School Health Promotion in Prince Edward Island (PEI)
Prince Edward Island in Profile1
Prince Edward Island (PEI) is the smallest province in Canada. It consists of 5,560 square
kilometers of land in the Gulf of St.-Lawrence, on Canada’s East coast. PEI is separated from
mainland Canada, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia by the Northumberland Strait.
Approximately 56% of the population of 138,500 is rural and the majority of the PEI population
is of British ancestry but 11% speaks French, attesting to PEI’s Acadian roots. PEI was
discovered by Jacques Cartier in 1534, when it was occupied by the Mi’kmaq.
The island is known as the ‘cradle of Confederation’ because its capital was the site of one of
Canada’s most historical events, the Charlottetown Conference that was held to discuss a
Canadian Union.
There are 21,500 students attending 74 schools, of which 4 are private. The public system,
which administers 70 schools, consists of 3 school boards – Eastern, Western, and La
Commission scolaire de langue française.
Interested parties engaged in schools include parents and public health professionals. Parents are
involved in schools through a combination of Home and School Associations and Parent
Councils. These voluntary bodies have an advisory role in the matter of school operations
including school-based nutrition, social, and health services, and through their involvement in
school development planning. In many cases, they also take a leadership role in parent
education.
The Department of Health, Community Hospital and Continuing Care Division, are responsible
for the delivery of the programs and services within the five rural community hospitals, which
are administered through five Community Hospital Boards. The province’s largest facilities,
Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Prince County Hospital, and Hillsborough Hospital, are provincial in
scope and are administered through the Department of Health.
Public health services are centralized and managed by the Department and there is a school
health committee of public health nurses who work at the provincial and regional levels.
Background
In 2002, the PEI Healthy Eating Alliance, a group of PEI organizations and individuals dedicated
to improving the eating habits of children and youth developed a comprehensive and coordinated
strategy encouraging Island children and youth to enjoy, understand and benefit from healthy
eating. One component of their plan, outlined in Healthy Eating Strategy for Island Children and
Youth 2002-2005, led to the development and adoption of policies to promote healthy eating in
1
Sources: Statistics Canada, Land and Freshwater Area, by Province and Territory, Population by province and
territory; InfoPEI Quick Facts at http://www.gov.pe.ca/infopei/index.php3?number=40581&lang=E; The School
Act at http://www.canlii.org/pe/laws/sta/s-2.1/20070813/whole.html; The Public Health Act at
http://www.gov.pe.ca/law/statutes/pdf/p-30.pdf ; Government of PEI website (http://www.gov.pe.ca/) and personnel.
1
PEI Elementary and Consolidated schools. The School Healthy Eating policy project received
funding from the Department of Health. On October 4, 2007, the P.E.I. Health Eating Alliance
launched their new Healthy Eating Strategy : 2007-2010, which outlines initiatives to raise
awareness of the importance of healthy eating and increase access to healthy food in Island
homes, schools and communities. Through continued funding from the Department of Health,
the HEA continues the collaborative school nutrition policy development process with
Intermediate and Senior High schools.
The P.E.I. Active Living Alliance is committed to the goal of increasing the opportunities for
physical activity in youth in the school, home, and community setting. The Active Living
Alliances has developed a wide variety of programs and resource materials to support these
efforts within schools. With funding through the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs,
the PEI Active Living Alliance promotes pedometer programs to all ages, including the
“Stepping Out - Elementary School” program for Grade 4-6.
The 2003 PEI Strategy for Healthy Living targeted improvement in healthy eating habits and
participation in regular physical activity, the reduction of tobacco use, a decrease in the
prevalence of preventable chronic disease, and in increase in the capacity for health promotion
and chronic disease prevention. The school setting was identified as appropriate for effective
health promotion. An intergovernmental committee, with representation from the Departments
of Health, Education, Community and Cultural Affairs, and Social Services and Seniors supports
collaboration and communication across departments and has great potential to support a variety
of school health efforts across the province.
To achieve a greater impact than they could working alone, governmental and community
alliances have been formed. For example, members of the Healthy Eating Alliance work with
government and non-governmental organizations to promote healthy eating guidelines in Island
schools. The education sector contributes to the healthy living strategy by supporting school
health promotion.
School Health Supports
The PEI school health approach focuses on healthy eating, tobacco reduction, physical activity,
emotional and social well-being, and leadership. Since January 2007, a School Health Specialist
of the Department of Education has been providing individualized support to schools. A couple
of examples illustrate the nature of the support.


Working with 10 schools in 2006-07 (and an additional 43 schools in 2007-08), the
School Health Specialist supports schools that have identified needs in the area of health
and wellbeing. Acting as a knowledge broker and networker, the Specialist is in a unique
position to assist schools to access the supports they need to meet these needs, such as a
breakfast program available through the Health Eating Alliance.
In 2006, an amendment to the Smoke-free Places Act prohibited smoking on all school
grounds. Schools requested support to implement smoking cessation programs in schools.
The Specialist worked with colleagues in the Health Department to develop training
programs for school staff and others who facilitate the use of cessation programs. Also,
2
the Department of Health, and the Department of Education, provide funding to the
Canadian Cancer Society – PEI Division to support the coordination, implementation,
and support of student SWITCH Clubs (Students Working in tobacco Can Help) within
all Island High Schools.
The School Health Specialist works in concert with the Department of Education’s Health and
Physical Education curriculum specialist and reports to the Director of Student Support Services.
Although there is no formal agreement, there is a long history of collaboration with the
Departments of Health, Community and Cultural Affairs, and Social Services and Seniors,
particularly with staff of the Health Promotion / Chronic Disease Prevention Unit of the
Department of Health and the Sport and Recreation Division staff of the Department of
Community and Cultural Affairs. The agreement between the Departments of Health and
Education that the School Health Specialist would represent them both at the Consortium attests
to this expectation. Colleagues in the afore-mentioned departments meet frequently in the
context of inter-governmental steering committees to work on various health issues in different
settings, including schools.
With respect to curriculum, Health and Physical Education are compulsory from grades 1 to 9.
Family Life Education and Physical Education/Lifestyle are available as electives at the Senior
High level. The Department of Education, in consultation with other departments, Provincial
Healthy Living Alliances, and other key stakeholders, developed a new health curriculum for
grades 1 to 3 in 2006, Grades 7 to 9 in 2007, and Grade 4-6 in 2008. The curriculum focuses on
wellness choices, relationship choices, and life learning choices.
With respect to Department of Health support, Public health nurses are assigned to specific
schools (although not located in the school). In addition to providing immunization services,
they may act as school health resources by providing education session, materials, and training as
needed. For example, the previously mentioned school health committee of Public Health Nurses
was instrumental in following through on a 2007 Minister’s Directive on anaphylaxis. The
Directive provided guidance to parents and school personnel concerning procedures for
managing students who have life-threatening allergies and are at risk of anaphylaxis.
Implementation of the Directive is supported by an Information Handbook on Anaphylaxis,
published jointly by the Departments of Education and Health, and training in schools is
provided by public health nurses. The services of other health professionals such as drug
education specialists and community dietitians are also provided in schools.
Among school-linked health initiatives that complement the health and physical education
curricula and efforts to develop active, healthy school communities, the following are
noteworthy:

The PEI. Healthy Eating Alliance (HEA) was instrumental in the development of the PEI
Elementary / Consolidated School Nutrition Policy which was adopted with minor
variations by all 3 PEI School Boards. The policy developed by the Eastern School
3


District is a good example. To support schools in the implementation process, the HEA
also developed the award-winning2 School Healthy Eating Toolkit.
The kit includes model policies, suggestions for fundraising alternatives, safe food
handling and microwave safety guidelines, and guidance on the use of peanuts in schools
as well as a school nutrition program. One section deals with links to active living in the
school setting. The HEA staff and volunteers provide in-service training, answer
questions, and provide schools with additional resources as needed.
The Active Living Alliance offers a variety of programs and initiatives designed to
increase the opportunities for physical activity in youth in the school, home, and
community setting. For students, the vision is for daily physical activity achieved
through any combination of physical education, physical activity breaks and programs,
intramurals, sports, and special events. Examples include initiatives supporting physical
activity in the school setting such as resource binders for teachers, Walk to School Day,
and the pedometer program Stepping Out Elementary.
Challenges and Successes
The successful development and implementation of a consistent school nutrition policy owes
much to the PEI Healthy Eating Alliance’s approach. The HEA worked with School Nutrition
Advisory Committees, consisting of teachers and students from a number of "lead" schools, and
school board staff to draft Elementary / Consolidated policy. Using a bottom-up approach
gained respect and helped ensure greater buy-in from all involved in the development and
implementation of the policy. The HEA is using the same approach with Intermediate and
Senior High Schools. Developing school nutrition policies at this level is expected to present
different challenges due to presence of cafeterias, food service providers, and vending machines,
for example.
PEI is a small province with few resources for which school health promotion is but one of many
competing priorities. A push to academic achievement challenges proponents to demonstrate the
value of school health promotion as an instrument to improve learning. The success of the
community development approach used with respect to nutrition policies suggests the wisdom of
applying the same approach to institutionalizing school health promotion. The challenge is to
find ways to accomplish this.
Benefits to JCSH Membership
The Joint Consortium for School Health was created in response to a proposal put forward to the
Council of Ministers of Education, Canada by BC and PEI, jointly. Decision-makers in the
Department of Education saw the need for collaboration between the education and health
sectors. They recognized the opportunity that the Consortium offered to take a holistic view of
the health of students and pursue the link between health and student achievement.
2
In 2006, the Alliance was recognized as the Atlantic region recipient of the Dietitians of Canada and Kraft Canada
Speaking of Food and Healthy Living Award for the School Healthy Eating Toolkit. See
http://www.gov.pe.ca/news/getrelease.php3?number=4706.
4
PEI benefits from the collective sharing of information on policies, programs, and structures
among colleagues who are focused on the school setting and tasked with responsibilities for
school health promotion.
PEI benefits from Joint Consortium Membership through:
 the ability to share knowledge, experience, and expertise across the country in relation to
School Health and other related matters;
 the ability to highlight the collaborative efforts existing on PEI which promote health and
well-being within homes, communities, and schools as settings;
 the support of existing, and future, partnerships between Government Departments, and
among Government Departments, Provincial Alliances, and community groups;
 the national efforts regarding school health data collection which will support
jurisdictional efforts to explore data collection, structures, and opportunities.
October 2007.
For additional information, contact Sterling Carruthers at sdcarruthers@edu.pe.ca
5