HEALTHY SCHOOLS BC NEWSLETTER - OCTOBER 2021
News

New Canadian Healthy School Standards  
The Canadian Healthy Schools Alliance has released new Canadian Healthy School Standards and accompanying resources for schools and districts to support health through an evidence-informed approach. The Alliance is encouraging use of the Standards to help elevate student and staff wellbeing, increase student success, take action on truth and reconciliation, and more. The ultimate goal of the Standards is to transform learning spaces and to make every school in Canada a healthy school. Find out more.


Articles

The Effects of Physical Activity on Cognitive Ability  
Incorporating physical activity breaks into the classroom can improve students’ ability to learn. This systematic review found that one bout of physical activity could improve processing speed, attention and inhibition in youth and young adults 12-30 years old. Longer interventions that included continuous physical activity over several days led to improvements in processing speed, attention, cognitive flexibility, working memory and language skills. Find out more. 


Stories

Gender Equity Success Stories from PHE Canada  
Teachers across Canada are going above and beyond to ensure their classrooms are inclusive and inviting for all students. Physical Health and Education (PHE) Canada has gathered stories from a handful of these teachers to give you ideas for how your own school can be more gender inclusive. From developing non-traditional activity courses, to taking time to talk to each student about non-school related things, these stories are sure to inspire you. Find out more.  


Boundary’s Bike Fleet 
School District 51 (Boundary) partnered with community organizations on a 2019-2020 Healthy Schools BC Regional Grant to create a bike fleet at Grand Forks Senior Secondary School (GFSS). Entire classes are now able to borrow the bikes to explore the abundance of trails in the local area. In addition, the GFSS Bike Shop is helping youth learn how to care for the bikes. Find out more


Resources

Bring SunSense to Your School 
The Canadian Cancer Society is pleased to bring SunSense to elementary schools in Canada. SunSense supports schools to create environments that protect students and staff from harmful ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Schools are provided free resources to assist in implementing a variety of ‘actions’ related to sun safety. Points are awarded for each action completed. Based on the points earned, schools will be recognized as a SunSense Certified School. Find out more. 


Tips for Promoting Sleep 
Did you know that 30% of Canadian children and youth are not meeting national sleep guidelines? New research from the SIRCLE Research Lab highlights some important information about the sleep practices of students. For example, school-based health promotion can help students reflect on sleep practices and parents are especially important for promoting sleep in the home. Check out this infographic from SIRCLE Research Lab for more findings from their research.  


Announcements

Elementary and Secondary School Physical Education Conference 
The Douglas College Sports Institute and PHE-BC are proud to present the 35th Annual Elementary and Secondary School Physical Education Conference on Friday, October 22nd, 2021. Choose from over twenty online workshops hosted by physical education enthusiasts across B.C., along with a keynote presentation from Doug Gleddie, president of PHE Canada. Find out more.  


Join Common Ground: The Strawberry Project  
BC Agriculture in the Classroom (BCAITC) is launching a new K-12 project with Indigenous roots. Common Ground: The Strawberry Project is an initiative that brings together youth from local First Nations schools and other schools in B.C. to better understand one another, as well as broaden understandings about local, native plant species. Applications are due November 25, 2021. Find out more.