The field school was established in 1975 and has run almost annually ever since, this year being the 35th season.  Over 1000 students have graduated from the course.  Many have gone on to post-secondary studies and jobs in the field. 

The course was recognized in 2005 with the Peggy Armstrong Award for Public Archaeology.

The site of this years excavation will be announced soon.

Participants stay at the Claremont Field Centre, an outdoor education facility operated by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.

http://www.trca.on.ca/school-programs/facilities-and-programs/claremont-field-centre.dot

Rooms are shared - 2 to 4 students to a room.

Meals are prepared by our trained chef, and accommodations can be made for special diets.

Arrangements can be made for students needing special accommodation for mobility assistance or special learning needs.

Students are on site alternate days, with intervening days devoted to classroom sessions, workshops, seminars, guest lectures and evaluation. 

To meet the ministry requirements for course hours, the schedule includes evening sessions.

There is a final examination on the last day.

Students receive training in all aspects of archaeological excavation, from sod removal to the final mapping of features revealed in the subsoil below the plough zone.  Students also attend workshops on artifact identification, and hands-on experience in flintknapping and other ancient technologies.

Guest lecturers include post-secondary lecturers, working archaeologists and speakers from local First Nations.

Students who have graduated from the course are often subsequently hired by the Archaeology Unit of the TRCA (the agency delivering the course) as field crew, providing them with opportunities to gain more field experience and summer employment as they continue on to post-secondary studies.

Credit granted is for Interdisciplinary Studies (Course code IDC4U), a grade 12 university stream credit from the Ontario Ministry of Education.  (Grade 12 is the final year of high school in the Ontario school system).

In addition to licenced archaeologists directing the field work, Ontario certified teachers who are members in good standing with the Ontario College of Teachers supervise and deliver the academic components of the course.

Evaluation is based on a pre-course assignment, seminars, written assignments, field work, projects, and a final exam.

Field work accounts for 50% of the course.  The final exam is worth 20%.
Tuition is $1995 Canadian for residents of Ontario, $2495 for non-residents, including room and board.

Most activities take place at the excavation site, or at the outdoor education centre.  Field trips for academic or recreational purposes may be scheduled, time permitting.

Course Video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMaa4H6o4VQ

 Student Testimonials

 “This course has been a life changing experience.  I absolutely loved everything…Thanks to all the staff members and the student’s for making this journey so memorable!”
-Shamim

“The community sense is just fantastic…I feel like I’ve known some of these people forever, yet it’s been (two) weeks…  I have definitely (made) some friends for life.” 
 - Akira

“This was definitely not what I was expecting.  I learned a lot in a short amount of time and made lots of lasting friendships…There is not one thing in the brochure, that I remember reading, that says how awesome and amazing this course is!  There is one thing I can say that everyone that has taken this course will agree upon.  There is no way to express how this course has changed us and how it affected us until you try it out yourself.”
-Alex

“I think this is a great course…The staff is very helpful, kind and funny.  When you are here it’s almost as if they are your family.  I think its great how there are guest speakers that came in to teach the students about different things.  I think the course should be longer because I don’t want to go home yet.   The food here was actually really good.  I would like to thank the staff for an amazing time here.”

 -Noel

“Lots of fun!  It was a rollercoaster of fun and I would do it over again even if I had to redo the assignments.”
-Chelsea

“Never get rid of Albert and Lauren, their food is delicious!!!!!”
-Cassie

“Being on the field excavation was a great experience…My favorite part was archaic skills.  The experience of making a fire bow was the best; it took a lot of work but turned out in the end.  I was so fortunate to attend this course and I will carry the knowledge forever.”
-Brenda

 “Can you make another course code so I can take it again?”
-Mariya

Academic and enrollment enquiries should be directed to

Aldo Missio

Instructor, Boyd Archaeological Field School

amissio@trca.on.ca

905-649-2208

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority is the agency delivering the course.

Formed in the aftermath of Hurricane Hazel to manage the watersheds of the rivers flowing through the Toronto region,TRCA has a strong history in watershed

management and leadership in applying sustainability practices.  Today, we own more than 40,000 acres of land in the Toronto region, employ more than 400

full time employees and coordinate more than 3,000 volunteers each year.

Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA) works with its partners to ensure The Living City is built on a natural foundation of healthy rivers and shorelines,

greenspace and biodiversity, and sustainable communities.

Our Vision:

The quality of life on Earth is being determined in the rapidly expanding city regions.  Our vision is for a new kind of community, The Living City, where

human settlement can flourish forever as part of nature's beauty and diversity.

TRCA Archaeology:

The archaeological community has long recognized that the unique riverine association of TRCA lands provides an unlimited potential for our lands to hold

archaeological resources. Recognizing the heritage value of the archaeological resources on its lands, TRCA, working with the province, prepared an

Archaeological Master Plan that documented archaeological sites and made recommendations for the proper management of these resources. As a result, in 1988,

TRCA adopted The Archaeological Heritage Strategy as an integrated component of the Greenspace Plan for the Greater Toronto Region. The intent of this

program is to present a balanced and integrated program of inventory, management and interpretation for archaeological heritage resources.

Ontario Prehistory, J.V. Wright, 1972 (this text will be provided to enrolled students in June)

A History of the Native Peoples of Canada, J.V. Wright, 2004

Web summary:

http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/exhibitions/archeo/hnpc/npint01e.shtml

Ontario Archaeological Society: Summary of Ontario Archaeology:

http://www.ontarioarchaeology.on.ca/summary/contents.php