Healthy, Safe and Caring Schools
UPDate December 2015
January
Quit Smoking Week January 17-23
Weedless Wednesday January 20
No Name Calling Week January 18-22
Global Belly Laugh Day January 25
Bell Let’s Talk Day January 27
February
Eating Disorders Awareness Week February 1-7
Safer Internet Day February 10
Pink Shirt Day February 24
Sexual and Reproductive Health Awareness Week February 14-21
5 Everyday Practices to Promote Social and Emotional Wellbeing in the School Setting
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As part of the WELLAHEAD initiative students, parents, teachers, principals, administrators and others in the Greater Victoria School district have brainstormed ideas for school-based everyday practices that positively affect students’ social and emotional wellbeing. Out of that process emerged a set of 5 everyday practices specifically generated in this district.
Below are the 5 everyday practices. Until the end of December you can contribute input into these ideas. Your contributions are part of the process and will influence the selection of ideas.
#1- APPRECIATING SCHOOL COMMUNITY
#2- BLOOM BOX
# 3-A SOLID FOUNDATION 2 X 10
#4 -D.R.E.A.M. - DROP EVERYTHING AND BE MINDFUL
#5 -THE "NEST"-BREAKFAST CLUB
WellAhead Plans for 2016
Starting in 2016 pilot schools will start the work of “prototyping” — trying out and evaluating some of the proposed ideas and practices to understand how they work, evaluate their impact, and understand how they can be spread further.
The Greater Victoria School District is a participating district in the WellAhead Initiative. WellAhead is a philanthropic initiative of the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation that will guide six BC school districts through a community-led process. This process will bring multiple stakeholders together to identify ways to enhance and support the integration of social and emotional wellbeing into school communities. For more information visit wellahead.ca
What Skills Make the Most Difference For Getting and Keeping a Job?
A new study from Harvard suggests that while the social-emotional skills kids learn in kindergarten may not have an impact on their literacy and numeracy scores, they may have a significant impact over the long-term. The author of Why What You Learned in Preschool is Crucial at Work says that since the 1980s, the largest growth has been in jobs that require skills and competencies such as time management, stress management, teamwork, adaptability and confidence.
Inspiring School Connectedness Videos
School connectedness is about creating a school community where everyone feels safe, seen, heard, supported, significant and cared for. In 2014, school connectedness grants were available to schools and districts as a way to learn from and be inspired by opportunities to build school connectedness. Each recipient created a video sharing their inspiring learnings about fostering school connectedness. Click here to access videos.
BroTalk for Guys
Kids Help Phone has launched a new service that speaks directly to teen males. BroTalk.ca, offers free, confidential help to young males and those who identify as males. Young men in distress are less likely to reach out for help, accounting for only 23% of young people who talk to a Kids Help Phone counsellor.
BCTF Brief on Children and Youth Mental Health in Schools
In June 2015, the BC Teachers’ Federation presented this brief to the BC Select Standing Committee on Children and Youth. The brief includes six recommendations:
Support efforts to build positive and pre-emptive approaches to the mental health of children and youth.
Address the serious children/youth mental health issues by ensuring mental health services are accessible in schools.
Establish a commission to initiate and co-ordinate province-wide mental health approaches and resource development in K-12 public schools.
Provide a grant to the BC Teachers’ Federation to support its Teaching to Diversity online resource.
Increase the number of school counsellors and other specialist support teachers to address students’ mental health issues.
Address the mental health needs of youth who are often additionally marginalized.
Streetwolf Seven Principals of Self-Leadership
Streetwolf is a program exploring issues that are faced by Aboriginal youth and assists them with understanding the realities and consequences of negative choices. It is a workbook that is intended to increase the skills, knowledge, attitudes, and values of Aboriginal youth in making positive choices for every day good living.
Your Connected Life
Think Before You Share
To help Aboriginal teens make smart decisions when sharing online, MediaSmarts, Facebook and the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network partnered to translate MediaSmarts Think Before You Share guide into three common languages: Ojibwe, Cree and Inuktitut. The guide offers teens advice on safe, wise and ethical online behaviour.
Cyberbalance
A recent study by iKeepSafe shows that both children and adults struggle to maintain a healthy balance using their digital devices. Cyberbalance in a Digital Culture reports that the biggest challenge to cyberbalance shared by all ages is "managing the distractions" created by digital devices. A full third responded that digital device use has replaced an activity they used to love.
New Youth Health Clinic
Victoria Native Friendship Centre has a new Youth Clinic that is open to all youth ages 12-24. The clinic is open Thursdays 2-6pm and services offered are basic health care needs, blood work refferals, sexual health, presciptions, birth control. Youth can call 250-384-3211 to make an appointment or drop in.
Physcial Literacy Checklist
Individuals who are physically literate move with competence and confidence in a wide variety of physical activities in multiple environments that benefit the healthy development of the whole person. The Educating for Physical Literacy Checklist is a general assessment tool which can help to facilitate instructional improvement for the development of physical literacy in students.
Epi Pen Posters Available
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Epi Pen posters that "cling" to the wall are available for free. If you would like one or more of these posters email mjones@sd61.bc.ca
Farm to School Grants to SD 61 Schools!
Congratulations to Torquay, Spectrum and Vic High who received Farm to School Grants for the 2015-2016 school year! You can find information on Farm to School by clicking here.
Watershed Champions
Evergreens Watershed Champions program is designed to inspire and equip elementary and intermediate classes across Canada to learn more about their local watershed. The RBC–Evergreen Watershed Champions Award recognizes classes that demonstrate learning about their local watershed and who take action to care for it. For the 2015–2016 school year, nine awards are available:
1 Grand Prize Award (Grades K–12) – $3,500
4 Elementary Awards (Grades K–6) – $2,500
4 Intermediate/Secondary Awards (Grades 7–12) – $2,500
Be The Change
Be The Change Earth Alliance is dedicated to global sustainability through education that empowers behavioural and systemic change. The Student Leadership in Sustainability program provides innovative cross-curricular materials for blended, distance and french immersion high school and middle school classes. They also offer assemblies, workshops, and district support for sustainability initiatives.
Youth Food Action Team
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Do you know a youth who is passionate about food? Loves to cook, grow, or share food? The Youth Food Action Team is looking for a variety of youth (13-24) to join the team. The team will get a chance to participate in food activities across the region, take photos and video tape these activities, share their experiences with others and be given opportunities to embed their voice in food system development.
Upcoming Grant Opportunities
Coast Capital Community Investment Grants for Youth Dec 7
Toyota Evergreen School Ground Greening Grant Dec 14
Tire Stewardship BC Community Grant Program Dec 31
S'Cool Life Fund Jan 31
HCTF GO Grant Feb 15
TD Friends of the Environment Foundation Fund Feb 15
Goodlife Kids Foundation Grant Program Feb 19
To check out more grant opportunities visit the Healthy Schools BC website here
Self Injuring Youth
Organized for parents, educators, community service providers and caregivers, this two-hour workshop will focus on the trends and concerns that affect those attempting to support self-injuring youth. This workshop is facilitated by Dave Prette (Registered Clinical Counselor) who has 30 years of experience working with youth through Child, Youth and Family Mental Health Services.
Saturday, Dec 5, 2015, 10:00 AM
3821 Cedar Hill Cross Road, Victoria, BC, Canada
Didi Society Social Justice Youth Conference
The Didi society is hosting their 5th annual Social Justice Youth Conference for youth in grades 7-12. It is a day-long conference hosted and facilitated by youth! Participants will explore gender equality, privilege and discrimination, fair trade, and sustainable development through experiential workshops.
Saturday, Feb 20, 2016, 09:00 AM
Central Middle School, Fort Street, Victoria, 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