Schools

The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit’s school health team consists of Public Health Nurses (PHN), a Registered Dietitian and an Administrative Assistant. The team is supported by other public health professionals such as Health Promoters, Tobacco Enforcement Officers, Public Health Inspectors (PHI), the Oral Health Team with Registered Dental Hygienists and Certified Dental Assistants, and an Immunization Team.

Each school has an assigned Public Health Nurse who works in the school’s geographic area. The School Public Health Nurse is a capacity builder, facilitator, and advocate for school health. They can assist school communities to identify strengths and health concerns in order to build healthier school environments.

More specifically, the School Public Health Nurse can assist schools by:

• Navigating the Health Unit’s resources and services (e.g., facilitate consultations with other public health professionals).
• Providing consultation, resources and *in-class support (e.g., related to curriculum, healthy school environments).
• In-servicing principals, teachers, parents, and community partners on a variety of health related topics and programs.
• Supporting healthy school committees, whole school initiatives, and health policies and practices.
• Connecting parents with support.
• Training and supporting student champions to implement wellness initiatives.
• Connecting the school community to services and programs offered by community partners.

*Your school’s Public Health Nurse may be able to provide in-class support or co-facilitate lessons on certain topics, with the intention of building the comfort and capacity of the educator.

To connect with your school’s Public Health Nurse, email: [email protected].

The school team is accountable for implementing the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s School Health Standard that is outlined in the Ontario Public Health Standards (OPHS). The goal of the standard is “to achieve optimal health of school-aged children and youth through partnership and collaboration with school boards and schools” by assisting with the implementation of health-related curricula and health needs, and by developing and implementing public health interventions using a comprehensive health promotion approach.

Comprehensive School Health (CSH) is an internationally recognized approach to supporting improvements in students’ educational outcomes while addressing school health in a planned, integrated and holistic way (Pan-Canadian Joint Consortium for School Health). This multi-strategy approach is more effective than a single strategy. CSH goes beyond the classroom and encompasses the whole school environment to ensure students learn about healthy, active living in an environment that reinforces their learning. CSH consists of these four inter-related areas:

• Teaching and learning: Student-centered learning and teacher training through resources, activities, and curriculum.
• Social and physical environment: The quality of relationships, and emotional well-being of students and staff, in addition to the buildings, grounds, spaces around the school, and essential requirements such as air and water quality.
• Policy: Management practices, decision-making processes, rules, procedures and policies at all levels that promote health and well-being, and shape a respectful, welcoming and caring school environment.
• Partnerships and services: Supportive working relationships within schools, between schools, and between schools and other community organizations and representative groups.

To learn more about Comprehensive School Health, check out this video: Comprehensive School Health in a Nutshell.