School District No. 23 (Central Okanagan) Health Promoting Schools

1. School District No. 23 (Central Okanagan) Health Promoting Schools

2. Today’s Agenda • Warm-up activity • School District No. 23 (Central Okanagan) Health Promoting Schools Approach • School District No. 23 (Central Okanagan) Success Stories Video • got health? Youth Engagement Inquiry Project • Inquiry Activity • got health? Exemplars

3. Today’s Learning Intentions • To learn new promising practices and methods to support a health promoting schools approach. • To provide a model of a youth engagement strategy to support school health. • To recognize the importance and value of involving youth in the health promoting schools approach.

4. District Context • District Area Population: 173,026 (based on Statistics Canada Census, 2006) living in four communities (Peachland, West Kelowna, Kelowna, and Lake Country) • Student Population:21,918 • Total of Aboriginal Students: 2,056 • Total of ESL Students: 1.25% Punjabi, 0.68% German • Number of Schools: 30 elementary schools, 6 middle schools, 5 secondary schools, and 1 alternate school with 4 locations

5. Provincial Policy Implications • Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools (2007) • Tobacco Free Schools (September 2007) • Daily Physical Activity Initiative (September 2008) • Healthier Choices for Public Buildings • Provincial Trans Fat Regulation (September 2009)

6. How it all began.... Healthy Food Choice Guidelines 2003 Ad Hoc Healthy Food Choices Committee School District No. 23 (Central Okanagan) School Lunch and Nutrition Breaks: Best Practice Recommendations Policy 423 Health Promoting Schools

7. Comprehensive School Health 4 Pillars of Comprehensive School Health: • Social and Physical Environment • Teaching and Learning • Partnerships and Services • Healthy School Policy

8. Factors addressed within the 3 Areas For Action: • Physical Activity • Healthy Eating • Positive Mental Health

9. SD No. 23: Social and Physical Environment • Vending Machine Improvements • BC Fruit and Vegetable Program • Employee Wellness Initiatives • School Gardens • ‘It is something that is just done. People are eating less junk • food, and we get fruit or veggies once in a while for snack. We • have to be in gym which gets us into the habit of being active’. • (Student response)

10. SD No. 23: Teaching and Learning • Resources • Support • District HPS Website • ‘Many people are getting better grades and feel much better about themselves because they are healthy’. (Student response)

11. SD No. 23: Partnerships and Services • District Partnerships • Community Partnerships • Provincial Partnerships • ‘The PAC and SPC have really paid attention to the healthy food guidelines and are working to review our programs annually to be sure we stay on track’. (Staff response) • ‘Having a dedicated position to lead this work at the SD level is key. Continue in the very positive direction you have been heading-great collaborations and partnerships’. (Community response)

12. SD No. 23: Healthy School Policy • District Policy #423-Health Promoting Schools • District Policy #367-Employee Wellness • Guided by District HPS Policy and influential provincial healthy schools policies: • Bill 10: Tobacco Free Schools (September 2007) • Guidelines for Food and Beverage Sales in BC Schools (2008) • Daily Physical Activity Requirement (September 2008) • Provincial Trans Fat Regulation (September 2009) • ’SD No. 23 has shown to be a leader with this initiative and I have been very proud to be involved from the beginning. I have seen that through leadership, health promoting initiatives can be implemented in school districts and schools’. (Community response)

13. SD No. 23 (Central Okanagan) Success Stories • Success Stories Video

14. got health? Student Inquiry Project

15. Further Details: • 8 schools currently participating: • 2 Secondary Schools • 2 Middle Schools • 4 Elementary Schools • Each school receives: • 1.5 TOC Days to attend training events • 1.5 TOC Days at their discretion • $650.00 discretional funding • Commitments: • Plan: establish a school health team, complete school health assessment • Study: recognize areas for action • Design: devise an inquiry question, devise opportunities • Act: implement activities , measure results

16. Assessing Our School • 4 Pillars Group Activity • Exemplars from our got health? Team Training Day • Health Promoting Schools Assessment and Planning Tool

17. Creating the Question • The Red Hair Kid

18. Creating The Question • How will ______ improve ______? • For example: How will participating in school activities improve students’ feelings of belonging? • Exemplars from our got health? Team Training Day

19. How will making more social space improve students’ relationships?

20. How will making socially/physically linked clubs improve student sense of belonging?

21. Springvalley Middle School How will students helping to create a fun, healthy eating and free time environment improve the school experience?

22. How will providing healthy breakfasts to children improve their grades and attitudes in school?

23. How will “Kick the Nic” improve the culture of the school?

27. Planning Our Next Steps • What do you have in place now? • What have you done already? • What are the basic next steps for your got health? team? • For example: • Measure your success • Share information with others • Spend your grant money

28. Measuring the Results • How are you going to measure your success? • Think about your starting point and your end goal. • For example: student surveys, teacher surveys, student interviews, teacher interviews, attendance, participation numbers

29. got health? Inquiry Project Feedback • Student comment: “I learned that everyone has a voice and that we as kids can make a big difference.” • Student comment: “I learned that students have a choice to what happens at school.” • Student comment: “I liked learning more about my school and what needs changing.” • Student comment: “I like the opportunity to create opportunities for others.” • Student comment: “I learned that even small things make a big difference.” • Teacher comment: “I learned that our youth have very good ideas. I can’t wait to implement some of them.” • Teacher comment: “I learned today that our students feel the need for more social clubs and emotional/mental support.”

30. Additional Resources • BC Healthy Schools Network: • www.healthyschoolsnetwork.org • School District No. 23 Health Promoting Schools Website: • www.sd23.bc.ca/healthpromotingschools