How can school districts support the development of healthy school

communities?

Facilitated by: Rhonda Patton, Alberta Health Services

Dr. Steve Manske, Propel Centre for Population Health Impact

Workshop with: Shaping the Future Conference, Kananaskis, ABJanuary, 2012

Purpose of This Session

• Explore factors that contribute to healthy school districts

• Discuss the role of school districts in supporting healthy school communities

• Inform the possible development of a comprehensive school health (CSH) planning / assessment tool for school districts

• Learn from each other!

Session Outline

• Overview of CSH• CSH and School Districts• Discussion – School Districts & Healthy School

Communities• Healthy School Planner• Discussion – School District Planning /

Assessment Tool

What is CSH?

Model adapted from the Joint Consortium for School Health

A Note About Language...

Model PillarsCSH

(JCSH)

Social & Physical Environments

Teaching & Learning

Healthy School Policy

Partnerships & Services

4E’s

(Ever Active Schools; PHE Canada)

Environment Education (policy included in ‘Environment’ pillar)

Everyone Evidence

Health Promoting Schools

(IUHPE)

Social Env’ts

Physical Env’ts

Individual health skills and action competencies

Healthy School Policies

Community Links

Health Services

Why Use a CSH Approach?

• Adopting CSH can lead to enhanced learning outcomes

• Schools are an influential setting for the development of long-lasting health behaviours

• CSH programs are effective for improving health indicators related to a variety of health behaviours

What role can School Districts play in Supporting Healthy School Communities?

Supportive policies and procedures

Ongoing, embedded professional development

Extensive Internal & External Supports

Leadership and Management Structures

Development and Allocation of Adequate Resources – Fiscal & Human Hoyle et al. (2008)

Tools for assessment,

planning, evaluation

What are Alberta School Districts doing?*

• Developing policies to support student health• Obtaining funding from the Alberta Healthy School

Communities Wellness Fund• Forming district level committees to support district-

wide CSH initiatives• Modifying their purchasing practices (negotiating

with suppliers)• Dedicating staff to support healthy school

communities* See handout

What are Alberta School Districts doing? (#2)*

• Partnering with other organizations to support healthy school communities

• Providing district-wide professional development to staff (principals, teachers, food service providers, etc.) regarding healthy school communities

• Including goals / strategies related to student health and wellness in their annual education plans

• Monitoring progress towards healthy school communities in their schools

* See handout

What do you think? (5 minutes)Roles What does role look

like in your context?What are barriers / solutions

to fulfilling the role?

Ongoing, embedded professional development

Extensive Internal & External Supports

Supportive policies and procedures

Leadership and Management Structures

Development and Allocation of Adequate Resources – Fiscal & Human

Tools for Assessment

What do you think? Process

11

What do you think? Pair (5 minutes)Roles What does role look

like in your context?What are barriers / solutions

to fulfilling the role?

Ongoing, embedded professional development

Extensive Internal & External Supports

Supportive policies and procedures

Leadership and Management Structures

Development and Allocation of Adequate Resources – Fiscal & Human

Tools for Assessment

What do you think? (Square task)Roles Need Barriers How would you

know that your district is fulfilling this role?

Ongoing, embedded professional development

Extensive Internal & External Supports

Supportive policies and procedures

Leadership and Management Structures

Development and Allocation of Adequate Resources – Fiscal & Human

Tools for Assessment

What do you think? Share

• Each group reports back one top idea. • Collect sheets for us to summarize and feed

back electronically – record email on the sheet

The “How To”: 5 Conditions of Collective Impact

• Common Agenda – recognize no one can do it alone – establish understanding of core impact desired

• Shared Measurement Systems• Mutually Reinforcing Activities• Continuous Communication• Backbone Support Organization

• Free tool• Immediate results• Quick • www.healthyschoolplanner.uwaterloo.ca

Healthy School Planner: Foundational Module

Does your school community have a leader for healthy school initiatives?

• STEP 1: TEAMHealthy school planning works well if the

workload is shared and all key groups are involved. It is essential that students participate and that their ideas are respected• Who regularly participates at your school

in planning for a healthy school community?

• Does your school community have a leader for healthy school initiatives?

Healthy School Planner: Foundational Module Questions

• STEP 2: PLANNING Has your school used data (e.g., surveys) from the

following groups to inform your action plans for creating a healthy school community?• Does your school develop SMART goals (i.e.,

specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time limited) within an action plan to create a healthier school community?

• Does your school community communicate the relationship between health and learning outcomes with the following groups at least once a year?

• Does your action plan to create a healthy school community include ways to: (using 4 pillars)

Healthy School Planner: Foundational Module

• STEP 3: IMPLEMENTATION Across the 4 Pillars

• Teaching & Learning• Does your school develop SMART goals (i.e., specific,

measurable, attainable, realistic and time limited) within an action plan to create a healthier school community?

• Does your school community communicate the relationship between health and learning outcomes with the following groups at least once a year?

• Does your action plan to create a healthy school community include ways to: (using 4 pillars)

Healthy School Planner: Foundational Module

Healthy School Planner: Rubric

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4School has a team that plans for a healthy school community with membership covering a variety of perspectives

Our school does not have a team in place.

Our team consists of 2 members or just one perspective

Our team consists of 3+ members from 2 perspectives

Our team consists of 3+ members from at least 3 perspectives and a leader

Healthy School Planner: Rubric Social Environment

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4All members of the school community feel safe and supported

Our school does not make members of our school community feel safe and supported

… members of our school community feel safe and supported to a minimal extent

… to some extent

… feel safe and supported to the full extent

What do you think? Assessment tool

• Would a planning / assessment tool benefit CSH in school districts? If so, how? If not, why?

• What are some key components / considerations for a school district planning / assessment tool?

• Discuss the above in your group of four (10 minutes). • Please be prepared to share a short summary of your

insights with the larger group.

Thank You!

Rhonda PattonAlberta Health ServicesRhonda.Patton@albertahealthservices.ca

Steve ManskePropel Centremanske@uwaterloo.ca

… See you on the ski trails...

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