Healthy Schools Program
Healthy learners are better learners
A healthy school involves the whole school community, including administrators, teachers, families, students and community partners working together to build a healthy environment. A healthy school promotes the physical, mental, social and spiritual health of the whole school community. It is a healthy setting for living, learning, working and playing.
York Region Public Health provides support on a variety of health topics. Utilizing a comprehensive school health approach, we are committed to working with schools to promote health and well-being through our Healthy Schools Program.
York Region engages school staff, parents and students in identifying health issues that impact the school community and work together to develop a comprehensive plan to address them. We provide consultations, resources, links to community organizations, referrals to public health services and educational workshops, presentations and displays.
Steps to Becoming a Healthier School
To get started, talk to your school administration about becoming a healthy school. You can call Access York 1-877-464-9675, TTY: 1-866-512-6228 to connect with your school’s Public Health Nurse who can guide you through the necessary steps.
Step 1: Form a Healthy Schools Committee
Identify an existing committee or form a new one made up of parents, students and staff who can meet regularly.
Step 2: Identify strengths and needs
Survey your school to identify your school’s strengths and needs. Based on the survey results, identify the priority health topic. Please see the Healthy Schools Committee Member Handbook for sample needs assessment surveys.
Step 3: Develop and carry out an action plan
Develop an action plan to address your chosen health topic. The plan will outline the activities to be implemented in the school. To maximize your success, engage students throughout the entire process.
Address all five Foundations for a Healthy School to ensure your school is covering your priority health topic comprehensively.
- Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning
- School and classroom leadership
- Social and physical environments
- Student Engagement
- Home, school and community partnerships
Step 4: Evaluate and celebrate achievements
Review, evaluate and celebrate your healthy school activities and successes.
Note: Communication with the whole school community is necessary throughout all four steps. Please consult the Healthy Schools Committee Member Handbook for sample communication strategies and tools.
Healthy Schools Grant
York Region is committed to helping schools promote youth engagement, resiliency and developmental assets. All schools in York Region are eligible to apply for a health promotion grant at the beginning of the school year. The grant supports student-led healthy schools initiatives that use a comprehensive approach. If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact [email protected].
To receive an Action Plan template or if you are looking for additional ideas to comprehensively address health at your school, please contact your York Region Public Health Nurse or call Access York 1-877-464-9675, TTY: 1-866-512-6228.
Healthy Schools Program Resources
- Healthy Schools Committee Member Handbook
The purpose of the Healthy Schools Committee Member Handbook is to assist schools in creating a healthy school environment by providing strategies, tips and tools that focus on a comprehensive approach to school health. The Healthy Schools Committee Member Handbook will guide you through the four-step process to help you along your Healthy Schools journey. - Healthy Schools Postcard
The Healthy Schools Postcard promotes the Healthy Schools Program in Elementary and Secondary Schools. It provides the benefits of becoming a healthy school and outlines how York Region Public Health can support your school in your Healthy Schools journey. - Healthy Start to School brochure
The Healthy Start to School Brochure provides ideas to make starting school healthy and rewarding.
The Healthy Start to School brochure is also available in the following languages
Parent Newsletter Inserts
York Region provides schools with up-to-date information on a variety of health topics. Each month, schools have the option to choose one or more inserts to place in their school newsletter or on their website. A school can choose an insert by the topic that matches their priority health topic.
Elementary
- Dental
- Healthy Schools
- Infection Prevention and Control
- Injury Prevention
- Mental Health
- Nutrition
- Physical Activity
- PLAY
- Tobacco and Vaping
- Vision Screening
Secondary
Curriculum Support Health Resources
Curriculum Support Health Resources are available to elementary and secondary schools to help enhance and supplement current programs on a variety of health topics. The following resources can assist teachers and staff by directing and guiding them to available resources. Key resources have been collected, organized and formatted to be accessible and user-friendly for staff.
Elementary
Secondary
For additional school resources on a variety of health topics, please visit Healthy Schools Resources
Healthy School Student Club
The goal of the Healthy School Student Club is to provide student engagement and leadership opportunities, and to give students experiences that will foster their development and build their resiliency. Student engagement is a planned process that prepares youth for the transition from childhood to adulthood.
Healthy School Student Clubs enable students to participate in ways that best meet their specific developmental needs while helping them reach their full potential. The leadership skills students acquire now will help them make healthier decisions throughout their lives.
Healthy School Student Club (HSSC) members work closely with the Healthy School Committee and/or School Champion to plan and lead activities to promote a healthy school environment. Club members work together to make important differences in their school, with the goal of helping their school be a healthy place to learn and work!
Students will learn how to:
- Become a leader and play an active role in their school community
- Engage in discussions with other students to identify health topic(s) for a Healthy Schools Action Plan
- Brainstorm ways to address priority health topics that are important and meaningful to the students in the school
- Collaborate on implementing fun and healthy school activities
- Work with the Healthy Schools Committee and Club Leader to create a school environment in which every student and staff feels like they belong
Contact your school’s Public Health Nurse or call Access York at 1-877-464-9675, TTY 1-866-512-6228 if you are interested in learning more about starting a Healthy School Student Club.
Healthy Schools Hall of Fame
We would like to congratulate and acknowledge the York Region schools participating in the Healthy Schools Program. Thank you for all you do to promote health and well-being in your school communities!
- 2024-2025 Healthy Schools Hall of Fame (2024-2025 Healthy Schools will be published in Spring 2025)
- 2023-2024 Healthy Schools Hall of Fame
- 2022-2023 Healthy Schools Hall of Fame
Healthy Schools e-Newsletter
The Healthy Schools e-Newsletter is your place to find current health information on trending topics that matter to you and your school. Subscribe to receive information about Public Health related news, contests, campaigns, and programs available to schools in York Region. The Healthy Schools e-Newsletter is distributed four times per school year.
Partnership Declaration
York Region District School Board, York Catholic District School Board and York Region Public Health are working together to create and support healthy school environments that contribute to the overall achievement and well-being of children and youth now and in the future. This commitment is outlined in our joint Partnership Declaration.
Building Healthy Kids
york.ca/HealthyKids is your one-stop shop for building healthy kids with York Region Public Health.
Each season, we will highlight a different theme to help families with school-aged children learn about timely and relevant health topics such as mental health, physical activity, nutrition, and more to help build healthy, resilient children. You will find our messaging in schools, on social media and various digital communications channels – wherever parents are, that’s where we want to be.
You are your children’s biggest health champion, and we are here to support you every step of the way.