Healthy, Safe and Caring Schools
UPDate November 2014
November
Take Our Kids to Work™ November 5
World Kindness Day November 13
World Diabetes Day November 14
Bullying Awareness Week November 16–22
Addictions Awareness Week November 18-24
National Child Day November 20
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women November 25
Buy Nothing Day November 30
December/January
World AIDS Day December 1
Human Rights Day December 10
Quit Smoking Week January 19-25
No Name Calling Week January 19-23
Global Belly Laugh Day January 24
Mental Health Services Hub
Orientation Guide to Child and Youth Mental Health
Bipolar Babe
Bipolar Babe offers free presentations in classrooms grades 7-12 and to any youth organization in the community. The goal of the Bipolar Babe presentation is to create an atmosphere of understanding and acceptance for those that have a mental health condition. For more information visit the promotional video http://bipolarbabe.com/movies/bipolar-babe-promo-video
Healthy Minds
The Fraser Health Authority developed the Healthy Minds, Health Youth: A Speak Up Lesson Activity for teachers to help increase students’ mental health literacy by enabling young people to gain knowledge about mental health problems and actions they can take to connect to supports. This resource utilizes the model of students learning from their peers.
Cyberbullying
The Canadian Centre for Child Protection has launched two new educational modules for teachers to help address the issue of cyberbullying among teens. The Grades 7/8 unit focuses on reducing the incidence of adolescent sexual exploitation while the Grade 9/10 module also addresses the growing concern of sexual violence among youth in dating relationships as well as elevated risk of sexual exploitation whether online or by adults/older youth.
National Youth Anti-Stigma Event
The Mental Health Commission of Canada is hosting a National Youth Anti-Stigma Event November 16-22. Students from across Canada aged 14-17, will be hosted at Encounters with Canada in Ottawa. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about mental health and how to reduce the stigma often associated with mental health problems and mental illness. There is no fee for students to attend this event. If you have a student who has demonstrated leadership experience and shows an interest in learning more about mental health please share this opportunity with them. For more information contact ewcmentalhealthweek@mentalhealthcommission.ca
Media Literacy
A Media Literacy and Food Marketing curriculum has been developed from focus groups with over 600 Canadian children in Grades 1 to 9. Children discussed their thoughts on package images, colours and claims, as well as the nutrition facts table and ingredient lists. Click here to access these fact sheets.
Crosswalk Use
Island Sexual Health
Island Sexual Health offers a confidential text service Mon-Thurs from 3-5 pm for all of those questions that youth need answers to. Texts can be sent to 250-812-9374 or youth can check out the specialized youth website at beyondthetalk.ca for sexual health information.
My Green School Plan
BC Green Games
The BC Green Games supports BC teachers ad promotes place-based environmental education. Document and share your green stories, win prizes and celebrate your team’s greenest achievements. All participating BCGG teams are invited to Science World for a free field trip during Green Month. Plans must be submitted by Nov. 30th.
Greater Victoria Green Team
The Greater Victoria Green Team is a new regional-wide environmental volunteer program that is made up of youth, adults, elderly, and everyone in-between. They work with Municipal and Provincial Parks, Charities, Non-profit organizations, Societies, Stewardship and Watershed groups to tackle environmental issues through co-operation and teamwork. If you care about the environment, local food security, and meeting other passionate people then this is the group for you.
Watershed Champions Award
The Watershed Champions Award is back offering eight awards of $2,500 and one grand prize of $3,500 to grades K–12 across Canada for learning about water. To get started check out a collection of free, hands-on lessons and take action to care for your local watershed! Share how your class learned about water by completing the award application. Applications are due April 17th. For more information contact lfisk@evergreen.ca
Climate Justice in BC
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives BC Office website features downloadable classroom lessons (designed for BC-prescribed learning outcomes) exploring how growing inequality and climate change are linked and how acting on them can make our province and our lives better and fairer. The lessons were designed for high school but are easily adaptable for middle school.
Wolfs Den Leadership Grants
The Inter-Municipal Youth Programmers Committee is offering Wolfs Den Youth Leadership Grants. They want to hear what your leadership group has in mind for 2015. Whether you are raising awareness, promoting community spirit, or planning a special event, they want to help support you in making your vision a success. Grant applications accepted from October 24 – November 20th. For more information contact youthstuff@saanich.ca or call 250-475-7624.
Healthy Living Grants
Healthy Living Grants are available to support health and learning for students. The Healthy Schools Network (HSN) offers two Healthy Schools Network grants: the Healthy Living Activity Grant ($500) and the Healthy Living Inquiry Grant ($750). These grants support improvements in health and learning for students and school communities across BC. Both grant applications can be submitted from now to March 1, 2015.
School Garden Grant
Created in partnership with FoodCorps the School Garden Grant program provides a $2,000 grant to a primary or secondary school or a nonprofit working in partnership with a primary or secondary school to support a new or existing edible garden on school grounds. Deadline for submission is November 30th.
Design Competition
Design Exchange is proud to announce the 20th Annual DX Canadian High School Design Competition. This competition promotes the study and awareness of all design disciplines in schools across Canada and is open to all high school students grades 9 -12. Prizes are awarded in five categories: Industrial, Fashion, Costume, Architecture/Interior and Graphic design. Submission deadline is April 24, 2015. For more information contact pamela@dx.org or call toll-free 1-855-216-2138.
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.
Coats for Kids at Hillside Centre
The Victoria Coats for Kids Association is a registered non-profit society which has been operating in the Greater Victoria area for 19 years.
Hillside Center is generously supporting our very first Coats on the Bus event!
Garden City Transportation will be providing a school bus to assist us in loading enough Coats on the Bus to keep every child in need in Victoria warm this winter!
Bring gently used or new winter coats; they will be distributed to children in need in the Greater Victoria area the following week!
Saturday, Nov 15, 2014, 10:00 AM
Hillside Centre, Hillside Avenue, 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