Promoting a Healthy Environment for your School or School District
Rebecca Bassett-Gunter
Caley Hartney
In partnership with:
Health and Learning Go Hand in Hand
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A Complex Issue…
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Healthy School Community Approach
• Growing body of evidence
• Stewart-Brown S. What is the evidence on school health promotion in
improving health or preventing disease and, specifically, what is the
effectiveness of the health promoting schools approach? Copenhagen: Health
Evidence Network Report; WHO Regional office for Europe; 2006. Health
Evidence Network Report.
• Murray NG, Low BJ, Hollis C, Cross AW, Davis SM. Coordinated health school
programs and academic achievement: A systematic review of the literature.
Journal of School Health. 2007;77(9):589-600.
• Challenges to progress
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A Challenge We Face…
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Moving Forward…
• Different sectors and jurisdictions using
different words and language to discuss the
same ideas
• Common understanding and improved
communication
• Defining processes and strategies to advance
healthy school communities
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Moving Forward…
• Partnership between PHE Canada and Propel to
engage stakeholders to develop a
communication document that helps people at
various levels understand the core components
and processes for healthy school communities
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Guiding Goals of the Paper
• Identify core components of healthy school
communities AND key processes and strategies
for implementation
• Achieve common understanding among
Canadian practice, policy, and science
stakeholders on healthy school communities
• Use processes that facilitate building consensus
and encourage confidence
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Method
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Steering Committee & Expert Panel
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Targeted Review - Identify key resources
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Key Informant Interviews
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Meeting of Experts
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Iterative process to revise and refine
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Today seek further feedback…
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WHAT DO YOU THINK?
WHAT ARE THE CORE COMPONENTS OF A
HEALTHY SCHOOL COMMUNITY?
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• Your Core Components vs. Core Components
identified in review…
• What are we missing based on your
experience?
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Frameworks
Joint Consortium for School Health
“Comprehensive School Health”
PHE Canada
“Health Promoting Schools”
Education
Everywhere
The Four E’s Framework
Everyone
Environment
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Overlapping Core Components
Components of Healthy School
Community Frameworks
• Policy
• Environment: Social & Physical
• Teacher & Learning/ Education
• Community: Partnerships & Services
• Evidence
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How Can We Implement
Healthy School Communities?
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Implementation Strategies
POLICY
• Clear communication and engagement of all
stakeholders
• Grass-roots and top-down approaches
• Flexibility and Rigidity
• Embed health in school culture and overall
school improvement plan
• Policy support
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Implementation Strategies
ENVIRONMENT: PHYSICAL & SOCIAL
• Physical Environment
– Make use of existing structures
– Visual supports/ Messages on announcements
– Look to the community
• Social Environment
– Grass-roots and top-down approaches
– Healthy workplace support; Teacher modelling
– Student involvement and positive engagement
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Implementation Strategies
TEACHING & LEARNING/EDUCATION
• Curriculum
– Full implementation and taught to fullest potential
• Beyond Health and Physical Education
• Education of community
• Teacher training
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Implementation Strategies
COMMUNITY :PARTNERSHIPS & SERVICES
• Meaningful and transparent communication
• Involve all parties in planning and decision
making
• Parent involvement is vital!
• Promote the culture of a healthy school
community
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Implementation Strategies
EVIDENCE
• Evidence
Commitment & Buy-In
• Efficacy and effectiveness research
– Health, academic achievement, knowledge
• Feasibility research
• Use evidence to guide future initiatives
– Evidence-based practice
– Practice-based evidence
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Key Processes and Principles
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Possible Challenges to
Implementation
• Financial Constraints
– Develop realistic budget
– Get creative!
• Inundation of Requests
– Value in relation to numeracy and literacy
– Seek administrative, HR, volunteer support
– Healthy school facilitators in Canada
• Shared Understanding
– Enhance communication and shared planning
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A Model for Moving Forward
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Recommendations
• Apply principles of the paper NOW!
• Link pockets of expertise
• Identify a central resource/connection
• Recognize, share, celebrate success!
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What Can YOU Do NOW?
• Feedback?
– Sign up for draft copy of paper for opportunity to
review and provide feedback
• Increase awareness
– Share
– Ancillary documents
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Contributors
Propel Centre for Population Health Impact
Rebecca Bassett-Gunter
Erin Hobin
Steve Manske
Lisa Stockton
Jennifer Yessis
Dana Zummach
PHE Canada
Andrea Gratham
Caley Hartney
Louise Humbert (U. Saskatchewan)
Sharon May
Pan-Canada Joint Consortium for School Health
Sterling Carruthers
Gail Diachuck
Katherine Kelly
Marlien McKay
Dwayne Provo
APPLE Schools
Marg Schwartz
Ever Active Schools
Audrey Seehagen
Brian Torrance
Canadian Association of Principals
Bill Tucker
British Columbia Ministry of Education
Paige MacFarlane
Middlesex London Health Unit
Christine Preece
University of Alberta
Kate Storey
Brock University
James Mandigo
Grant MacEwan University
Doug Gleddie
Memorial University
Antony Card
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Rebecca Bassett-Gunter
rlbassett@uwaterloo.ca
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