HEALTHY SCHOOLSHEALTHY SCHOOLSComprehensive School Health in York Region

OutlineOutline

Why a Healthy Schools Approach?What are Healthy Schools?Future Directions for Funding

Allocation

Why Healthy Schools?Why Healthy Schools?MEASURED OVERWEIGHT AGES 2-17 YEARS

CPHI. Promoting Health Weights. 2006.

Why Healthy Schools?Why Healthy Schools?

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60

1969 2001

U.S. EPA, 2003

PROPORTION OF CHILDREN PROPORTION OF CHILDREN WHO WALK OR BIKE TO WHO WALK OR BIKE TO

SCHOOL?SCHOOL?

Shields. Statistics Canada, 2005

Why Healthy Schools?Why Healthy Schools?PREVALENCE OF OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY:

Effects of screen-time Canadian children (ages 2-17)

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<1 hour 1-2 hours 2+ hours

obeseoverweight

Courtesy of Dr. Kumanyika, Univ. of Pennsylvania

IS OUR FRAME OF REFERENCE CHANGING?

Why Healthy Schools?Why Healthy Schools?TIME DEVOTED TO P.E. BY COUNTRY (ages 6-18 yrs)(European Union of Physical Education Associations, 1997)

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Time (min)

Pulmonary diseaseabnormal functionobstructive sleep apneahypoventilation syndrome

Nonalcoholic fatty liver diseasesteatosissteatohepatitiscirrhosis

Coronary heart disease Diabetes Dyslipidemia Hypertension

Gynecologic abnormalitiesabnormal mensesinfertilitypolycystic ovarian syndrome

Osteoarthritis

Skin

Gall bladder disease

Cancerbreast, uterus, cervixcolon, esophagus, pancreaskidney, prostate

Phlebitisvenous stasis

Gout

Why Healthy Schools?Why Healthy Schools?MEDICAL COMPLICATIONS OF OBESITY

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension

Stroke

Cataracts

Severe pancreatitis

Why Healthy Schools?Why Healthy Schools?TRENDS IN DRUG COSTS IN CANADA

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Source: Canadian Institute for Health Information

Why Healthy Schools?Why Healthy Schools?A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY

Literacy is a social determinant of Health. Students who are unhealthy are less likely to be performing well academically.

Recent EQAO data for schools using the Healthy Schools’ framework indicates that after 2 years mean results for Grade 3 improved 36.7% whereas Comparison Schools increased 0.78 %.

Students will have the most successful outcome when as many conditions for learning are in place as possible.

What are Healthy Schools?What are Healthy Schools?

Healthy Schools:

Include a broad spectrum of opportunities for students to participate in, observe and learn positive health attitudes and behaviours

Provide a connected framework for strategies that support the School Plan for Continuous Improvement

What Are Healthy Schools?What Are Healthy Schools?

High-quality instruction and programs Age-appropriate, up-to-date curriculum instruction about health topics and issues; promotes development of life skills, sense of personal competency, resilience

Healthy physical environmentClean & adequate facilities, safety, healthy choices

Supportive social environment Peer support, positive role models & school climate; promote empowerment, social competencies

Community partnershipsAccess to resources and services available to support students, staff and families

Activities within all four components are needed to create sustained behaviour changes and best possible outcomes

Future Directions for Funding Allocation

1. Given the opportunity to have a Professional Development forum with a focus on the Healthy Schools Approach, list what you’d like to see, hear and feel on that day.

2. Based on what you’d like to see, hear and feel on the P.D. Healthy Schools Approach Day, design an appropriate schedule for the day.

Conclusion

The Healthy Schools approach responds to what research tells about the conditions necessary to promote the development of the whole child. In the York Region District School Board, we know our students will have the best outcome when as many conditions for learning are in place as possible.