Healthy Schools BC Newsletter

April 2015

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.

Grant Opportunities

Arts in Education Council of BC Fund

Deadline: Apr. 15, 2015

BCTF Social Justice Grant

Deadline: Apr. 15, 2015

RBC-Evergreen Watershed Champions Award

Deadline: Apr. 17, 2015

GoodLife Kids Foundation Grant Program
Deadline: Apr. 24, 2015

MusiCounts TD Community Music Grant

Deadline: Apr. 30, 2015

RBC Learn to Play Project Grant
Deadline: May 8,2015

Toyota Evergreen School Ground Greening Grant

Deadline: May 8, 2015

Artists in the Classroom Grant

Deadline: May 28, 2015

Arts in Education Grant

Deadline: May 29, 2015

Coast Capital Savings Community Investment Grant

Deadline: Aug. 27, 2015

HCTF Education GO Grant
Deadline: Sept. 30, 2015

Cherniavsky's 'Mr. Music' Fund

Deadline: Oct. 16, 2015

Action Schools! BC Healthy Eating School Food Grant

Ongoing

McCreary Youth Action Grant

Ongoing

RBC Children's Mental Health Project Fund
Ongoing

ParticipACTION Teen Physical Activity Grant

Ongoing

BC Youth in Agriculture Foundation Grant
Ongoing

View other healthy school grant opportunities here.

Editor's Note:

Clarification of the "March Is Nutrition Month" article in the March edition of the Healthy Schools BC Newsletter: the article should have reflected that the organizations highlighted are the provincially-funded organizations within Healthy Schools BC; there are many more fantastic provincial and local organizations providing healthy eating resources. Check out the Healthy Schools BC website for a more comprehensive list.

Video of the Month: Upstream Thinking

Thinking upstream means investing wisely for future success, rather than responding to or perpetuating failure. This video from the Canadian non-profit organization Upstream argues that targeting the source rather than the symptoms is the best way to create a healthier society.

About DASH BC

The Healthy Schools BC Newsletter is brought to you by DASH BC. Our vision is that ALL students are healthy, engaged, and connected at school.

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

#530-510 Burrard St.

Vancouver, BC

V6C 3A8

www.dashbc.ca

info@dashbc.ca

phone: 604-681-0600

fax: 604-681-0602

Featured Articles

Registration Now Open for 2015 Healthy Schools Leadership Symposium

Challenging our perspectives for supporting innovative healthy schools practice

DASH BC, in partnership with Healthy Schools BC, is proud to announce that registration is now open for the 9th Annual Healthy Schools Leadership Symposium, happening May 4th - 5th, 2015 at the Westin Wall Centre, Vancouver Airport Hotel in Richmond! The theme of this year's event is "Leading and Learning: Challenging our perspectives for supporting innovative healthy schools practice". Click here to learn more and register!

Mental Health at Princess Margaret Secondary School

Everyone has a story to share

Schools in Penticton are continuing to raise awareness of mental health in their school community. This past month, Kevin Breel, a comedian and mental health activist, spoke to students and community members to share his story and continue community conversations about mental health. Click here to read about how sharing stories has helped students throughout school district 67 to become ongoing champions of mental health!

DASH Update

The Value of a Community of Practice

Local leaders share successes at After School Community Forum

Communities gathered together for the 4th Annual After School Sport and Arts Initiative (ASSAI) Community Forum at the end of February. The forum brings together representatives from 14 school districts around the province delivering ASSAI after school programs to allow them to learn from, and share with, one another. Learn more about the forum here.

HSN Mid-Year Summary

Learn more about HSN activities and inquiries

Over 230 schools are participating in the Healthy Schools Network (HSN) this year and are engaging students in a variety of healthy school initiatives. With another exciting year underway, if you are interested in learning more about the diverse, innovative and meaningful projects going on, check out the HSN Mid-Year Summary Report. You can also read a list of inquiry questions here, and summaries of activity projects here. Email hsn@dashbc.ca for questions about the HSN any time.

School Connectedness

Parents as Partners: Gathering the Seeds of Wisdom

One of the six strategies for fostering school connectedness

As the end of the school year hurtles toward you, it's worth taking time to reflect on your relationships with your students' parents. Gathering the seeds of wisdom now will help you improve your family relationships next year.

Parent/family engagement plays an essential role in student achievement and wellbeing; it has been identified as one of the six key strategies for fostering school connectedness, and BC schools are already using it to shape the future. Click here to read more!

Healthy Schools Stories

Greenwood's Reading Garden

Planting seeds for a lifetime of positive mental health

Students and educators at Greenwood Elementary used their HSN inquiry grant for a creative investigation: how would dedicating a space for reading in the school garden help reduce student anxiety? Click here to read their story!

Healthy School Resources

Roots of Empathy

Emotional literacy program brings infants into BC classrooms

Roots of Empathy's mission is to build caring, peaceful, and civil societies through the development of empathy in children and adults. The program brings neighbourhood infants and parents into classrooms to engage with students and to encourage children to reflect on their feelings and the feelings of others. Click here to learn more about how to get involved with Roots of Empathy as a participant or instructor!

Cook, Film, and Win!

The Hands-on Cook-off contest is back!

Better Together's annual Hands-on Cook-off contest is coming to BC schools for another year, this time with a special category for youth! Anyone in BC can enter between April 15th and May 15th, 2015. To read more about the full contest details and see sample videos, click here.

Check Out What's Happening with Action Schools! BC

Get outside and celebrate "Move for Health Day" with Action Schools! BC

Support healthy living and get active outside for Move for Health Day on May 10th. Click here to read more!

Planting a Promise with Daffodils

Start a garden at your school with BC Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation

Although many teachers would be enthusiastic to use a vegetable garden as a teaching tool, starting in-ground school gardens can be a daunting task! As a solution, BC Agriculture in the Classroom (BCAITC) has developed programs called Spuds in Tubs and Planting a Promise, where schools can sign up to receive materials and instructions to grow their very own potatoes and daffodils. Click here to find out more!