School District No. 5 is proud to be a part of Health Promoting Schools with the overarching goal to enhance well-being for all members of our school communities including students, staff, parents and community partners. School District No. 5 integrates the framework of Comprehensive School Health into the Ministry of Education's Core Competencies (as outlined in BC's New Curriculum). Our district strives to create and promote inclusive environments, innovative physical activities and capacity building across all areas of well-being. Through the development of strong community partnerships, school communities will be able to lay the foundation to develop healthy life-long behavior.

The World Health Organization offers the following definition of health

"A state of complete physical, mental, emotional and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or illness". 

New Youth Vaping Website

The QuitNow website, funded by the Ministry of Health, has a new, dedicated mini-site and updated resources for youth interested in quitting or reducing their vaping. Feedback provided by the Youth Advisory Council at McCreary Centre Society and from young people across BC helped inform the development of these resources. Any questions or comments about the site can be directed to desouza@bclung.ca.

The A-Z of Vaping

Screen Aware

Outdoors & Mental Health

Resources

• Coping through a natural disaster emergency
• Strong Minds, Strong Kids - Program Overview
• Strong Minds, Strong Kids - Program Details
• SunSense - Supporting schools to create sun safe environments
• Eating Disorder Resources
• Healthy Families BC
• Lunches to Go
• Wellness Toolkit from BC Children's Hospital
• Cooking on a Budget - Tuesdays, April 16 - May 21

Upcoming Events/Workshops

Food Supports

• Cranbrook Free Food Schedule - March 2023
• Fernie Food Supports

Links To Health

The New Canada Food Guide	Brand Name Foods List	Healthy Schools BC	Vaping - Talk to Your Kids About it
Let's Play: Activities for Families	DASH BC	Strong Minds, Strong Kids	BC Injury
Foundry Virtual BC	BC Mental Health in Schools	ABC's of Youth Substance Abuse	Healthy Sleep
Kelty Mental Health	Healthy School Food	Social Media Addiction Stats	Vape Free

Objectives

Continue To Grow Community Connection: 

School District No. 5 is fortunate to be connected with many valuable community partners. Strengthening our relationship with experts in all areas allows our students to access relevant, factual and age-appropriate information. 

School District No. 5 is proud to partner with:  

• Partnerships with East Kootenay Addiction Services to bring I-Minds and FAST programs into select schools.
• Interior Health has developed the Cook It, Try It, Like It program to be delivered to Grade 5 and 6 students in select schools. 
• Interior Health's Public Health Nurses are continuing to support health initiatives in each individual school. 
• ANKORS continues to support middle and high schools to deliver accurate information for harm reduction and sexual education.
• College of the Rockies nursing students will be helping develop our monthly health initiatives.
• College of the Rockies continues to run lunch hour Physical Literacy Programing in select schools with the goal of expanding to the Elk Valley. 
• CBEEN and WildSight continue to facilitate and organize programing to get our students outside, enhancing all areas of health and well-being. 

Wellbeing Framework

School District No. 5 is working to develop a framework of what Well-Being looks like in our schools and in alliance with British Columbia's New Curriculum.  A holistic approach to health encompasses Social, Emotional, Physical, Mental Well-Being and functions in conjunction to the Joint Consortium for School Health. 

Promotion of Mental Health and Wellness: 

As Mental and Emotional Well-Being enter into British Columbia's New Curriculum there is an increased need for inquiry into how students are supported, at all age levels, to better understand their thoughts, moods and feeling. School District No. 5 plans to support Mental Health and Wellness through: 

• Increasing awareness and preventative factors in all schools with age-specific delivery
• Implement strategies to increase resiliency, mindfulness and coping skills across all classrooms
• Decreasing stigma and increasing awareness of mental and emotional well-being

Promotion of Child and Youth Healthy Lifestyles:

Physical Health can have a positive effect on all areas of a student's life. School District No. 5 will continue to:

• Abide by the Healthy Families BC Guidelines for food and beverage sales.
• Increase knowledge based education of Healthy Eating and Food Literacy through School Gardens and Micro-Green programs as well as the Cook It, Try It, Like It program from Interior Health.
• Develop Physical Literacy Education and Daily Physical Activity in all classrooms at all age-levels. 
• Implement and encourage Place-Based Learning in all classrooms.