Healthy, Safe and Caring Schools
UPDate Oct 2015
OCTOBER
The Great BC Shakeout- October 15
World Food Day October 16
Waste Reduction Week October 19-25
Take Me Outside Day- October 28
November/December
Take Our Kids to Work™ November 4
World Kindness Day November 13
World Diabetes Day November 14
Bullying Awareness Week November 15– 21
Addictions Awareness Week November 15-21
National Child Day November 20
International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women November 25
Buy Nothing Day November 28
World AIDS Day December 1
Human Rights Day December 10
You are Invited to SD 61's Ideation Jam!
Nov 2nd, 2015
5 pm-8:30 pm
Light dinner served
Songhees Wellness Centre
1100 Admirals Road
Who should attend?
Teachers, Students, Administrators, Parents, Community Organizations and interested Community Members
For more information or to register for this free event click here!
CLICK ON POSTER TO ENLARGE
An Ideation Jam is an idea factory. It's a fun, fast, creative brainstorming session intended to surface a range of diverse ideas that address an issue. They are high-energy and short-duration and tap into the creativity of a multi-stakeholder participant group, in a positively focused mode. The focus of this Ideation Jam is everyday practices that enhance and support the integration of social emotional well-being into school communities.
The Greater Victoria School District is hosting the Ideation Jam as 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
Lessons Learned from School Connectedness Grants
It has been an exciting year since the school connectedness grants were awarded. DASH BC is sharing the key learnings from the school connectedness grantees. The key learnings are: invest in relationships, we are all learners; the social nature of learning goes hand in hand with mental wellbeing; fostering school connectedness and wellbeing is an ongoing process; and draw on research, data and your own experience. Click here to read more
Indian Residential Schools and Reconciliation Resources
The Indian Residential Schools and Reconciliation Teacher Resource Guides are now available for Grades 5, 10, and 11/12. They were developed by the First Nations Education Steering Committee and the First Nations Schools Association. They are a response to the call by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada for education bodies to develop age-appropriate educational materials about Indian Residential Schools. Click here to read more
Queer, Trans, Two-Spirit and Allied Youth Drop-in
CLICK ON POSTER TO ENLARGE
A drop in for self-identified queer, trans, two-spirit, and allied youth between 13 and 18 is a fun hang-out space for youth to create what they need, meet new folks, make new friends, socialize, and be themselves.
Parents’ Primary Concern Is Their Children’s Mental Well-Being
In a recent national online survey of parents and children aged 8-12, parents ranked mental health as the most important to their children’s overall well-being. A Landmark study explored the four pillars of child well being: mental, emotional, social and physical. Only 21% of parents rated their children’s mental health as excellent, while 27% of children said their own mental health was excellent. Read more
Kelty Mental Health Champions of Wellness Awards
Do you know a youth 25 or under making a difference in the field of mental health in B.C.? Kelty Mental Health wants your nominations as they want to acknowledge the incredible work youth are doing around mental health. The categories are Sharing Your Story, Supporting Others and Community Involvement. Applications will be accepted until November 13, 2015. For more information and to nominate someone click here
October Is Health Literacy Month
Health literacy is the ability to access, understand, evaluate and communicate information as a way to promote, maintain and improve health in a variety of settings across a lifetime. The theme for Health Literacy Month 2015 is "Be a Health Literacy Hero." It's about taking action and finding ways to improve health communication. Read more here
October is Children’s Vision Month
While public health units routinely screen kindergarten children and perform baseline tests for depth perception there is no substitute for a comprehensive eye health exam by an expert. B.C’s children eye exams by a licensed optometrist are covered by BC Healthcare. It is vitally important that our children’s eyes get the best care possible. For more information click here
Allergy Aware School Challenge
Allergy Aware Challenge is a contest open to Canadian publicly-funded schools. You can enter by submitting a course certificate of completion of the online training course Anaphylaxis in Schools: What Educators Need to Know one entry per school. Prize packages include $1,000 towards the purchase of education-related supplies, equipment or programs.The contest runs to November 30th.
Victoria Sexual Assualt Centre Opens New Clinic
This fall, the Victoria Sexual Assault Centre opens a new clinic in our community. First of its kind in British Columbia, the clinic will shift key services and supports for recent survivors of sexual assault from the hospital and police stations to one location, the Cedar Hill Clinic. The goal is to create a warm, welcoming centre where the healing process can begin as soon as a survivor walks through the door.
Island Sexual Health Youth Committee
CLICK ON POSTER TO ENLARGE
Youth between the ages of 15-25 are invited to join ISH youth committee. They are welcoming new members who want to learn to be youth leaders in sexual health, as well as plan for the upcoming year. Click here to download the registration form or contact Michele at youth@islandsexualhealth.orgRisky Play
60 Minutes Kids Club
Starting October 15, 60MKC will be challenging schools around the world to track their healthy habits for 30 days and establish fundamental movement skills baselines. Using the 60MKC tools thousands of children and their families will learn what it takes to acheive optimal physical literacy. For more information and to sign-up click here
Canadian Olympic Activity Challenge
Young Blood For Life
Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do it!
CLICK ON POSTER TO ENLARGE
MEND is a fun, free program that supports children and their families in becoming more active and healthier through interactive group activities.
Healthy Schools BC
Want to get involved in creating healthy classrooms and schools, but not sure where to start? Check out the Healthy Schools BC website! This web portal brings together healthy schools information and resources from across BC into one convenient location.
Sierra Club
Environmental education has been returned to B.C’s new education curriculum, thanks in large part to the efforts of Sierra Club BC and its supporters. The news is being widely celebrated by educators, parents, and concerned citizens as positively impacting the lives of learners – and the health of our natural environment – for years to come.
Check out the Sierra club’s free environmental education programming for schools!
Sierra Club BC's Youth Environmental Leadership Program (YELP) is recruiting new members for the 2015-2016 year. The program is free for youth 13-18 and is excellent for youth who want to learn more about environmental issues, expand their networks and connections in the community and meet like-minded friends. Apply here
End Poverty, Protect our Planet and More!
The world celebrates the adoption of 17 new global goals to end poverty, protect our planet and ensure development for all. With the right ambition and innovation, the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals can help mitigate climate change and build a future that is truly sustainable.
Upcoming Grant Opportunities
NEW Food Literacy Grant
Up to twenty school communities focused on working together to support food literacy in their school communities will be selected to receive $750 each in the 2015-16 school year. Food literacy is defined as having the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to choose, grow, prepare and enjoy food to support one’s health, community, and the environment. Students’ learning is enhanced when learning experiences extend beyond the classroom throughout the school and into the community. Read more
Healthy Schools Network Grants Deadline: Mar. 1, 2016
Canadian Tire Jumpstart Deadline: Nov. 1, 2015
Whole Kids Foundation School Garden Grant Deadline: Nov. 15, 2015
Nike N7 Fund Deadline: Nov. 15, 2015
BCTF Ed May Social Responsibility Education Fund Deadline: Nov. 23, 2015
Tire Stewardship BC Community Grant Program Deadline: Dec. 31, 2015
To check out more grant opportunities visit the Healthy Schools BC website here
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