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Healthy Schools

Questions and Answers

Healthy Schools Recognition Program

• About the Program
• Getting Started
• Applying
• Implementation

About the program

Q. Is this program for both elementary and secondary schools?

A. Yes, all publicly funded elementary and secondary schools in Ontario can participate in the Healthy Schools Recognition Program.

Q. How can our school be recognized?

A. Schools that submit the Healthy Schools Recognition Program Acceptance Form (PDF, 580 KB) outlining their commitment to become a healthier school are eligible to be recognized provincially.

Schools are encouraged to work with their school staff, school council, student council and community partners to decide on at least one healthy schools activity. The activity should be connected to the Foundations for a Healthy School Framework.

Q. Why should schools participate?

A. There are many good reasons to participate in the program. By planning a healthy activity, schools can:

• Help students and school staff become healthier
• Help students succeed — research shows that a healthy school environment supports student success
• Encourage students and school councils to get more involved with the school and community
• Be recognized for their efforts. Participating schools will:
  • Receive a pennant and certificate signed by the Premier and the Ministers of Education and Health Promotion to display
  • Be recognized on the Ministry of Education website.
• You are also encouraged to share your stories with us using the feedback form to inspire other schools.

Getting started

Q. Are only new activities eligible to be recognized?

A. Schools can be recognized for building on current initiatives or starting new healthy schools activities.

For example, you could expand a workshop about mental health to cover more topics or add another healthy choice to the school cafeteria menu.

Did you start a running club? If you did, aim to extend participation to students in more grades, or add a healthy eating component to the club.

Q. I want to get involved. How do I get started?

A. Students, you can take on a leadership role in your school. Help plan activities or encourage your friends and classmates to get involved.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Create a student round table to talk about issues affecting student health — like teen gambling, cyberbullying or street racing
• Use the list of health promotion dates to plan a healthy day or week
• Ask your student council to form a healthy schools committee to focus on issues at your school
• Establish spirit days throughout the year
• Share your ideas with your peers, teachers and school principal.

Visit the healthy schools website for more tips and ideas for students.

Teachers and principals, you are encouraged to work with your school staff, school council, student council and community partners. For example:

• Get your school council and student council involved — they can play an active role in making your school a healthier place
• Talk with physical education teachers, public health nurse or school coaches to get them invovled
• Contact your local public health unit or other community partners.

Visit the healthy schools website for more tips and ideas for teachers and principals.

Parents, talk to your school principal and your children about how you can help develop healthy activities in your school.

Visit the healthy schools website for more tips and ideas for parents.

Q. What types of healthy activities have other schools participated in?

A. Over the past 3 years 3,000 schools have participated in the Healthy Schools Recognition Program. Schools participated in more than 6,500 activities that have included lunchtime intramural sports, dance-a-thons, student leadership initiatives and healthy-eating theme days.

Visit the healthy schools website to search participating schools and their many creative activities.

Activities can be related to:

• Healthy eating
• Physical activity
• Bullying prevention
• Personal safety and injury prevention
• Substance use and abuse
• Healthy growth and development
• Mental health
• Other (e.g., environmental education)

Q. Where can I go for ideas?

A. There are lots of places you can go for ideas.

Visit the Healthy Schools website to:

• Find tips and ideas to help your school and community be healthier
• Use the search tool to learn what other schools have done
• Check the calendar of Health Promotion days
• Find out more about Healthy Schools programs like the Ministry of Health Promotion's EatRight Ontario.

Q. Can we use our school board's planning process?

A. Yes. We encourage you to avoid duplicating a process that's already established in the school/board to identify school priorities and community partners to achieve success. Initiatives identified in school improvement/effectiveness plans are eligible to be recognized.

Applying

Q. How detailed does our Healthy School Acceptance Form need to be?

A. The acceptance form must include:

• An overall statement indicating what your school pledges to do to make it a healthier school (this will appear on your certificate)
• A brief description of each of the activities
• The health-related topic and component for each activity
• All necessary signatures (school principal, school council chair and a student representative where applicable, as well as an authorized school board officer).

Implementation

Q. Where can we find information to help implement our plan?

A. Information to help implement your plan can be found on our website:

• There are provincial organizations that offer support and resources (e.g., public health units, community centres, cultural associations)
• Examples of what other schools have done as a part of the Healthy Schools Recognition Program, including their success and challenges.
• The Foundations for a Healthy School Framework includes many ideas on what you can do to make your school healthier.

Q. Should we wait until the end of the year to celebrate our successes?

A. Successes should be celebrated throughout the year. It is important to continually identify and recognize successes.

We are interested in hearing about your activities and successes. Please use our feedback form to tell us how it's going in your school and let others know about your success. Share your stories and we may feature them on our website to inspire other schools.

Q. Should we wait until the deadline to submit our Healthy Schools Acceptance Form?

A. No. Schools are encouraged to submit their Healthy Schools Acceptance Form (PDF, 586 KB) as soon as they have identified their commitment to become a healthier school.