BIO:

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My name is Dave Stibbe I grew up in Ottawa, and in my mid-teens started a career in the Outdoor Adventure industry, consequently spending nearly two decades teaching, guiding, and travelling around Canada, along with a few international experiences. In my late thirties, I returned to permanently settle in Ottawa, because it is the best paddling destination in the world, and whether I am paddling a canoe, kayak, or raft, the Ottawa River watershed is my true happy place. It was upon my return that I also discovered that Ottawa is a diverse outdoor recreation paradise with so much more to offer beyond paddling. I continue to explore the region whether on skis, by mountain bike or on foot and am always impressed by the accessibility of adventure both within and just outside our City limits. 

 

My passion is taking students outside the four walls of the classroom and delivering experiential lessons that connect students to the wilderness. My belief is that participation in wilderness recreation is the birthplace of an authentic connection to nature and passion for the natural world. Adventure in the wilderness is filled with wonder and joy, friendships and community, and most of all connection to the land, the water, the mountains and the sky. This elemental connection with nature is what truly spawns strong feelings about protection.

 

As was said by Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods. “We cannot protect something we do not love, we cannot love what we do not know, and we cannot know what we do not see, touch, and hear."

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Expertise and Experience

 

As an outdoor education professional combined with teaching expertise in geography, history, leadership and environmental science I  am able to offer students engaging curriculum focussed field experiences with a high degree of safety and professional judgement. My broad technical skills in outdoor education include certifications and experience as an alpine ski instructor, cross-country ski instructor, telemark ski instructor, whitewater raft guide and instructor, sea kayak guide and instructor, swift water rescue instructor, whitewater kayak guide and instructor, wilderness canoe guide and instructor, mountain bike instructor and wilderness first aid certified practitioner. I combine these with professional experience in risk management and planning, expedition logistics, travel planning, equipment procurement, repair skills and product knowledge.

 

I am currently working full-time at Kanata Montessori, a progressive, toddler to G12, independent school, in the west end of Ottawa. As an education professional, I have a variety of teaching roles, as well as a leadership role in senior administration as the school's business manager. My portfolio of responsibilities in senior admin includes the school website, branding and risk management, managing the school's insurance portfolio, advertising, marketing, social media and developing partnerships.

 

At the Junior High - Intermediate division I taught for three years delivering the Ontario curriculum for history, geography, and science. As well I developed and delivered an outdoor education curriculum via a number of school field trips that included a yearly nine-day experiential wilderness trip for all junior high students.

 

Currently, I teach in the senior high division in Grades 10-12 and am also the Senior High LST and Spec Ed specialist. My role as the Spec Ed specialist includes working with parents, students, the principal and the educators to collaboratively develop and maintain all the I.E.P.'s for the Senior High students and to ensure these students receive the support they need during the school year. My teaching role includes the following courses. Depending on the year, semester, and enrolment level I have delivered Ontario curriculum courses in Outdoor Ed for G10-12, Media Arts and Yearbook G10-12, Intro to Business G10, Business Entrepreneurship G11 and Business Management G12, Civics and Careers G10, Learning Strategies for G10-12, Environmental Science G11, Geography G9 and Environment and Resource Management Grade 12.

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I have also been a part of three successful education program start-ups. In 2016, I was part of the small team that successfully opened the high school at Kanata Montessori. At the elementary level upon completing a Forest School educator course and certification, in 2015 I developed an in-house Forest School program that continues to be delivered weekly to all students in grade 1-6 programs. This included developing the entire curriculum, building an outdoor classroom structure featuring an authentic indigenous Tipi, and liaising with the elementary department to ensure "buy-in" and a fit with different classroom schedules. In 2000 I was part of the team at Wilderness Tours Adventure Resort that developed the outdoor skills courses and curriculum with our delivery partner Algonquin College that established the Outdoor Adventure Diploma program the first of its kind in Eastern Canada. I was also a lead educator for this program during the first two years of its delivery. 

 

Extra Curricular wise I serve as the school's Duke of Edinburgh Awards program leader, where I have done the level two training certification. I am also the school's DECA Business Competition Coordinator. I continue to contribute to our school's athletics and clubs by coaching or leading clubs for alpine skiing, the school green team, nordic skiing, yearbook, photography, and mountain biking.