School health in action:
Advancing a culture of well-being
Categories: Mental Health, Physical Activity, Nutrition, Health Promotion, Elementary, Junior High, Senior High, Calgary and area,
School health policies and frameworks shape school culture by defining shared values, beliefs, norms, and intentions. They can be a starting point for an important change. Or they can formalize practices already in place.
In March 2023, the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) launched its Student Well-Being Framework. This direction-setting document is the first of its kind for Western Canada’s largest school authority.
We sat down with four CBE wellness leaders (Danielle Boutette, David Dyck, Chris Fenlon-MacDonald, and Kate Love) to talk about the difference this system initiative is making in CBE schools. Here’s what they had to say.
On what a framework does...
The well-being framework lays out CBE's overall commitment to advancing a culture of wellness, with students and learning at the centre.
It’s helping to establish common language around student well-being. It explains what a culture of well-being looks like and feels like in CBE schools, guided by four themes:
- Diversity and inclusion
- School connectedness and belonging
- Regulation
- Resilience and mental health
“Overall, the Student Well-Being Framework coordinates actions across our system. It creates alignment between portfolios that contribute to the overall well-being of students, like Inclusive Education, Indigenous Education, and Diversity and Inclusion. It helps prioritize professional learning and development on well-being concepts and strategies. It brings consistency to the way we work with Alberta Health Services and other partner organizations." – David Dyck
On why a framework matters...
The goals of the well-being framework are to advance a culture of well-being, explain why it’s important, and suggest how to achieve it.
“Before we put together the Student Well-Being Framework, a lot of good work was already happening across our schools—it just wasn’t necessarily coordinated. We have comprehensive school health and the Canadian Healthy School Standards. We have research on social emotional learning (SEL) from organizations like the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). Schools are working toward well-being goals alongside mathematics and literacy goals as part of their school development plans. They are gathering data to find out how students are doing in terms of health and well-being.
The Student Well-Being Framework puts all the puzzle pieces together—research, student data, evidence-based practices, and resources." – Chris Fenlon-MacDonald
On system coordination...
In CBE, well-being is understood as a balanced state of being that provides a foundation for resilience, belonging, and purpose in life.
“Whether you’re a big board or a small board, this is a point in time where everyone understands that well-being is important. Everyone in a school system can advance a culture of well-being, no matter who they are or what role they play.” – Danielle Boutette
For CBE, a well-being framework is a systems initiative. It starts with bringing people together who have a voice in student well-being, then setting up structures like steering committees for regular and ongoing conversations. It means focusing on evidence-based, strategic actions and how they can be shaped into something that will make a difference.
On putting the framework into action...
The Student Well-Being Framework isn’t static. The CBE is creating space across the system for it to live and breathe.
“We’re doing some exciting work with staff through consistent professional learning. In these early days, we’re unpacking the framework and helping staff see the connection to their daily interactions with students in the classroom. We have established the SEL Working Group with the purpose of aligning understanding and creating contextually relevant resources for teachers and schools to increase capacity and unify authentic implementation of SEL to advance a culture of well-being in CBE.” – Kate Love
CBE is intentionally including student voice in service of well-being. This year marks the inaugural CBE Student Well-Being Symposium that brought students together to collaborate, create School Well-Being Action Teams and plan to mobilize change in their school communities. The result of their efforts to elevate well-being through student voice have been wide-reaching and personalized to their school contexts.
For example, students from Nelson Mandela High School focused on school connectedness and belonging by creating “YOUnited” time after school. This time was for fun and relaxing activities such as arts and crafts, sports, games, book club, science and technology and more. More than 120 students joined “YOUnited” time in the first week and they plan to celebrate with a year-end BBQ provided by the culinary arts program to build excitement for next year.
Families and caregivers are another important partner supporting well-being at CBE schools. CBE invited all family and caregivers to a series of free online education sessions focused on child and youth well-being. Topics included brain development, mental health and anxiety, sexual health, and vaping. Administrators share information regularly with families and caregivers about school well-being goals and activities.
The creation of this framework, and the actions that have already come from it, show CBE’s ongoing commitment to sustaining an embedded culture of well-being throughout their organization.
Learn more about this story
- Health & wellness in school
Calgary Board of Education
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