Last updated: Apr. 18, 2024

Looking to infuse wellness into your classroom, school, or school authority all year long? Watch this page for new resources, announcements, and tips for health-related theme days. We've got you covered!

Announcements:

  • Minister’s Youth Council is now open (deadline April 30) 
  • AHS social media  
  • Key informant survey on mental health literacy resources for children and youth

  • Just launched: 9-8-8 suicide crisis helpline

New resources:

  • Move your mood school challenge  

  • Start your school’s Spring Run (or Walk) Club

  • School-based physical activity experiences guidebook for students of all abilities

  • New sexual health lesson plans for students with differing abilities

Mark your calendar

Announcements

 

Minister’s Youth Council is now open

Do you know a student between the ages of 14 and 19 wanting to use their voice to shape Alberta’s education system? The Minister’s Youth Council gives students opportunities to share input and perspectives on provincial programs and initiatives. The application deadline is April 30th.

To learn more go to: Student engagement

 

AHS social media

Alberta Health Services (AHS) is consolidating its social media platforms. Effective February 22, 2024, the TeachingSexualHealth.ca social media accounts have been closed. If you are following Teaching Sexual Health on Facebook or X, please use our AHS social media accounts.  AHS social media accounts are designed to help Albertans live healthier lives and connect you with the health information, resources and support you need—when and where you need it. 

Teachingsexualhealth.ca and our team will continue to support teachers and parents with evidence-based sexual health information, lesson plans, tools and resources available on the website.

   

Key informant survey on mental health literacy resources for children and youth

In collaboration with mentalhealthliteracy.org, the University of Alberta is building a national repository of evidence-based resources that promote child and youth mental health literacy. This project is funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada. The repository will become publicly available in spring 2024.

If your school or school authority is involved in programs or initiatives, the research team wants to hear from you! Please visit key informant survey on mental health literacy resources for children and youth in Canada to learn more and share your experiences.

  

Just launched: 9-8-8 suicide crisis helpline

9-8-8 is a new three-digit helpline that provides urgent, live support by phone and text to people in every province and territory across the country.

9-8-8 is for anyone thinking about suicide, or worried about someone they know. Trained 9-8-8 responders will answer calls and texts and listen without judgement while providing support.

9-8-8 is available in English and French, 24 hours a day, every single day of the year across the country.

For more information, go to 988.ca.

 

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New resources

 

Move your mood school challenge

Looking for an easy way to promote Mental Health Week May 6-10th, 2024? Join the Move Your Mood School Challenge for a FREE resource package.

All K-12 schools across Alberta are welcome. Join us as we share simple ideas on how students and staff can practice ways to: Move your body, fuel your body, expand your mind, and build assets. The free resource package will provide quick daily activities that can be announced school-wide with full participation or carried out in individual classes.

To register your school, go to: Move your mood mental health week school challenge 2024 or visit moveyourmood.ca by April 26th, 2024.

 

Start your school’s Spring Run (or Walk) Club

The Alberta Medical Association (AMA) Youth Run Club (YRC) is not a new resource but a great seasonal reminder of the partnership program between the AMA and Ever Active Schools (EAS). It’s a free, fun and flexible program aimed at increasing physical activity levels in children and youth across Alberta. They provide registered clubs with all of the necessary tools and resources to start and maintain a successful run (or walk) club, including: Runner and coach handbooks; finisher prizes for all participants; free local workshops for coaches; running logs; and more.

To learn more and join the club go to: Alberta Medical Association Youth Run Club

 

School-based physical activity experiences guidebook for students of all abilities

Did you know that 1 in 5 people in Canada (22%) have one or more disabilities? To learn more about how you can support students with a disability in your school community and enhance the inclusivity and accessibility of your everyday physical activity programming, check out the recently released Physical Health and Education (PHE) Canada inclusion of students of all abilities in school-based physical activity experiences Guidebook and poster for free.

 

New sexual health lesson plans for students with differing abilities

TeachingSexualHealth.ca has developed 10 new lesson plans. These lesson plans can be used as stand-alone plans, by teachers who have classes for students with mild to moderate disabilities, or they can be used by teachers to differentiate lessons to meet the needs of all students in an integrated class.

The new lesson plans can be found on the differing abilities page. There you will also find an Introduction for Teachers that discusses the goals of the lessons, scope and sequence,  and tips for teaching sexual health education to students of differing abilities. 

 

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Mark your calendar 

Taking part in health-related days, weeks, or month-long events is a great way to bring your school community together. These events can raise awareness of health topics and kick-start important conversations around wellness at school.

Be sure to connect health-related events back to the priorities, goals, and action plans in place in your school or school authority. Use the comprehensive school health framework to guide activities that are coordinated, meaningful, and likely to last.

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