The 2022-2023 school year saw an incredible uptake in the
Healthy Schools Certification across the Halton District School Board. The certification gives schools the tools to promote and enhance the health and well-being of students, school staff and the broader school community.
The program is guided by the following goals:
- To support schools that want to enhance the health and well-being of their students and staff
- To increase student engagement and leadership opportunities to support health and well-being at school
- To increase adult engagement in prioritizing health and well-being at school
- To strengthen community engagement and partnerships
Across the HDSB, 13,923 students were reached with 19 schools participating. Each school selected up to three health topics based on their assets and priorities. These topics consisted of Mental Health, Physical Activity, Healthy Eating, Substance Use, Growth and Development and Injury Prevention.
Schools implemented a variety of programs and activities to support health and well-being. From hosting equity forums to participating in Jump Rope for Heart and the Terry Fox Run, there was something for each student to enjoy.
HDSB educators completed a year-end survey to share their experiences with the Healthy Schools Certification program. This is what they had to say:
Impact on Student Health and Well-Being- 100% reported Healthy Schools Certification positively impacting student health and well-being.
School Experience- 71% rated Healthy Schools Certification as Excellent/Very Good in supporting schools to prioritize the health and well-being of students.
School Successes- 86% reported greater focus on health and wellness in their school
- 86% reported increased student engagement
- 57% reported increased staff engagement
- 57% reported increased community partnerships
- 57% reported improved student health outcomes
School Sustainability- 71% reported intent to re-register for Healthy Schools Certification for 2023-2024 school year.
The Healthy Schools Certification helps schools achieve the goals outlined in the Mental Health & Well-Being area of focus of the
HDSB’s 2020-2024 Multi-Year Plan, an important document that guides learning across the system.
"Although the well-being team at Iroquois Ridge High School already prioritizes wellness within the school for both staff and students, participating in the Healthy Schools Certification process provided us with the opportunity to acknowledge the areas in which we could direct our efforts,” says Chloe Hanson, the Healthy Schools Certification lead at Iroquois Ridge High School.
“Through completing the process as a team, we were able to identify a lack of community involvement and this helped us focus our efforts. For example, in May for Mental Health Awareness Week, we hosted a Wellness Fair in which numerous community members participated (Power Yoga Canada, GoodLife, Saje Natural Wellness, local community centres, etc.). This event allowed for the development of community relationships which will benefit the overall wellness of our school community for the 2023-2024 school year."
Registration for the program this fall is open until
Friday, Nov. 24, 2023, at 12 p.m. Learn more at
healthyschools.ca.
