The past two years, Colonel Sanders Traditional Learning Centre has been working to create a culture with a greater focus on health and wellness through a school comprehensive health program that involves Teachers, Parents, the School Nurse, and the School Council President. The school’s focus began by creating initiatives that engage students, teachers and their families in healthy eating habits, increased physical activity levels, and character development.
This year, the school continues to focus on these initiatives while also increase student voice through leadership opportunities. This is where the School Wellness Action Team (SWAT) was created. Each class has 2 representatives, which attend weekly meetings focusing on creating leadership opportunities with a focus on health and wellness. These students work with their classmates and bring their voice to the SWAT meetings. After the meetings, they report back with any information as well as leadership opportunities available for their classmates. We have seen this process give our students at Colonel Sanders School a voice, which has led to a greater sense of community.
An example of an initiative being organized and led by students is surrounding healthy eating. The students in six different classrooms are working together explore healthy snack options that are will then be handed out to students in various ways, once a month on a healthy snack day. Their goal is to give all students within the school the opportunity to discover first hand that healthy snacks can taste good and be fun. The students have already come up with a few ideas such as trying to create the world’s longest fruit kabob, challenging classes to bring in certain coloured fruit and vegetables, and having healthy snack tracking within classes.
The students within our school have already worked towards twelve different initiatives that have occurred, or will occur throughout this school year. With the ability for their voice to be heard, our grade 1-4 students are gaining the feeling of pride and ownership over their own health and wellness, an amazing thing for the leaders of tomorrow.
Dustin Turner is a physical Education Learning Leader at Colonel Sanders School, a grade 1-4 school in Calgary Alberta. He has been teaching in the field of health & wellness for 8 years.
This year, the school continues to focus on these initiatives while also increase student voice through leadership opportunities. This is where the School Wellness Action Team (SWAT) was created. Each class has 2 representatives, which attend weekly meetings focusing on creating leadership opportunities with a focus on health and wellness. These students work with their classmates and bring their voice to the SWAT meetings. After the meetings, they report back with any information as well as leadership opportunities available for their classmates. We have seen this process give our students at Colonel Sanders School a voice, which has led to a greater sense of community.
An example of an initiative being organized and led by students is surrounding healthy eating. The students in six different classrooms are working together explore healthy snack options that are will then be handed out to students in various ways, once a month on a healthy snack day. Their goal is to give all students within the school the opportunity to discover first hand that healthy snacks can taste good and be fun. The students have already come up with a few ideas such as trying to create the world’s longest fruit kabob, challenging classes to bring in certain coloured fruit and vegetables, and having healthy snack tracking within classes.
The students within our school have already worked towards twelve different initiatives that have occurred, or will occur throughout this school year. With the ability for their voice to be heard, our grade 1-4 students are gaining the feeling of pride and ownership over their own health and wellness, an amazing thing for the leaders of tomorrow.
Dustin Turner is a physical Education Learning Leader at Colonel Sanders School, a grade 1-4 school in Calgary Alberta. He has been teaching in the field of health & wellness for 8 years.
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