Students at Saint Mary Catholic School in Huntsville recently participated in a powerful, week-long safety initiative called Children’s Safety Village–a program that brought safety education to life through hands-on learning and real world connections. The goal was to educate and empower them with critical safety skills — both for everyday life and potential emergencies. The event brought together a diverse group of community partners, including the OPP, paramedics, the local fire department, pharmacists, and public health nurses from the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.

The initiative was co-developed by Principal Barb Heeneman, who saw an opportunity to strengthen the school’s connection with community organizations, while enhancing the safety curriculum for students.

“She asked me to be part of the committee, and it came together from there,” said Jen Starratt, elementary guidance counselor at Saint Mary. “It’s been a really great experience. The kids learned about setting boundaries, fire safety, and how to respond when they’re not feeling safe — all in a supportive, non-threatening environment.”

Throughout the week, classrooms were visited by professionals who led interactive and age-appropriate presentations. For younger students, highlights included visiting an ambulance, meeting therapy dogs Moose and Miriam, and seeing a visual demonstration by a local pharmacist comparing candy and medication — helping students understand the importance of taking medicine only from trusted adults.

“For my Grade 2–3 class, the therapy dogs were definitely a hit,” said teacher Lacey Matthews. “But they also learned a lot about emotions, emergency response, and recognizing safe and unsafe situations.”

Older students, including those in Grade 8, engaged in more advanced programming such as using firefighting tools and discussing emergency response careers. “I wasn’t sure how interested the older students would be,” said Starratt, “but the fire department presentation clicked. They went beyond safety and touched on future career paths — that really resonated.”

Public health nurses Brittany Steele and Kim Newberry emphasized how the program was tailored to meet the needs of each classroom. “Each class had a unique schedule of presenters that supported what teachers were already covering in the curriculum,” said Steele. “It made the learning meaningful and relevant.”

The success of the week also paved the way for broader community connections. “It’s been great to see new partnerships forming — like with MindAid and the local health unit — which could expand support for mental health and wellness in the future,” Starratt noted.

With support from the school council and strong engagement from families, the event also served as a springboard for further outreach. Community partners provided take-home materials, and some will return for an upcoming parent session.

The goal, according to organizers, is to turn Safety Week into an annual event — one that can serve as a model for other schools. “It’s more than just a series of presentations,” said Newberry. “It’s a community-wide effort to reinforce safety, wellness, and lifelong skills.”

As students wrapped up the week with new knowledge, hands-on experience, and plenty of stories to share at home, one thing was clear: learning is most powerful when it’s shared — and safety is everyone’s responsibility.