1. Deployment of the Kids Have Stress Too Programs and Its Results

2. AGENDA Welcome and Introduction
Kids Have Stress Too and Stress lessons Programs
Project: Deployment of the KHST programs in Repentigny
Background
Objectives
Components
Results
Conclusion
Key Points:
Present my self
Today presentation will be on a project that deployed KHST programs into 39 primary schools in Repentigny near Montréal
I will present to you a brief description the KHST programs, the approach that was used to deploy the programs and the a survey results that was answered by teachers.

3. The Psychology Foundation of Canada (PFC)
National registered charity (founded in 1974), 43 yrs
Applies the best psychological knowledge to create practical programs helping children to become confident
Led by senior psychologists
Provides research-based current materials and resources
Other PFC programs and resources available in addition to
Kids Have Stress Too!® (KHST!) - e.g., Parenting for Life
booklets, Make The Connection
Special thanks to The Lawson Foundation and TD Bank Financial Group who have provided funding for this Preschool Program.

4. Confident Kids, Productive Adults
Our Mission
Confident Kids, Productive Adults
Practical, evidence-based programs spanning critical developmental stages
Key Points
The Psychology Foundation of Canada is:
PFC is a national charitable organization established over 40 years ago (since 1974) whose focus is creating and providing prevention programs helping children thrive, become confident and who will become productive adults
The Foundation has a suite of programs and resources that help Canadians, young and not so young alike, develop the competencies required for life, like coping with stress or parenting.
All of the Foundation’s programs and resources are research-based using the best psychological knowledge available. All of its work has been reviewed and endorsed by eminent psychologists
PFC does this by promoting healthy parent-child relationships and providing the essential building blocks for a child’s future. Other programs support this with our Make the Connection for children 0-3 years, our Parenting for Life with several relevant booklets.
Our KHST! Preschool to Grade 9 helps children recognize and deal with stress building capacity for self regulation, enhancing children’s health and learning, assisting parents and educators to help children and youth learn to manage stress and reducing parents’ and educators’ stress
We have capacity to deliver training across Canada so we can reach even more people.

5. Deployment of the Kids Have Stress Too Background
Sylvaine Lefebvre of the School Board of des Affluents de Repentigny et Natacha Condo du Centre intégré en santé et services sociaux (CISSS) de Lanaudière worked in collaboration on this project.
After receiving demand from teachers and school directors to get informatio to help kids with stress, Francine and Natacha decided to develop a project on healthy stress management.
In 2015, they contacted the Foundation to discuss how they could use some of the activities of the KHST and Stress Lessons in their project.
They presented to primary school directors of their school board, their project on healthy stress management.
Sylvaine Lefebvre councellor in education
Natacha Condo councellor in health prevention promotion

6. Deployment of the Kids Have Stress Too Objectives
To sensitive the school staff about their own stress and children’s stress;
To deploy stress lessons from KHST program and Stress Lessons in primary school by supporting teachers.

7. Kids Have Stress Too and Stress Lessons Programs
The project aimed at deploying two programs :
The KHST program for Grade 1 to 3 students
The Stress Lessons Tool Kit for Grade 4-6 students

8. Grades 1-3 16 skill based activities that help students:
understand/recognize stress and its impact
learn practical coping strategies to calm the body
better understand and manage their feelings
Learn skills like flexible thinking and problem solving
Downloadable at
Per grade, they chose 3 to 5 activities
Grade 1
Stretching exercise (cloud push)
Mindful breathing (deep breathing exercise)
How do I feel ( scenario, a friend does not want to play with you, new baby, lost a toy)
Grade 2
Mindful breathing
Relaxation exercise -Visualisation exercise (garden)
Emotional vocabulary
The little voice in our head
Problem solving
Grade 3
Signs of stress
Relaxation exercise -Visualisation exercise (beach)
Emotional journal on feel good moment

9. Grade 4-6
7 skill-based lessons to build self-regulation and emotional resiliency in gr. 4-6 students
Flexible for use in different settings
Includes all required information/tools
Includes a parent component
Downloadable at
Per grade, they chose 3 activities
Grade 4
Identify stress sings, stress situations
Identify anti stress
Deep breading
Grade 5
Identify emotions when you are stress
Reflections on my problems/stress
Action plan to resolve problem
Grade 6
Identify stress factors
Understand the reaction thought-emotion-reaction
Re-thinking, positive emotion

10. Deployment of the Kids Have Stress Too Project Components
Materials development:
A guiding document for school staff on healthy stress management, a working plan for each lesson, and explanations on how to use tools;
A parents document describing each lesson and proposing discussion topics that they can have with their kids;
A powerpoint presentation on healthy stress management for the school staff presentation.
Guiding document for school staff
Explain the stress, different type of stress
Stress signs
Strategies to manage their stress
How to recognize students stress
How to reduce stress in the class
Plan for stress strategies

11. Deployment of the Kids Have Stress Too Project Components (con’t)
Approach
Creation of a healthy stress management school committee that could include: school director, teacher, psychologist, psycho educator, special education technician (SET);
A presentation on healthy stress management to school staff (teachers, janitor, director, administration assistant etc.);
Meeting with teachers to plan the lessons and to explain the different animation steps for the stress lessons (lessons preparation, realisation and integration);
In some schools, teachers were supported by psycho educator or SET to do the stress lessons.
Staff presentation
Explain what is stress, different types of stress
How to identify skids stress symptoms
Tips on how to mange class (let kids know when they will be absent, routine)
Tips on how to help kids with stress
Staff document on how to managed their own stress

12. Project results
39 primary schools, 77 teachers and approximately 1,700 students aged 6-12 years old participated in the project
88% of teachers either very much or much appreciated the pre-implementation planning meeting.
98% of teachers found the document presenting the lesson steps was clear and precise.
77% of teachers used all the lessons.
95% of teachers integrated the lessons in the student school life, e.g. during exam periods, before oral presentation, returning from recess.
83% of teachers observed positive impacts on the student behaviour (e.g. the climate in the class, students more prepared to work/study.)
School Board produced a survey monkey for teachers
68% of the 77 teachers that participated to the project answered the questionnaire

13. Conclusion Partnership with school board and social services
School committee supporting the project including school director
Documentations for school staff
Teachers training on the use of the stress lessons/activities
Providing parents with information
According to the project manager what help to the deployment was

14. Relevant Web Sites
The Psychology Foundation of Canada Organization Web sites:
Stress Lessons
Key Points:
It is helpful to give the How to Help Kids Handle Stress pamphlet to participants so they have the website.
It is a good idea to visit these websites before doing a presentation so you are familiar with them. More than medication website is from Pfizer and promotes the Stress Lessons program along with other programs that do not require medication.