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,
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 leaders1 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.
“The Student Well-being Framework gives us 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
We've created a companion guide to the Student Well-being Framework. It helps CBE staff really unpack what each theme means for their students and classrooms. It offers sample well-being goals and metrics, planning templates, and recommended resources.
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 School Improvement). 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."
On why a framework matters...
The goals of the well-being framework are to advance a culture of well-being, explain why it is 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 had comprehensive school health and the Canadian Healthy School Standards. We had research on social emotional learning from groups like CASEL. Schools were working toward wellness goals (alongside mathematics goals and literacy goals) as part of their school development plans. They were gathering data to find out how students were 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."
On moving forward...
“The Student Well-being Framework isn’t static. It’s moving, it’s changing. We’re 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 companion guide—resources at each divisional level for students and staff. We’re helping staff see the connections in their daily interactions with students in the classroom. For example, we’re developing a common understanding of the five principles of social emotional learning (SEL), centered on the work of CASEL.
We’re also doing some exciting work with students—through advisory councils, we’re talking with them about how they experience well-being at school. We’re planning a student well-being symposium so they can collaborate with each other, share ideas, make plans, and get support to mobilize their ideas.
We’re open to feedback. We’re always looking at results reports and other forms of data to help us understand what’s going on when it comes to student well-being. We ask ourselves what the data are saying, and what we can do to address issues that emerge.”
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 has a role in advancing a culture of well-being, no matter who they are or what role they play.
A well-being framework is a system initiative. It starts with bringing people together who have a voice in student and staff wellness, then setting up regular meetings and structures (like steering committees) for conversations. It means developing evidence-based, strategic actions and expanding them—really shaping them into something that will make a difference.
With the CBE Student Well-being Framework, it’s all coming together in a more coordinated way.”
Learn more about this story
- Health & wellness in school
Calgary Board of Education
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1Thanks to CBE staff Danielle Boutette, David Dyck, Chris Fenlon-MacDonald, and Kate Love for sharing this story. Their words have been edited and condensed for clarity and brevity.
