Latest Activity!This is a picture of the Health Sector Committee and the directors of the four school boards. The picture also includes the chair of Go For Health and the Medical Officer of Health.

The Education Sector is currently working with the school boards to support, implement, and monitor the Healthy Schools Declaration. Stay connected for more activities and updates from the Education Sector.

About the Education Sector

Educational institutions play a key role in educating children about healthy lifestyles and impact they can have on health. Educational institutions can provide a healthy and supportive environment through healthy policies. The Education Sector is uniquely positioned to impact policy change, leading to a reduction in chronic disease, mental illness and injury in work places and residents of Windsor-Essex County.

Education Sector Policy Goal

To improve student health through policies that address healthy eating and physical activity in schools.

Education Sector Main Objective

To encourage school communities to continue implementing the Healthy School's Declaration policy strategies.

Healthy Schools Declaration

The Healthy Schools Declaration, in partnership with Go For Health Windsor-Essex, formalizes the commitment of the following school boards and partners to develop and promote healthy school environments for children and youth:

DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARDS

  • Conseil scolaire de district du Centre-Sud-Ouest (CSDCSO)
  • Conseil scolaire de district des écoles catholiques du Sud-Ouest (CSDECSO)
  • Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB)
  • Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board (WECDSB)

The goals in signing the Healthy Schools Declaration are:

  1. To establish a partnership between the school boards to collectively advocate for and create healthy school environments in keeping with the mission set out by Go For Health Windsor-Essex (A Call to Action, 2007).
  2. To encourage and support communication between the school boards to develop and implement school board policies that address healthy eating and physical activity for children and youth in our area.
  3. To support greater student achievement by all school boards by working together to share best practices and successes in creating healthy school environments.

Policy Examples

Here are a few policy examples that you can promote, advocate, adopt and implement as a key influencer in this sector.

  • Promote and support compliance of the 20 minutes of daily physical activity (DPA per child-kindergarten to grade 8) as required by the Ministry of Education.
  • Create a policy to provide learning opportunities in nutrition, physical education, and healthy weights at teacher professional development days and school council meetings.
  • Advocate for a policy that ensures a safe environment in which children can be active, including shaded outdoor play areas and green spaces in all schools.
  • Adopt a policy to incorporate health education, healthy eating, physical activity, and low-risk drinking guidelines into the orientation of all new and returning students/teachers.
  • Adopt a policy to provide staff and students training about mental health illnesses to help reduce the stigma and discrimination.