Developing a Healthy School Community

Research has shown that healthy students are better learners.

How can you develop a healthy school community using a Comprehensive School Health Approach?

Developing a Healthy School Community

What is a Healthy School Community?

A healthy school community is one in which members of the school community work together to create physical and social environments that support active, healthy children and youth through the implementation of a comprehensive school health approach.

It is a school community that constantly strengthens its capacity as a healthy setting for living, learning and working. Comprehensive School Health is the mechanism not the end result.

Joint Consortium for School Health

Comprehensive school health is an internationally recognized framework for supporting improvements in students’ educational outcomes while addressing school wellness in a planned, integrated and holistic way.

It is not just about what happens in the classroom. Rather, it encompasses the whole school environment with actions addressing four distinct but inter-related pillars that provide a strong foundation for a healthy school community (JCSH, 2008).

Social & Physical Environment•sense of belonging, connectedness, emotional well-being•culture , relationships•buildings, grounds, amenitiesTeaching and Learning•knowledge & skills developmentHealthy School Policy• practices, decision-making processes, rules, procedures, regulationsPartnerships & Services• relationships between school, students, families, wider community

Four Pillars of a Comprehensive School Health Approach

Health and education are interdependent: healthy students are better learners, and better-educated individuals are healthier (WHO, 2003).

Research has shown that a comprehensive school health approach is an effective way to tap into that connection, improving both health and educational outcomes (Deschesnes et al., 2003).

In the classroom, a comprehensive school health approach helps to improve academic achievement and can increase positive behaviours (Deschesnes et al., 2003).

In the broader school environment, it helps students develop the skills they need to be physically and emotionally healthy for life (WHO, 2007).

The Research

• Healthy young people learn better and achieve more• Schools can directly influence students’ health and behaviours

So schools can:• Encourage healthy lifestyle choices, and promote students’ health and wellbeing• Incorporate health into all aspects of school and learning• Link health and education issues and systems

But:•They need the participation and support of all stakeholder groups

Which means that:

Sustainable Change through Engagement

This can be achieved by:•Forging partnerships between home, school and community •Including representation from the different stakeholder groups

Students Teachers/staff AdministrationParents/familiesDistrict/ TrusteesCommunity /Businesses

but remember change takes time...

A process to support the development of healthy school communities

Assessment ToolFocus GroupsComment BoxSelf-Developed Survey

Determine the Priority Areas

Create a Shared VisionWhat should a healthy school community look like?

PrepareIdentify championsForm a wellness committee

• Use an “Action Plan” template• State goals (SMART Goals)• Identify strategies• List resources• Specify roles and responsibilities• Identify links to the curriculum• Share the action plan with others

Develop an Action Plan

• Were your goals reached?• Record results• Gather input from school community• Consider what worked and what was not as successful• Be proud and celebrate!

Reflect, Evaluate and Celebrate

Implement and Monitor• Host a launch• Communication is key –engage the students in this• Track progress• Any changes? Inform everyone

A process to support the development of healthy school communities

Alberta Health Services. Comprehensive School Health.

Joint Consortium for School Health. (2008). What is Comprehensive School Health?

Queensland Government. (2005). Health Promoting Schools Toolbox

A healthy school community extends beyond the school and into the outside community

Embedding Practice in AlbertaFoundational Documents

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In the next 2 days I will…

In the next 2 weeks I will…

In the next 2 months I will…

As a teacher what is your role?

Contact Information

Partners Handout

Next steps…