Healthy, Safe and Caring Schools
UPDate June 2015
SEPTEMBER
CLICK ON CALENDAR TO ENLARGE
AIDS Walk for Life September 13
Terry Fox Run September 20
Terry Fox School Run September 30
Breakfast for Learning
Cops for Cancer
Terry Fox School Run
OCTOBER
CLICK ON CALENDAR TO ENLARGE
World Teachers Day October 5
Fire Prevention Week October 5-11
International Walk to School Month
iwalk to School Week October 5-9
iwalk to School Day October 7
World Mental Health Day October 10
The Great BC Shakeout- October 15
World Food Day October 16
Waste Reduction Week October 19-25
Take Me Outside Day- End of October TBD
LGBT History Month
Great BC Shakeout
Take Me Outside
Spotlight on Healthy Schools Stories in SD 61!
OAK BAY MINDFULNESS
Have a Healthy School Story you would like to share?
Email Healthy Safe and Caring Schools Program with your story at mjones@sd61.bc.ca
WHAT DO STUDENTS WISH THEIR TEACHER KNEW?
A third grade teacher in Denver, Colorado asked her students to respond to the prompt, "I wish my teacher knew" and shared the results:
How much I miss my dad because he got deported.
I love school.
Vietnamese because then she could say words that I forget.
I want to go to college.
Sometimes my reading log is not signed because my mom is not around a lot.
STRESS STRATEGIES
The Psychology Foundation of Canada and Pfizer Canada have teamed up to develop Stress Strategies. This free, online tool empowers users to explore the sources of their stress and develop their own customized plan for managing the stressor. To check out this amazing tool visit www.StressStrategies.ca or view the video below.
YOUR CHANCE TO CONTRIBUTE TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
The Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth has launched a second phase in its special project examining youth mental health in British Columbia. The second phase will focus on the development of solutions to enhance youth mental health services and outcomes. The committee is interested in hearing from youth and families, government agencies, educators, health providers, community service providers and First Nations. Written submissions are being accepted until July 31st.
THE KIDS ARE NOT ALRIGHT
GRADE 12 STUDENT SPEAKS UP
BUILDING RESILIENCE
Supportive Relationships and Active Skill-Building Strengthen the Foundations of Resilience is one of an ongoing series of working papers from The Center on the Developing Child. This paper examines the factors that are associated with disadvantaged children's capacity for resilience, broadly defined as a "positive, adaptive response in the face of significant adversity" that "transforms potentially toxic stress into tolerable stress."
OPEN MINDS SERIES
The Globe and Mail did a week-long series called Open Minds that focused on better mental health care in Canada. Below you’ll find links to a few noteworthy articles in the series that might interest you.
The Case for Publicly Funded Therapy
For kids in need of mental-health care, too often we offer drugs, not help
The Cluster Effect: Is Self-Harming Contagious?
The Tricky Issue of Consent in Adolescent Mental Health Care
SMILING MIND EDUCATION PROGRAM
The Smiling Mind website is designed for teachers, educators, counsellors, team leaders, facilitators, sports coaches wishing to conduct wellbeing or mindfulness programs. It is supported by a free comprehensive manual and is designed to be easily implemented without a large time commitment.
BOOSTER BUDDY APP
Booster Buddy is a free app sponsored by Island Health designed to help teens and young adults improve their mental health. A side kick guides youth through daily quests, helping to establish healthy mental habits. Includes daily check ins, how to plan and use coping skills and tracking of medications and appointments.
HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
It can be challenging to get the professional learning that will enable you to strengthen school connectedness and confidently meet the diverse cognitive, emotional, and social needs of your students. When you have finally taken that long-awaited workshop, how many times have the course materials sat in your reading basket unopened for months? We've all been there! Let's take a fresh look at how to make the most of learning opportunities - it can be as simple as finding a learning buddy or two, and embarking on a learning journey together! Click here to read more
HEALTHY LIVING FOR TEENS
The new Healthy Living for Teens booklet was created for youth, with youth. It contains tips that will help teens to feel their best and make the most of their potential, and it is available in both English and French on the Healthy Schools BC website here.
FARM TO SCHOOL MONTH
The second annual Canadian National Farm to School Month is kicking off in October 2015! Farm to School month is a celebration of all the great things happening across our country to connect children and youth to healthy, local and sustainably produced foods. For a gallery of last year’s activities click here
8TH ANNUAL WALK OR BIKE TO SCHOOL WEEK
Join students, teachers, parents, and community members across BC and celebrate the many benefits of walking or biking to school. This year's event will take place October 5th-9th, 2015. Click here for more information and registration.
BLUE DOT
Victoria’s ten year old Rupert Yakelashek has made headlines as one of the youngest Blue Dot campaigners, and as a force in gaining environmental rights declarations in Victoria and other Vancouver Island communities. Despite already helping achieve declarations in several municipalities near his home, he continues to write letters to politicians and attend council meetings to speak out for environmental rights.
E-BOOK
Green School Grounds ebook includes step-by-step instructions for numerous schoolyard projects, from tree nurseries to school composting to native plant gardens, along with ideas for enhancing learning by addressing the diverse needs of students. For teachers, there are dozens of outdoor classroom activities and curriculum links, and a bibliography of learning resources.
CSSN/TD Award for Excellence Against LGBTQ Youth Bullying Deadline: June 26, 2015
Coast Capital Savings Community Investment Grant Deadline: Aug. 27, 2015
HCTF Education GO Grant Deadline: Sept. 30, 2015
Action Schools! BC Healthy Eating School Food Grant Ongoing
McCreary Youth Action Grant Ongoing
RBC Children's Mental Health Project Fund Ongoing
To check out more grant opportunities visit the Healthy Schools BC website here
The Healthy Schools BC website is a “one-stop” access point for healthy schools information and programs across the province. The website assists teachers, the health sector, and other interested members of the community in accessing the array of resources available and demonstrates how these programs can work together using a planned and coordinated approach.
SUMMER LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
PROMOTING MENTAL WELLNESS IN BC SCHOOL COMMUNITIES
The 6th annual Summer Institute is a two-day event that will bring together teachers, school counsellors, school support staff, school administrators, district staff, health care professionals, parents, youth and school community partners from districts across BC to exchange knowledge and ideas about improving mental wellness in school communities. For more information click here
Thursday, Aug 20, 2015, 09:00 AM
UBC -2125 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Healthy, Safe and Caring Schools
This Update is intended for information purposes. Inclusion in the Update does not necessarily imply endorsement or recommendation by the District or the Healthy, Safe and Caring Schools Program. It is the readers’ responsibility to determine the suitability of the resource for their specific purposes.
Marnice Jones
Greater Victoria School District
Coordinator Healthy, Safe and Caring Schools
Student Services
Email: mjones@sd61.bc.ca
Website: sd61.bc.ca
Phone: 250-475-4223
Twitter: @4Rcommunity