Please Note: There is no "Bridging the Gap" program for the 2012-2013 school year
What is the “Bridging the Gap" Program?
- A commitment for secondary schools and elementary schools to work together to provide a new sport for the elementary schools, as well as a teaching opportunity for senior secondary leadership co-op students.
- A source of new equipment and resources for both the elementary and secondary schools.
- An opportunity to take advantage of funding provided by the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion and Sport Canada to furnish the equipment and resources for new school programs.
What is the Responsibility of the Schools?
- Schools must commit for a two-year period.
- The 2009-10 program must be completed by May 31, 2010.
- Secondary schools may opt to work with one or more feeder schools, and may select one or more of the three sports offered.
- The secondary and elementary staff must work closely together to coordinate the program.
- Must ensure at least 50 Grade 7-8 students participate, or 80 per cent of the Grade 7-8 population for schools with 75 or less Grade 7-8 students.
- Staff coordinators and student leaders are required to submit a report form on the program when it is completed.
What Activities May be Offered?
Three sport programs are available for presentation to the elementary students: ultimate frisbee, flag football, and flag rugby. The provincial organizations for these sports have put together teaching kits specific to their sport for use in this program. The student leaders should communicate with their feeder school to determine which sport they wish to present.
The Process
1) The secondary school students in the Leadership or Coop course and the staff coordinator communicate with their feeder school(s) to determine if they can introduce the Bridging the Gap program to the elementary students, and what sport they wish to present at least in the first year.
2) Secondary school applies to OFSAA to participate in the Bridging the Gap program for the three years.
3) Once accepted, schools receive:
- a teaching kit for their selected sport (equipment and instructional resources)
- program presentation guidelines for student-leaders
- availability of sport clinicians
4) Student-leaders present sport to elementary students in local feeder school.
5) Student-leaders and staff coordinators submit final report to OFSAA.
Benefits
- Opportunity for students in the leadership course to complete a practical component for their course
- Excellent bridging program between secondary and elementary schools
- Exposure of elementary students to a new sport, as well as students from the high school
- Provision of equipment and resources for use in programs in future years
- Motivational tool to encourage students moving on to high school to participate in the sport programs offered there
For more information on Bridging the Gap, please contact Diana Ranken.