Healthy Schools certification for six Grand Erie schools that committed to health, well-being

Caption: Prince Charles PS is one of the proud recipients

A number of Grand Erie schools are celebrating a new status this month as part of a commitment to promoting and enhancing the health and well-being of students, staff, and the wider community.

Healthy Schools certification took place across Ontario, with six Grand Erie schools receiving gold, silver, or bronze through Ophea, which charts completion of the 6-Step Healthy Schools Process, aligning with the Ministry of Education’s Foundations for a Healthy School resource, over the course of the year.

Within Grand Erie, Prince Charles Public School and North Ward School are the proud recipients of gold status. Banbury Heights Elementary School and Pauline Johnson Collegiate & Vocational School received silver, and Bellview Elementary School and Princess Elizabeth School secured bronze.

“At Prince Charles, we decided to make greater physical activity a real priority this year, and everyone, including parents and community members, got on board,” said Darryl Casey, Principal at Prince Charles Public School, who noted that public health nurse Laura Fretz was also instrumental in helping the school community reach these goals. “Everything from enhancing the outdoor environment to planning school trips considered active living.”

Over the last ten months, and working in tandem with community partners such as county health units, schools planned and implemented events, initiatives, and programming to foster mental and physical health and wellness. Ophea used a point system to measure efforts.

“The North Ward community committed to four things: eating well, getting enough sleep, getting our bodies moving, and giving back to the wider community,” said Principal Cathy Shaheen of North Ward School’s commitment to Healthy Schools. “Students had choice in the activities they participated in to ensure they had fun, and were therefore more likely to keep up the good work.” North Ward School also worked closely with its public health nurse, Dianne Gammon, who played a significant part in helping the school implement the positive changes.

Ophea is a charitable organization that champions healthy, active living in schools and communities through quality programs and services, partnerships and advocacy, and is led by the vision that all children and youth value and enjoy the lifelong benefits of healthy, active living.

Congratulations to all the schools that were recognized!