Q: Healthy schools: What are they and how can my school become one?
There are many different definitions of a “healthy school.” The Ontario Healthy Schools Coalition says a healthy school is one that “promotes the physical, mental, social and spiritual health of the whole school community.” The World Health Organization (WHO) describes a health-promoting school as one that constantly strives to provide a healthy setting for living, learning and working. This includes things like high-quality health and physical education instruction and programs, healthy food in cafeterias and partnerships with community organizations.
Visit our Healthy Schools page for more tips and resources!
The Ministry of Education encourages healthy schools and has a Healthy Schools Recognition Program, which promotes and celebrates healthy behaviours and practices in Ontario’s schools. Schools can pledge to take on a healthy activity in their school — and receive recognition for it. View the video below for help filling out the forms to become recognized under the Ministry program:
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Idea exchange to promote healthy eating & increased activity
And as far as physical activity, we now have computer screens, all kinds of electronic hand held gadgets and TVs too which eat up young people's free time... The Heart and Stroke Foundation released their annual report raising huge concerns for the health of Canada's children. What is to be done? Do you have helpful ideas for schools or families? Have you identified problems you would like to discuss? Let's exchange ideas here! View the full discussion.
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Walk on! Or bike or blade, or board to school!
Since 1985, the proportion of Canadian children walking to school has fallen by 50% to just 1 in 3, in spite of the fact that many live within walking distance of their schools. A study of school travel behaviour in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area by Metrolinx found that nearly 60% of students being driven to school live within 2 kms. of the school, and over half of those trips were for the sole purpose of dropping off or picking up the kids! View the full discussion.
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“Bake it Up” recipe book and fundraising
Is anyone else offended that taxpayer dollars have been used to publish the "Bake It Up" document, recently delivered to every school, which provides recipes parents, teachers, and community can use to provide "approved" baked goods to be sold in schools? Does anyone else think this is completely wrong? That schools should not be getting advice, with the use of our taxpayer dollars, on how to fundraise in our publicly funded schools? View the full discussion.