Building Confidence and Community: Grade 5 Leadership Retreat at Canterbury Hills

Global Learning, Newton's Grove Programming

Newton’s Grove School is proud to share highlights from our Grade 5 Leadership Retreat – an exciting new addition to our Global Learning Program. Held at Canterbury Hills in partnership with Adventureworks, this overnight experience marked the first time our Grade 5 students participated in a multi-day overnight trip, and it offered a meaningful introduction to the leadership opportunities that continue to grow throughout our curriculum.

Surrounded by the forests and trails of Dundas Valley, students engaged in a dynamic program designed to build leadership skills and strengthen peer connections. With a focus on collaboration, decision-making, and group problem-solving, the retreat combined hands-on activities with guided reflection to help students explore what it means to be a positive and effective leader.

Over the course of the retreat, students took part in team challenges, vertical climbing elements, and low/medium ropes courses designed to stretch their comfort zones and support individual growth. They learned to listen closely, support one another, and take initiative in unfamiliar situations. Evening meals and cabin stays added to the experience, giving students time to connect in a relaxed setting and enjoy the rhythms of life away from home.

As part of Newton’s Grove’s expanding Global Learning Program, this retreat introduces students to the kind of experiential learning that continues in later grades. In Grades 7 and 8, students take part in linguistic immersion programs in Quebec, while senior students have the opportunity to participate in international travel experiences. These programs are designed to foster curiosity, resilience, and global citizenship.

The Grade 5 retreat was a wonderful start to this journey. We are proud of the initiative and spirit our students brought to each activity, and we look forward to seeing them carry these lessons into the classroom, the playground, and every part of school life.