Step 1: Form a Healthy School Committee

Goals

• Raise awareness of the benefits of becoming a Healthy School
• Motivate the school community to support Healthy Schools
• Recruit school community members for the Healthy School Committee

PART A – Determine level of interest and establish commitment

·    Consult with your principal to discuss Healthy Schools and determine if the timing is right

·    Contact a Public Health Nurse from the School Services Team for assistance

·    Read through Section 1 of this toolkit and sign the Healthy School Commitment form 11

·    Develop a plan to inform and educate the school community about Healthy Schools 1 3, 6

·     Provide a presentation about Healthy Schools for staff and parents 14, 5

·     Offer statistics and facts to back up the benefits of Healthy Schools 1 7

·     Demonstrate how your school may already be doing things that promote health

·     Mobilize and empower students by explaining how they can have a voice in school decisions

·     Inform the school community about the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health Promotion's Healthy School Recognition Program

·    If you find there is little interest, do not get discouraged; keep spreading the word and be ready to proceed when you find more support

PART B – Form a Healthy School Committee

·    Announce the formation of the committee and invite interested school members to get involved in creating a healthier school 1 8, 9, 10, 11

·    This may be a sub-committee of the school council or of another existing committee

·    Promote the committee through posters, newsletters and school events 1 9

·    Recruit a diverse group by including staff, students, parents, administrators 1 2, 8

·    Organize the first Healthy School Committee meeting: 1 12

·     Create an agenda 1 13

·     Complete a member contact list 1 14

·     Establish rules and responsibilities 1 16, 17

·     Decide on a convenient meeting schedule (e.g. on lunch hour, before or after school)

·     Select a chairperson or rotating chair

·     Discuss how you plan on working as a group effectively 1 18

·     Come up with a name for your committee (e.g. Healthy Champs, Snack Attack, Health Squad – perhaps have a naming and/or logo contest)

·     Provide each member with a folder to keep track of all materials

·     Discuss a general vision of Healthy School

·    Monitor the committee regularly to ensure it is running effectively 1 19

 ü     Checklist for Step 1: 

q Educated the school community about the Healthy Schools approach

q Communicated with key school community members about Healthy Schools

q Formed a diverse Healthy School Committee representing the whole school community

q Conducted the first Healthy School committee meeting

q Established a general vision of what a Healthy School looks like

q Determined readiness to move to Step Two

1  Complete Resource List Step 1

For more information, please contact

            York Region Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653