Key Concepts in Health Promoting Schools Communities Facilitated by: Steve Manske, EdD, Rebecca Bassett Gunter, PhD Workshop with: Shaping the Future Conference, Kananaskis, AB January, 2012

Purpose of This Session Health promoting schools do so by supporting individual wellness thus leading to improved learning outcomes. How can we enhance? This session will engage participants to identify pitfalls and strengths around how we talk about promoting healthy school communities Participants will offer input to enhance impact of a communication tool (“concept paper”).

Reason for the Session Priority raised at National Roundtable, 2010 Two national bodies (each with provincial / territorial members) who focus on the topic Task 1: Headline – Write down the headline or lead-in sentence that describes your ultimate success – Share with two others who bring a different perspective (health or education; practice or policy or research) – Post results 3

Debrief Share examples with the group Grouping of headlines – Process vs. outcome oriented – Terminology used for key concepts – Components suggested by headlines Learnings? 4

Do we need consensus? Language and jargon can complicate not facilitate Problems with communication and comprehension lead to reduced communication and collaboration Need to increase collaboration since we need to move the system toward a common goal Various terms/frameworks etc., complicate evaluation Reduces duplicate efforts in a time of limited resources Ensure sensitivity to each others’ terminology 5

Task 2: Terminology Using “Post-it” notes, with just one idea per note, write your preferred terminology for “how school communities can support health and well-being in the school community” in your group of 3, describe why you made this choice (1 minute max per person). Come to consensus. Post your consensus terminology. Review with the full group. 6

Systems for Promoting Healthy School Communities Health Promoting Schools 4E’s (Ever Active; PHE Canada) Environment Education Everyone Evidence Comprehensive School Health AB Education & Health Joint Consortium (JCSH) Social & Physical Environments Teaching & Learning Healthy School Policy Partnerships & Services

Where to from here? Develop a “concept paper” that will: – Review history of terms and frameworks – Review recent sources of information on current terms & frameworks – Attempt to bridge terms and concepts so educators and others “get” how they can support healthy school communities Develop a process to build support for paper Use the paper to expand impact of healthy school communities 8

Steering Committee PolicyPracticeResearch EducationPE School Health Coord. Canadian Principal Association Brock U Grant MacEwan U Educ & HealthJCSH AB School Health Coord. ON Healthy School Coalition PHE Canada Ever Active HealthNB School Health Coord. U Saskatchewan U Waterloo SecretariatPropel Centre for Pop Health Impact 9 Does this inspire confidence?

Concept Paper: Further Plans Input opportunities – Advisory Meeting (March) – PHE Conference Production: 25-, 3- and 1-page versions Promotion 10

Task 3: Advice In what format and through what forums are most suited share communication products for educators and other decision-makers? Ensuring education perspective is included: What recommendations do you have for educators who conceptualize well and get excited about geeky things like terminology? 11

Appreciation to all As usual at this conference I’ve learned more than I’ve contributed. 12

Thank You! Steve Manske Keep the spirit alive In partnership with:

Participants will brainstorm in diverse groups of three their preferred terminology for “how school communities can support health and well-being in the school community” and why they prefer this. They will come to consensus. (By diverse crossing education, health, government, etc) We will post responses and review with the large group what small groups preferred, and why. Then we will have use “dotmocracy” to establish preferred terminology for the overall group. We will have participants review the challenges of coming to consensus across different perspectives. We will present the two main Canadian frameworks for health promoting schools (PHE Canada, Joint Consortium for School Health) and ask participants to help draw links between the two. Participants will offer insights as to how a communication tool might present the two together. Finally, we will describe current efforts to create different versions of a “Concept Paper” around health promoting tools that can be used to aid promotion of the health promoting schools, funded through PHE Canada. Work completed will be a review of existing documents, plus interviews with key players and direction from a steering committee. We will seek participant input as to further voices that should be heard in the concept paper consensus building process. 14