Healthy Schools Newsletter for Educators
From Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

March 7, 2022

 In this Issue:

  1. March is Nutrition Month!
  2. Helping Kids Manage Stress
  3. Basic Food Safety
  4. COVID-19 School Guidance Updates

Welcome to March’s HPEPH Healthy Schools Newsletter!

We invite you to encourage your colleagues to subscribe to this newsletter to receive up to date and timely information from HPEPH.

March is Nutrition Month!

This Nutrition Month, celebrate the joys of food and eating with your school community. This year’s theme is “Ingredients for a Healthier Tomorrow”. Creating opportunities to learn about food, practice food skills, and explore food systems are key “ingredients” that can help members of your school community have a healthier tomorrow.

School Staff and Education Resources

School staff play a key role in helping students develop healthy relationships with food. Nurture healthy eating habits by talking about food in a positive way, role modeling healthy relationships with food and eating, and providing hands-on activities where students can grow and taste food.

*NEW* Videos for Educators!
Food Neutral Classrooms: Safer Food Teaching is Possible – HPEPH is excited to present these videos for educators, developed for our health unit by Gwen Kostal, RD from Dietitians 4 Teachers.

Curriculum, Teaching & Learning Support Materials

Other Resources for Educators

Home-School Connection Resources

Engaging families in learning about healthy eating behaviours supports them in making informed decisions about their student’s well-being.

Suggested Social Media and Newsletter Messages for Use with School Families

Check out the template newsletter content and social media post ideas available for school use on our website, under the Nutrition Month header!

Helping Kids Manage Stress

Stress is a normal part of life for everyone – even kids! Some stress can be good – it helps us to get things done and reach our goals, like taking a test or doing a presentation. Too much stress that goes on for a long time can be hard on our bodies and our mental health.

Stress in kids can show up in many ways like a stomach ache or headache. Some might act different like becoming quieter or eating too much or too little.

Educators can help by:

  • Staying calm.
  • Showing you care and talking openly about their feelings.
  • Encouraging them to try calming activities like deep breathing or doing something active.
  • Being a good role model by using your own positive coping activities.
  • Encouraging parents/caregivers to talk to a health care provider if the stress continues.

School Staff and Education Resources

To learn more about kids and stress visit The Psychology Foundation of Canada
https://www.strongmindsstrongkids.org/Public/Kids/Public/Kids/Kids.aspx?hkey=dc0793c5-beef-44cd-bf93-2932898550da

Suggested Social Media and Newsletter Messages for Use with School Families

Check out the template newsletter content and social media post ideas available for school use on our website, under the Stress header!

Basic Food Safety

Healthy Eating does not stop at what you eat, it also means ensuring the foods you eat are prepared and stored safely. Educators and parents can help students learn basic food safety principles with some of the following resources.

School Staff and Education Resources

Suggested Social Media and Newsletter Messages for Use with School Families

Check out the template newsletter content and social media post ideas available for school use on our website, under the Food Safety header!

COVID-19 School Guidance Updates

On February 10, the province updated COVID-19: Health, safety and operational guidance for school (2021-2022). Key updates include:

  • Masking is not required when playing high or low contact activities outdoors.
  • Masking is required for indoor sports when not actively engaged in the activity, however masks can be removed when actively participating in the activity if they can not be worn safely while participating.
  • Windows should be opened when feasible to increase ventilation.
  • School swimming pools are permitted, with physical distancing around the pool area encouraged to discourage congregating.

In addition, local changes include:

Masking in HPEPH is strongly recommended but no longer required in JK/SK, in order to align with current provincial guidance.

All educators are reminded that Healthy and Safety Operational Guidance for Schools is still in effect, despite recent changes to general public health measures. While the guidance remains in effect, efforts should be made to help the school environment be as normal as possible.

Home-School Connection Resources
 

If you are receiving questions from parents/caregivers that should be answered by public health, they can be directed to hpePublicHealth.ca/back-to-school-planning-parents. Enquiries can also be sent by email through our online form.

Encourage your colleagues to subscribe to receive our monthly newsletter and receive updated resources and information directly from HPEPH. HPEPH will also provide updated resources directly to school administrators for distribution to staff before the return to school.

Back to Summary

Contact Information: 

To give us your comments about this e-newsletter: hart.sara@hpeph.ca

For other questions about Healthy Schools: healthyschools@hpeph.ca 

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