Teaching with LEAP

LEAP camps are designed and taught by certified teachers and/or experts who are passionate about learning. If you are interested in teaching with LEAP, you can apply two ways:

1. Submit a proposal for a camp you are interested in leading. Previous camp themes include: robotics, diseases, optical illusions and art, electricity, chocolate, under the sea, computers, photography, archaeology, the oceans, and more.
2. Submit your resume and preferred grade levels/topics. We may be able to match you with a camp that requires an instructor.

Sessions

• LEAP Summer Enrichment Programs: Half- and full-day sessions during the first and second full weeks in July.
• Sensational Saturdays: Runs for six Saturday mornings from the end of January until the beginning of March.

Hiring

We are currently accepting applications to teach for us in summer 2020.

To teach for LEAP you must have a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree. In some circumstances we do hire teachers without their BEd as experts (e.g., we have had one teacher who has a PhD in Computer Science and experience teaching children).

LEAP camps are held at our Waterloo campus, typically in classrooms in Bricker Academic Building. The 2020 summer camps will run during July 6-10 and 13-17. We offer a variety of morning, afternoon, and full day camps. Camp times are as follows:

• Morning: 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
• Afternoon: 1 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• Full day: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., with a one-hour lunch break

Teachers are paid $775 for the planning and teaching of a one-week, half-day camp, and $1550 for the planning and teaching of a one-week, full-day camp. If you choose to team teach, you will need to split the pay. There will be a new teacher training/orientation session in June 2020 (details to be determined). We will also ask instructors new to LEAP to meet with us individually prior to the beginning of the camp.

All new leaders will be required to provide LEAP with a copy of a recent (dated July 17, 2019 or later) Police Records Check for the Vulnerable Sector even if you have one on file at your workplace. If you require a record check, LEAP will cover the fee to a maximum of $40. You will also receive training on the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, as well as Laurier Health and Safety.

Topics that have worked well in the past or that have been suggested by parents include: space, mythology, natural disasters, technology, computers, coding, aviation, inventions, STEM/STEAM, art, math/logic, debate, architecture, the science of sports, robotics, business and the environment/sustainability. This is definitely not an exhaustive list; we welcome any topic(s) as long as the activities are engaging, hands-on, challenging and utilize higher order thinking skills.

If you are interested in teaching for us, please contact us at leap@wlu.ca or 519.884.0710 x3173 by Jan. 31, 2020. We can send you a copy of the curriculum template if you would like to design your own camp.

Please feel free to share this invitation with interested colleagues. If there are any questions regarding the process or your proposal, contact LEAP at leap@wlu.ca.

Volunteering with LEAP

Would you like to get volunteer experience working with children? Are you considering a career in education? LEAP welcomes volunteers to assist program teachers with leading innovative, theme-based camps for youth in grades 1-9 who are gifted/highly able.

LEAP volunteers include high school students looking to complete their community service, university or college students, as well as educators and other community members. Volunteers who are 13 and 14 are welcome to help out as junior volunteers. Junior volunteers are not required to complete a police check as they are never left alone with campers.

Applications

Winter 2020 volunteer applications are now open.

Apply online via the online Volunteer Application Form.

Volunteers under the age of 18 must have a parent/guardian fill out the Volunteer Permission Form.

Dates

• six Saturday mornings: Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and March 7

Times

Volunteer hours will run at the following times:

• 8:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

If your schedule cannot be confirmed until closer to camp, we will work around that as long as you can commit to at least three of the days. We work around your schedule. High school students can use these hours towards their community service requirements and Laurier students can add this experience to their co-curricular record.

Donating to LEAP

As a result of generous donations, we have been able to offer bursaries for campers for past Sensational Saturday and summer day camp programs. We wish to thank the Optimist Club of Westvale-Waterloo, the Rotary Club of Kitchener-Grand River, the Elmira Kiwanis Club, the Kiwanis Club of North Waterloo, and others whose contributions have made LEAP's bursary program possible to date.

LEAP hopes to continue the bursary program for our future camps. This will be dependent on receiving more donations in the future.

LEAP welcomes donations from anyone interested in assisting campers in financial need who would benefit from our enrichment programming. We accept donations in any amount. $145 will send one child to a half-day summer camp or a six-week Sensational Saturdays winter session, and $290 will send a child to a full-day summer camp. If you or your organization are able to donate funds to help send children to camp, please contact our Development Officer Dean Sherk at 519.884.0710 x2094 or at dsherk@wlu.ca.

Wilfrid Laurier University is a registered Charitable Organization and will provide Income Tax Receipts for all contributions.