What is the Healthy Schools Recognition Program?
The Healthy Schools Recognition Program is a national, self-directed, step-based program that promotes strengthening health initiatives that can influence student belonging, school connectedness, and health and well-being. This program empowers schools with flexibility and ownership by providing tools, tips, and prompts that support the development of a unique, personalized Healthy Schools journey.
The Healthy Schools Recognition Program is based on the 4 steps of the Healthy Schools Process, and is inspired by several guiding frameworks centring health, wellbeing, and belonging, including Canada’s Comprehensive School Health Framework. When implemented as intended, this framework and the Healthy Schools Process can contribute to lifelong engagement in healthy behaviours for students, staff, and the community (Bassett-Gunter et al., 2015).
Recognition as a Healthy School is based on a school’s engagement with the Healthy Schools Process and completion of the 4 Steps at their own pace. The process supports schools with the identification, planning and implementation of initiatives, and sharing achievements and impact on the school and broader community.
The Healthy Schools Process includes the following 4 Steps:
- Step 1 – Assemble Your Team
- Step 2 – Identify Your School Community Priority Area(s), Assets, and Goals
- Step 3 – Develop Your Plan and Take Action
- Step 4 – Celebrate and Reflect
Program Goals and Outcomes
The Healthy Schools Recognition Program strives to:
- support schools in enhancing the health and well-being of their students and staff
- strengthen new and existing school-based initiatives supporting health, belonging, inclusion, and well-being
- encourage meaningful collaboration to promote a holistic, whole-community approach to the Healthy Schools journey
By taking part in the Healthy Schools Recognition Program, schools can get support with goals like:
- strengthening the school community and developing students’ sense of belonging, which can lead to improvements in physical and mental health, social development, and academic success
- establishing healthy, safe, and inclusive learning environments where all students feel valued and connected and can reach their full potential
- planning and implementing priorities reflective of your whole school community and its needs
- increasing access to and participation in school-wide health and well-being initiatives
- demonstrating a commitment to supporting school-wide health through measurable improvements in school policies, daily classroom practices, and community engagement
- promoting and empowering student leadership to build skills and support a student-focused approach
- promoting student learning through improvements in student health and well-being
- creating long-term strategies and approaches to maintaining a Healthy School
Why are Healthy Schools important?
The Healthy Schools Recognition Program helps support positive changes in student health and learning by using proven strategies like the Comprehensive School Health Framework and the Healthy Schools Process (Bassett-Gunter et al., 2015).
The Healthy Schools Process encourages strength and asset-based strategies that help build a sense of belonging for students and everyone in the school community. When students feel like they belong, it can have a real impact on their physical and mental health, social development, and success in school (Canadian Healthy Schools Alliance, 2021). Belonging is an essential part of all students’ experiences within schools (Meyer et al., 2023), and creating school environments that centre student belonging and connectedness is linked to:
- improvements in academic performance and confidence
- greater engagement in school community and stronger sense of purpose at school
- lower rates of anxiety, depression, and feelings of loneliness
- more openness to seeking help and healthy ways to manage stress
- greater positive relationships with classmates and less experiences of bullying
- more physical activity and engaging in healthy behaviours
- lower engagement in risky or harmful behaviours (Fabris et al., 2023)
Taking your Healthy Schools journey through the Healthy Schools Recognition Program sets up students and the greater school community for success by supporting student engagement, fostering a cohesive and inclusive school community, and centring student voice and connectedness to each other and the community. The Healthy Schools Recognition Program plays a meaningful role in helping schools create environments where all students feel valued, connected, and engaged.
What does the Healthy Schools Recognition Program include?
Once registered, you will have access to:
- a web-based dashboard to support your Healthy Schools team with working through the 4 Steps of the Healthy Schools Process
- support tools, tips, considerations, and prompts to help guide you through each step in the Healthy Schools Process connected to the Comprehensive School Health areas
- a Journey Summary Report, created upon completion of the Healthy Schools Process, that highlights your journey and achievements through a storytelling infographic
- digital badges, provided as digital image files, that can be downloaded and shared to show your commitment to a Healthy School and recognition as a Healthy School
How can my school get involved?
Connect with Others in Your School Community
Start your journey by connecting with others in your school and greater community. There may be students, staff, parent(s)/caregiver(s), or community partners who are passionate about supporting the health priorities of the school community, and may be interested in leading or co-leading a Healthy Schools team.
Familiarize Yourself with the Healthy Schools Process
Before you register, learn more about Healthy Schools on the program website. Still have questions? Get in touch by using the Contact Us form on the website.
Register Your School
Register your school on the Healthy Schools website and set up your school’s online dashboard. School administrator approval is required to register.
Familiarize Yourself with Your School’s Online Dashboard
After you have successfully registered, familiarize yourself with your school’s online Dashboard, including the 4 Steps of the Healthy Schools Process and the different support tools.
Tip: A glossary of terms is available to help with the Healthy Schools Recognition Program language.
Complete the Healthy Schools Process and Journal Questions
Complete the 4 Steps of the Healthy Schools Process as outlined on your school’s Dashboard. Each step includes reflection, or “journal” questions that can be submitted for a Journey Summary Report once your Healthy Schools journey is complete. Use the Summary Report to share and tell your story of your Healthy Schools journey with your school community, including administrators, parent(s)/caregiver(s), and community partners.
Additional Resources and References
Additional Resources:
Guiding Frameworks:
Resource References:
Asselin, G., Bilodeau, H., and Khalid, A. (2024). Digital well-being: the relationship between technology use, mental health and interpersonal relationships. Retrieved from: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/22-20-0001/222000012024001-eng.htm
Bassett-Gunter, R, Yessis, J, & Manske, S, Gleddie, D. (2015). Healthy School Communities in Canada Health Education Journal. Retrieved from https://cass.ab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Bassett_Gunter_etal_2015.pdf
Canadian Healthy Schools Alliance. (2021). Canadian Healthy School Standards. Retrieved from https://www.healthyschoolsalliance.ca/en/resources
EAB. (2021). Five Components of Student Belonging. Retrieved from https://attachment.eab.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/PDF-SAF-EAB-5-Comp-Student-Belonging-IG.pdf
Elders, Knowledge Keepers, and Cultural Advisors. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.queensu.ca/indigenous/ways-knowing/elders-knowledge-keepers-and-cultural-advisors
Fabris, M.A., Settanni, M., Longobardi, C., & Marengo, D. (2024). Sense of Belonging at School and on Social Media in Adolescence: Associations with Educational Achievement and Psychosocial Maladjustment. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 55(6):1620-1633. Retrieved from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11485285/
Gallegos, A. & Surasky, C. (2023). Belonging Design Principles: A resource guide for building belonging. Retrieved from https://belonging.berkeley.edu/belongingdesignprinciples
Healey, K. & Stroman, C. (2021). Structures for belonging: A synthesis of research on belonging-supportive learning environments. Retrieved from https://studentexperiencenetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Structures-for-Belonging.pdf
Health Promoting Schools. (n.d). Retrieved from https://www.jcsh-cces.ca/en/concepts/health-promoting-schools/
Manuel, L., Atari, D. O., & Ikemdinachi, O. (2021). The influence of religiosity and spirituality on health in Canada: A systematic literature review. Journal of Religion and Health, 61(1), 373-414. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-020-01148-8
Mental Health Research Canada. (2024). Exploring the impact of social relationships on youth mental health in Canada. Retrieved from https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f31a311d93d0f2e28aaf04a/t/66bf8138b3f4466a3bb7d815/1723826491090/Youth+Mental+Health+Impact+of+Social+Relationships.pdf
Meyer, K., Allen, K., Anderman, L., Brady, S., Gopalan, M., & Reschly, A. (2023). Considerations for use of school belonging assessments. EdInstruments Brief, Annenberg Institute for School Reform. Retrieved from https://edinstruments.org/sites/default/files/Considerations%20Use%20of%20School%20Belonging%20Assessments.pdf
Ministry of Education. (2019). The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Health and Physical Education, 17. Retrieved from https://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/2019-health-physical-education-grades-1to8.pdf
Neely, K.C., Montemurro, G.R. & Storey, K.E. (2020). A Canadian-wide perspective on the essential conditions for taking a comprehensive school health approach. BMC Public Health 20, 1907. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09987-6
Ontario. (2021). Outcomes for Youth Wellbeing: Health and Wellness. Retrieved from https://www.ontario.ca/document/stepping-up/outcomes-youth-wellbeing-health-and-wellness#foot-91
Ontario Public Health. (2024). Healthy Eating Behaviours Among 1-17 Year Olds using the Canadian Health Survey of Children and Youth. Retrieved from https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/H/24/healthy-eating-behaviours-1-17-yrs-chscy.pdf?rev=87bef37ff3844170976ab19f54f7d850&sc_lang=en&hash=3C94DA8B7253111A2643518E311665BA
Ontario Student Drug and Health Survey. (2023). Drug Use Among Ontario Students. Retrieved from https://www.camh.ca/-/media/research-files/osduhs-drug-use-report_2023.pdf
Ontario Student Drug and Health Survey. (2023). The mental health and wellbeing of Ontario Students. Retrieved from https://youthrex.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/OSDUHS-Mental-Health-and-Wellbeing-Report_2023.pdf
UNICEF. (2019). The Canadian Index of Child and Youth Well-being 2019 Baseline Report. (p. 55). Retrieved from https://www.unicef.ca/sites/default/files/2022-07/2019_Baseline_Report_Canadian_Index_of_Child_and_Youth_Well-being%281%29.pdf
Public Health Ontario. (2024). Injuries among Children using the Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth. Retrieved from https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/I/2023/injuries-among-children-using-chscy.pdf
ParticipACTION. (2024). Rallying for Resilience: Keeping Children and Youth Active in a Changing Climate. Retrieved from https://www.participaction.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2024-Children-and-Youth-Report-Card-Highlight-Report.pdf