educators have final say on activity choices based on weather, group dynamics, and other factors. Programs may also be adapted to suit participant needs (e.g. mobility) and group dynamics. Please alert your instructors to any potential concerns.
Weather: Programs will run rain or shine; however, if weather conditions create a safety concern, programs will be adjusted or rescheduled accordingly. For example, if high winds create unsafe conditions for canoeing during a Water Keepers program, we will switch to our alternative watershed program which will take place in the forest and/or along the lakeshore. In the case of an extreme weather forecast, you will be contacted by one of our educators the evening before the program to cancel. We will give as much notice as possible, but in some circumstances, this may happen last minute – the forecast is dynamic, and does not always align with actual conditions. Please ensure that you are available to be contacted the evening before and morning of your scheduled program in case cancellation is necessary. We will do our best to reschedule your class for another day.
Safety: Safety is our top priority. Our risk management protocols are designed and regularly updated to meet or exceed industry standards. All LPS educators are first aid certified, Paddle Canada certified, and experienced in nature-based programming. For most canoe-based school programs, we lash two canoes together to create exceptional stability. Participants wear properly fitted PFDs, and we provide clear safety instructions before launching. The park also has an active Wildlife/Danger Tree program, and we operate only in appropriate weather conditions.
All group safety gear (including first aid kits) will be provided by LPS. Participants with any known anaphylactic allergies are required to bring a valid EpiPen, stored in a waterproof container/bag. In the event of an incident requiring first aid, our staff will act as first responders on site. In the case of an incident that needs further treatment (but no ambulance), it will be the responsibility of the teacher to take students off site to seek further treatment.
Communicable Disease Prevention: LPS has adopted a Communicable Disease Prevention Plan to manage health and safety. While this is continually revised, below is a brief summary: all of our programs take place outside; all staff and participants will wash hands (or sanitize) prior to snack time and lunchtime; and all staff and participants are welcome to wear masks if they wish. Please stay home if you are sick with a communicable disease or have been directed to self-isolate and follow public health guidance.