Healthy Schools

Health and education are closely intertwined. Island Health works as a partner with K-12 schools, school districts and communities to create an environment where health and wellbeing are promoted across the whole school.

How can Island Health support your school?

Local Healthy Schools Teams, consisting of various health professionals, are committed to supporting school health in a planned, integrated and holistic way. Medical Health Officers serve School Boards under the BC School Act.

The Healthy School Team can help your school:

Identify health priorities or topics to focus on
Support connections with community partners, resources, and services
Share and interpret health information
Find resources and grants to support healthy school projects
Support student and staff health and wellbeing
Explore and collaborate on healthy schools plans
Population & Public Health, Healthy Schools Team Infographic

Using a Comprehensive School Health Approach

A Comprehensive School Health (CSH) approach encourages school communities to come together to create a learning environment where health and wellbeing are valued and promoted across the whole school. It encompasses the whole school environment with coordinated actions in four interrelated areas:

Relationships & Environments
Teaching & Learning
Community Partnerships
School Policies

To learn more and find resources to implement CSH in your school community:

Contact the Healthy Schools Team for further information.

To connect with a team in your area:

Region Specific – School Health Promoter Contact Information.

Health Resources for School Communities

Below each topic you may find resources for your school community, including resources specific to Schools & Educators and Parents/Caregivers.

Body Image and Nutrition

Nurturing confidence.png

Nurturing Confidence – Food, Eating and Bodies in Schools

School & Educator Resources

For support with school food programming, email us and connect with a Public Health Dietitian in your area.

Lesson Plans / Classroom Activities:

Parent/Caregiver Resources

Nutrition

Eating Disorders & Body Image

Eating Disorders Services - Island Health
National Eating Disorder Information Centre provides phone/chat support, educator/student/family resources & programming
Embody provides eating disorder prevention education, resources & support for BC youth, families, educators and professionals

Climate Adaptation and Resilience

Climate change is affecting our health and wellbeing. It can also directly impact learning, e.g. school access may be limited during adverse weather events, extreme heat can affect concentration. Integrating climate adaptation and resilience in all aspects of the school environment is an integral part of the response to climate change. More importantly, students across BC and Canada are calling for a more just and holistic climate change education.

School & Educator Resources

Lesson Plans / Classroom Activities:

Parent/Caregiver Resources

Common Childhood Illnesses and Prevention

Everyone can help prevent the spread of infections by practicing proper handwashing. Check out the handwashing webpages from BCCDC and HealthLinkBC.

School & Educator Resources

K-12 Schools and COVID-19 - BCCDC

Lesson Plans / Classroom Activities:

Handwashing & Educational Resources - Do Bugs Need Drugs

Parent/Caregiver Resources

Illness Prevention

Common Childhood Illness

Dental Health

School & Educator Resources

Every three years, a province-wide kindergarten dental survey takes place in all schools to monitor trends in early childhood dental health and to identify children with dental concerns. The last survey took place in the 2022/2023 school year.

Lesson Plans / Classroom Activities:

Parent/Caregiver Resources

Island Health Dental Program

Supplementary Benefits

Diabetes, Glucagon and Nursing Support Services

School & Educator Resources

Diabetes in Schools - Province of BC: includes general information on type 1 and type 2 diabetes, glucagon administration, low blood sugar and planning.
Baqsimi (nasal glucagon) administration - Basqimi
Nursing Support Services (NSS) - BCCH NSS: support for school staff caring for children with diabetes.
School Diabetes Checklist - with NSS care plan
School Diabetes Checklist - without NSS care plan
Diabetes Support Plan Compared to NSS care plan

Immunization and Vaccines

Immunizations - Island Health

School & Educator Resources

Lesson Plans / Classroom Activities:

Kids Boost Immunity Curriculum Resources Gr 4-12

Parent/Caregiver Resources

Injury Prevention

Everyone - students, families, schools and community - can benefit from learning how to prevent serious and fatal injuries in the home, at play and on the move.

Injury Topics – Parachute

Concussion Awareness Training Tool - CATT

BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit, Injury Priorities - BCIRPU

School & Educator Resources

Lesson Plans / Classroom Activities:

Brain Waves (Gr 4-6) - Parachute

Kindergarten Preparation

School & Educator Resources

Parent/Caregiver Resources

Lice Management

Head lice are common, especially among children aged 3 to 12. They can impact children's well-being by causing discomfort, frustration, unnecessary embarrassment, and financial strain on families due to the time and costs involved in treatment. Head Lice are primarily transmitted by close head to head contact. Head lice do not jump or fly. While they can be a nuisance, head lice do not spread any diseases and are not related to personal hygiene or cleanliness in the home, school, or community. Anyone who has hair can get head lice.

Louse Life Cycle.jpg

Mental Health

Language Matters-Province of BC: The words and concepts we use are powerful tools that have the ability to stigmatize, illuminate or empower. This resource emphasizes the use of language that is accurate, inclusive, stigma free, strengths-based, culturally responsive, and respectful of individual identities and differences.