Last updated: Sep 29, 2023
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!
- To find out what's happening in your local area, connect with the health promotion facilitator assigned to your school authority.
- For school health updates delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter.
- National Healthy Schools Week
- Teaching Sexual Health: Webinars now open!
- Register today for Healthy Schools Certification!
- Walk and roll this fall!
- Actionable advice on school health!
- Supporting a healthy relationship with food
- Students Together Moving to Prevent Tobacco Use (STOMP)
Announcements
National Healthy Schools Week
The first annual National Healthy Schools Week will take place during the first week of October. It's a great opportunity to prioritize, plan, and engage your school community in conversations about school health! This week-long initiative is meant to be tailored to your unique school community, giving you the flexibility to identify opportunities most relevant to your local context.
Engage students, staff, and community members in conversations, experiential learning, and action planning to support healthy schools throughout the year! Learn more healthyschoolsalliance.ca/nhsw.
Teaching Sexual Health: Webinars now open!
Join the team behind TeachingSexualHealth.ca this October for virtual workshops designed to boost your comfort, knowledge, and skills in teaching the Alberta human sexuality curriculum. There’s no obligation to attend each session—register for the ones that work for you.
Browse our session dates and themes. You’ll be glad you did!
Register today for Healthy Schools Certification!
Healthy Schools Certification is a recognition program for school communities that promote and enhance the health and wellness of students and staff. It’s available across Canada with support from Ever Active Schools, Ophea, and PHE Canada.
Registration for the 2023/24 school year is open until Friday, November 24 at 10 a.m. MT. To get started, go to healthyschools.ca.
Walk and roll this fall!
Busy roads and sidewalks are a sure sign that back-to-school season is here. Our September articles are packed with tips to keep students active and safe on the journey between school and home. Share them with families and caregivers in your next school e-newsletter, blog update, or social media post!
- Edition for families with kids in K-6: Back to school, the active way!
- Edition for families with teens in grades 7-12: Bike walk, roll: Active travel tips for your teen
New resources
Actionable advice on school health!
As the new school year gets underway, look to the Take Action section on Healthier Together Schools for practical ideas to spark wellness in your classroom, school, or school authority. New this fall, we’ve expanded our menu of health topics. You might like:
Supporting a healthy relationship with food
Alberta Health Services is pleased to announce the launch of Healthy relationship with food, a webpage designed for educators who teach students about food and nutrition. It offers:
- Information on what it means to have a healthy relationship with food
- Tips on how to promote a healthy relationship with food, in your classroom and at school
- Access to the Words Matter! video series
- Resources on related topics
As a teacher, the language you use and the way you think about health, food, and nutrition matters. To learn more, go to Healthy relationship with food or email publichealth.nutrition@ahs.ca.
Students Together Moving to Prevent Tobacco Use (STOMP)
STOMP is a school-based program that aims to curb smoking and vaping among young people. Students in grades 7-12 at pilot sites across Canada will partner with school staff and community leaders to co-create a grassroots approach to reducing commercial tobacco use in their school community.
STOMP resources are now available from PHE Canada, including kits for both students and schools. Learn more at phecanada.ca/programs/stomp.
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.
- Sep. 30: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Orange Shirt Day)
- Oct. 2 – 6: National Healthy Schools Week
- Oct. 2 – 6: International Walk to School Week
- Oct. 15 – 21: National teen driver safety week
- Oct. 23 – 27: Media literacy week
- Nov. 13 – 19: Métis week
- Nov. 20: National child day