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Dr. Lawrence St Leger

What really works in promoting health in schools?

From recent commissions which sought answers to this question. Dr. St Leger shares how schools can use this evidence to add value to their initiatives.

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Feature Case Study PDF Print E-mail
Feature Case Study Focus: Formative Assessment Strategies
Kaleden Elementary
SCHOOL DISTRICT #67 OKANAGAN SKAHA
One Year in the HS Network

School Question

If we structure our school day to allow for deliberate teaching of school-wide daily physical activity (DPA), Social Responsibility traits, and healthy food choices, will we see student wellness improve?

Leadership Team

Mary De Fehr, Christie McRobb This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Alicia Moura, Sharon Sola

School Context/Community

Kaleden is a rural community 13 km south of Penticton in the Okanagan Valley. Kaleden School provides education to approximately 125 students in Kindergarten through Grade 5. As a school community, we pride ourselves on an inclusive approach to education, where all students are welcomed and appreciated for the various strengths and talents that they bring. Literacy and numeracy are areas of focus at our school.  This year we included a Social Responsibility and wellness focus. Kaleden Elementary joined the HSN to give us direction in implementing strategies to improve our students' overall wellness.  Our staff embraced the new DPA guidelines and developed lessons around social responsibility traits and making healthy food choices.  Parents were pleased with our HSN initatives.  They are supportive and involved, especially with activities and events that nurture and develop the social, emotional, and physical health of students.

School Inquiry and Action:  Healthy Living

Focus of Inquiry: Improvement in overall wellness.

Kaleden Elementary has a small, close-knit student population.  Many of the students come from supportive and involved homes and already lead healthy lifestyles.  Students have demonstrated involvement in activities outside of school including swimming, soccer, martial arts and dance. Kaleden students also enjoy physical activity at school, and will often independently arrange cross-grade cooperative games during unstructured play times.  The intention of our inquiry was to determine the extent to which deliberate teaching of DPA activities, healthy food choices and social responsibility traits would further improve overall student wellness and learning.

Strategies

Strategies and actions employed in efforts to promote and improve overall student wellness categoried by Comprehensive School Health approach

*Strategies and actions applying to multiple pillars

 Teaching and Learning

  • 30 min of Daily Physical Activity 3 X per week*
  • This year we extended our PE classes from 30 minutes to 45 minutes per class 2 X per week
  • Paricipation in the BC Fruit and Vegetable Nutrition Program*
  • Teachers taught nutritional units in their classroom, introduced the Canada Food Guide and had students us the guide to make healthy food choices and create healthy meal ideas
  • Students and parents attended an Interactive Open House at the school.  Students demonstrated some of the skills acquired during daily physical activity and PE lessons, how to make healthy food choices using the Canada Food Guide, and self-assessment strategies to determine skill development in literacy and numeracy*
  • Teachers established clear guidelines and expectations for school and classroom conduct.  These were posted in the classrooms and referred to on a daily basis*
  • Teachers taught the "Second Step" program*

 Social & Physical Environment

  • Kaleden staff embraced the spirit of the HSN project.  To guide our inquiry, we added the goal to "Improve the School Environment" in the School Progress Report
  • Kaleden joined Action Schools! BC.  Each classroom has a complete Action Schools kit and teachers were trained to use the kits in September*
  • School wide physical activity field trips (skating, x-country skiing, tubing, swimming, x-country running, track and field, sports days)
  • Teachers established clear guidelines and expectations for school and classroom conduct.  These were posted in the classrooms and referred to on a daily basis
  • School assemblies and spirit days in multi-grade teams to develop school spirit and cooperative, group working skills
  • A social Responsibility Club was created.  Each month students examined character traits and presented these to the entire student body
  • Kaleden had a Destination Conservation Team.  The team ran our, "Lights Out" Program and recycling of paper, plastics and juice boxes
  • Students fund raised to support our foster child, Rogers

 Partnerships & Services

  • Kaleden joined Action Schools! BC.  Each classroom has a complete Action Schools kit and teachers were trained to use the kits in September*
  • Participated in the BC Fruit and Vegetable Nutrition Program*
  • Students and parents attended an Interactive Open House at the school.  Students deomonstrated some of the skills acquired during daily physical activity and PE lessons, how to make healthy food choices using the Canada Food Guide, and self-assessment strategies to determine skill development in literacy and numeracy*

 Healthy School Policy

  • 30 minutes of daily physical activity 3 X per week*
  • Ensured that healthy food guidelines were met for hot lunch and special days
  • A portion of our monthly staff meetings were set aside to discuss our HSN inquiry question.  We discussed the strategies that we were using, assessed how they were working and noted any shining moments that we had with out students.  We also looked at the areas where we were having difficulties and discussed potential ways to change our practice.

Of the "Six Strategies that Matter" the ones we used the most:

  1. Learning intentions for clear direction and purpose.  Students quickly learned the value and importance of developing overall wellness.  They learned that wellness can positively impact all areas of their lives, not just in the physically active sense.
  2. Thoughtful feedback was given to students by teachers regarding their participation and effort for the wellness activities.  School-wide feedback on achievement was given at assemblies.
  3. Thoughtful questions that lead to discussions.  Students had a clear undersatnding of why we were developing our wellness. Each month, the student leaders in the Social Responsibility Club were given the task of finding ways to get their peers thinking about the wellness theme.
  4. The students as learning/teaching resources for each other. Students became mentors for each other, working together and encouraging each other to improve and do better.

School Findings

 

 Emerging

%         #

Developing 

%          #

Acquired

%          #

Accomplished

%          # 

    Fall 2008       36        45 

 52         64  

 12        14 

  0           2

  Spring 2009   0           0

 27         32

 57        72

 16         20 

Reflections and School Plans for 2009-2010

In October, teachers found their students to be mainly in the Emerging and Developing category on the Healthy Living Quick Scales.  On the June Quick Scales, most students had shifted to the Acquired and Accomplished categories.  Teachers felt that overall student wellness had improved greatly over the course of the year. 

Students participated enthusicastically in all DPA activities.  Students participated in school-wide DPA at the beginning of the day and it provided a healthy structure for the rest of the day.  Students had time to connect with others during DPA and develop relationships across the grades.  This contributed positively to our school ethos.  Following DPA, students were refreshed, focused, and ready to get down to work.  Teachers noted that students seemed to be expending more energy in engaged play during unstructured times. 

Students now bring to school healthier snacks and lunches and enjoy assessing whether their meals are balanced.  Kaleden kids have great pride in their school.  They have demonstrated an understanding of the importance of looking after the environment.  Packing a litterless lunch, recycling paper & plastics, and turning out the lights have become a way of life at Kaleden Elementary.  The Social Responsibility team consistently delivered the message regarding the student character traits needed to make our school run well.  Teachers noted the students working to improve their self concept, improve their relationships with others and develop more complex problem solving skills. 

For the next school year we will continue these initiatives with the intent of broadening the base of wellness activities in an effort to ensure all students remain engaged in wellness development.