Healthy Schools BC Newsletter

March 2014

Join the Healthy Schools BC Mailing List

Stay Connected to the Healthy Schools Movement in BC

There are plenty of ways to stay connected to the healthy schools movement! Follow DASH on social media for all your healthy schools news and happenings.

School Grant Opportunities

To check out the following grant opportunities and many more, visit the Healthy Schools BC website here.

Healthy Communities Capacity Building Grant

Deadline: Mar. 14

ViaSport Aboriginal Youth Sport Legacy Fund

Deadline: Apr. 4

Arts in Education Council of BC Fund

Deadline: Apr. 4

RBC-Evergreen Watershed Champions Award

Deadline: Apr. 18

Vancouver Foundation Education Grants

Year-Round Intake

Computers for Schools BC

Year-Round Intake

BC Hydro Sponsorship

Year-Round Intake

RBC After School Project Grants

Year-Round Intake

Videos of the Month:

BC School Fruit and Vegetable Nutritional Program Documentary

This video highlights the incredible impact of the BC SFVNP, such as the value of supporting BC agriculture and providing a chance for BC students from all corners of the province to sample BC produce while learning more about healthy food and where our food comes from. Watch the video here.

Videos of the Month: Better Than This

Better Than This is a song written by BC youth to raise awareness of online bullying, depression, self-harm, online safety and all the topics in between. Sarah and Lara, who wrote this song, performed it at the Balancing Our Minds conference on February 11th, 2014. Click here

to listen to the song.

Save the Date!

The Networks of Inquiry and Innovation (NOII) are hosting a symposium on May 2nd and

May 3rd. This year's theme is Stories of Change: Pictures of Possibility, featuring innovative leadership in education in BC and beyond. Click here for more information.

Ski for Free!

Attention Grade 4s and 5s! Want to ski and ride this winter? The Canadian Ski Council's SnowPass™ lets you ski and ride three times at EACH participating ski area for $29.95. That's a lot of skiing and boarding right across Canada! Click here to read more.

Youth Engagement Toolkit

The Pan-Canadian Joint Consortium for School Health's (JCSH) Youth Engagement Toolkit is now available! Click here to read more about the toolkit and how to access it.

About DASH BC

The Healthy Schools BC Newsletter is brought to you by DASH BC. Our vision is that ALL learners in BC will realize their full potential as healthy learners who feel connected and engaged in their community. We are a non-profit society that inspires our partners and stakeholders to improve the health and learning of students in BC by promoting, supporting and facilitating a healthy schools approach. Visit our website for more information.

DASH BC

#1055 - 409 Granville St.

Vancouver, BC

V6C 1T2

www.dashbc.ca

info@dashbc.ca

phone: 604-681-0600

fax: 604-681-0602

Featured Articles

March Is Nutrition Month Across Canada

DASH takes a look at BC healthy eating resources for schools

March is Nutrition Month in Canada! This year, the theme is focused on showing Canadians the many ways that they can Simply Cook and Enjoy. Nutrition Month 2014 posters are available to order. Read more about nutrition month, including some of the key provincially available healthy eating programs and resources here.

Registration for the DASH Symposium Is Now Open!

8th Annual Healthy Schools Leadership Symposium held in May

For the first time, registration is open to the public! Join us for a day filled with networking, collaboration, and learning with those who are committed to the creation and facilitation of healthy schools in BC.

The day will include a keynote on Collective Impact by Paul Born, co-founder and Director of Tamarack Institute, presentations by BC's Healthy Living Youth Council, and an array of break-out sessions on topics such as: Student and Youth Leadership and Engagement, Cross-Sector Engagement (Health and Education), the Healthy Schools Network and the After School Setting.

Visit the DASH website here to register and to learn more. Please note that seating is limited.

Healthy Schools Stories

Featured Story: Let's Learn How Food Is Grown!

Surrey school teaches students about food production

Mary Jane Shannon Elementary School in Surrey is participating in the Healthy Schools Network (HSN) this year with a focus for students to understand where food comes from and to learn skills about making healthy, affordable snacks. Indoor gardens, field trips, and preparing food together is helping them achieve this! Read more about their story here.

Healthy Eating in BC Schools

Many ways of working towards a common goal

Across the province, schools are engaging in healthy eating initiatives and projects, ranging from school gardens to cooking programs. While the end goal of all of these projects is to foster healthier eating in schools, the projects are incredibly diverse, innovative and fun!

Click here to learn about some of these incredible projects.

DASH Update

Healthy Schools Network Update

HSN grants a huge success for 2013/14

It has been an exciting year so far for the Healthy Schools Network (HSN)! Schools from all corners of the province are participating in the HSN through a variety of projects to foster healthier learners and a healthier school environment. The projects are very diverse and include indigenous school gardens, mobile after-school art trucks, innovative learning rooms, and much more! Click here to read more.

DASH Attends Balancing Our Minds Event

A conference about mental health dialogue for youth

On February 11th, 2014, DASH and Healthy Living Youth Council members attended Balancing Our Minds 2014: Tools for Youth Wellness. The conference, in its second year, provides the opportunity for school-aged youth in BC to learn about mental health and engage in fun activities and thoughtful dialogue. Read more about the event, including reflections from HLYC members, here.

DASH Attends Ever Active Schools Conference

Shaping the future by inspiring youth to be healthy learners

From January 23rd - 25th, 2014, our colleagues in Alberta at Ever Active Schools held their 5th annual Shaping the Future conference. This exciting conference brings together leaders from the health, education and active living sectors with a keen interest in inspiring children and youth to be healthy learners. Click here to read DASH Executive Director Kathy Cassels' experience at the conference on the DASH Blog.

And the Winner Is...Sharron Higgins!

PHABC acknowledges contributions to public health practice

2013 was the 60th anniversary of the Public Health Association of British Columbia. In honour of this milestone, PHABC presented six awards to nominees who made a significant contribution to public health in British Columbia. One of the recipients is former President of the Board of Directors at DASH, Sharron Higgins. Congratulations, Sharron! Click here to read more.

Teacher Resources

School Gardens: Let's Get Growing!

DASH takes a look at school garden resources

Does your school, or a school you work with, have a garden? If not, are you interested in starting a garden? We've gathered some great resources to support you with starting or enhancing your garden, including activities and curriculum connections. All of these resources and more are found on the Healthy Schools BC website. Click here to view school garden resources.

Action Schools! BC Update

March is Nutrition Month and a great time to celebrate healthy eating!

Celebrate Nutrition Month with Action Schools! BC. Read about the latest Action Schools! BC updates including the revised Healthy Eating Action Resource for K to 7, new digital resources, and Healthy Eating Pages! here.

Farm to School BC

Connect your school with a local farm

Farm to School is broadly defined as a school-based program that connects schools (K-12) and local farms. Farm to School programs aim to improve student nutrition and to provide students with opportunities to learn about foods and the local food system, while supporting local farmers and the local economy. Read more about Farm to School, the benefits of the program and how to get involved here.

Canadian students are more connected, more mobile and more social than ever. The report, Young Canadians in a Wired World, Phase III: Life Online, summarizes media use among Canadian students, such as what youth are doing online, what sites they're going to, and what their attitudes are towards online safety. Click here to read more.