Healthy Schools

Healthy schools banner - students walking safely on pedestrian crossing, in front of school bus and crossing guard.

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, Health 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:

  1. Relationships & Environments
  2. Teaching & Learning
  3. Community Partnerships
  4. School Policies
To learn more and find resources to implement CSH in your school community:

Contact the Healthy Schools Team 

General and Regional Inquiries

For general inquiries, please contact the Healthy Schools Team.

Want to connect with a team in your region? Contact your local public health unit and/or a School Health Promoter near you: 

School Division
School Health Promoter Contact
Greater Victoria  Alicia Parayno
(250) 415-6379
Alicia.Parayno@islandhealth.ca
Sooke  & 
Saanich 
Dee Dee McMillan
(250) 415-6159
DeeDee.McMillan@islandhealth.ca
Gulf Islands & 
Cowichan Valley 
Hillary Ko
(250) 732-4618
Hillary.Ko@islandhealth.ca
Nanaimo Ladysmith  Griffin Russell
(250) 589-0357
Griffin.Russell@islandhealth.ca
Qualicum  & 
Pacific Rim 

Emily Dunbar
(236) 638-8772
Emily.Dunbar@islandhealth.ca

Comox Valley & 
Vancouver Island North 
 
Sophie Cote 
(250) 507-9212
Sophie.Cote@islandhealth.ca
Campbell River  & 
Vancouver Island West 
 
Del-Rae Young                                          
(250) 850-2110                                      
DelRae.Young@islandhealth.ca

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

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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

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.

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School & Educator Resources

Lesson Plans / Classroom Activities:


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

Supplementary Benefits

Diabetes, Glucagon and Nursing Support Services

School & Educator Resources

Immunization and Vaccines

Immunizations - Island Health 


School & Educator Resources

Lesson Plans / Classroom Activities:


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. 

Concussion Awareness Training Tool - CATT
BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit, Injury Priorities - BCIRPU
Injury Topics – Parachute


School & Educator Resources

Lesson Plans / Classroom Activities:

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. 


School & Educator Resources


Parent/Caregiver Resources

 

Managing Medical Complexities in School & Nursing Support Services

Nursing Support Services

Complex Healthcare Needs/Nursing Support Services
Nursing Support Services for Seizure Care
Nursing Support Services Referral


School & Educator Resources

Anaphylaxis

Seizure Care


Parent/Caregiver Resources

Physical Activity and Literacy

School & Educator Resources

Lesson Plans / Classroom Activities:


Parent/Caregiver Resources

Sexual Health/Maturation

Island Health Youth Clinics provide free and confidential health services to individuals 25 years of age and under.

Canadian Centre for Child Protection


School & Educator Resources

Lesson Plans / Classroom Activities:


Parent/Caregiver Resources

Sleep

School & Educator Resources


Parent/Caregiver Resources

Substance Use (Including Vaping and Smoking)

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. Language Matters-Province of BC

Here to Help-Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research
Harm Reduction for Substance Use - Island Health
Youth and Family Substance Use Resources - Island Health


School and Educator Resources

Lesson Plans / Classroom Activities:


Parent/Caregiver Resources

Grant Funding Programs 

Please check back regularly as we continue to include more grant funding options for youth and school communities.

List of Grant Funding Programs

School Grants

Youth Action Grants


School Newsletter Inserts

We are currently updating and adding health and wellness related newsletter inserts. If you are not seeing a newsletter insert for a specific health topic, please reach out to our team to get one customized.

Newsletter inserts by health topic
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Contact the Healthy Schools Team and/or your local Public Health Unit.

Learn more about:

               Community Engagement 
               Food Security Hubs 
               Public Health Nutrition 

Services

News & Events

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