Programs and Services Offered - Secondary Schools

York Region Community and Health Services offer a Healthy Secondary School Program that aims to develop or build a school environment that encourages healthy choices within a variety of health areas including nutrition.

 

Information about the new Food and Beverage Policy (P/PM 150)

York Region has developed tools to help communicate to parents and the broader school community environment about P/PM 150. Use the following templates to let schools know about the Food and Beverages Policy:

• Letter to Parents
• Newsletter Insert

Include educational materials in your communications as well:

• Packing Healthy School Lunches
• Healthy Fundraising
• Healthy Classroom Rewards
• Healthy Pizza Days
• Healthy Catered Lunches

Creating a Healthy Secondary School Nutrition Environment

A school that creates a healthy nutrition school environment engages the entire school community in promoting healthy eating through both words and actions. Students get the same message about food, nutrition and healthy eating wherever food is served — in the school, in the classroom and in the home.

York Region's Healthy Secondary School program uses a comprehensive or "whole school" approach based on the Ontario Ministry of Education's foundations for a Healthy School:

• High-Quality Instruction and Programs
• A Healthy Physical Environment
• A Supportive Social Environment
• Community Partnerships

Why use a Comprehensive Approach to Improving the Nutrition Environment?

A comprehensive or "whole school" approach addresses healthy eating, not only in the classroom through the curriculum, but also wherever food is served or offered (i.e., cafeteria, vending machine, tuck shop and in fundraising) and in the social environment of the school. Research has shown what is taught in the classroom has to be reinforced in both the physical and social environment in order to create impactful changes in eating habits and attitudes.

Eating nutritious foods improves student concentration levels in class and reduces missed-classes due to sickness. In the long-term, healthy eating contributes to reduced risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers.

Help your kids develop healthy eating habits by supporting healthy food and beverages in schools. Together we can make the healthy choice the easy choice!

To learn more?

If your school is interested in creating a healthy nutrition environment, public health staff will work with you to develop, implement and evaluate an action plan that addresses all components of a healthy nutrition environment. For more information call York Region Community and Health Services Health Connectionat 1-800-361-5653.