STAY TUNED
2024 Conference planning is underway!!
SAVE the DATE
May 30th and May 31st 2024
Conference 2023
Every school is a Healthy School
...when we build resilience.
Our upcoming annual conference taking place May 26th, 2023 is entitled “Every school is a Healthy School when...we build resilience”. It is specifically designed to be a participatory in-person conference, with a dynamic agenda focused on engaging all participants with opportunities to connect and network with colleagues from across Ontario.
Featuring 3 keynote speakers and 10 workshops to select from that focus on building resilience from multiple perspectives.
2023 conference Keynotes
Kathleen Lane Program Director Well at Work EdCan Network Systems and Cultures that Support Staff Wellbeing Education leaders across the country know that employee wellbeing is important. When employees experience wellbeing, they can do their best work, create positive work and school environments, and are better able to adapt to shifting priorities. Investments in employee wellbeing have typically focused on individual level actions. In this session, we will move beyond the individual to explore systems and cultures that support workplace wellbeing. |
Dr. Mary Louise Ireland Canadian Mental Health Association York Region South Simcoe Resilient Minds in Tough Times What does it mean to be resilient? And what if we told you that, with practice and persistence, we all have the ability to be resilient during life’s most stressful moments. Resilience doesn’t eliminate adversity; it gives us the strength, the tools and the mindset to respond to, and tackle adversity head-on. Learning to be resilient is a process that involves profound growth, self-awareness and self-compassion. With strengthened coping mechanisms, the ability to embrace change and gain perspective, we can all have resilient minds in tough times. |
As part of their work in supporting student mental health across the province, School Mental Health Ontario and its partner organizations continuously explore intersectoral collaborations to better support boards in addressing the mental health needs of students. School Districts are well positioned to offer a continuum of support through the multi-tiered system of mental health promotion, prevention and early intervention. A system of care approach for child and youth mental health in Ontario is needed to provide the right service, at the right time, in the right modality and in the right place to meet the unique needs of each child and young person. SMH-ON, along with Public Health partners, will present the collective aspirational vision for a school – community system of care as depicted in Right Time, Right Care. |
Conference Registration Cancellation Policy: No refunds will be issued for the conference fees under any circumstances.
Please note: if the May 2023 conference is postponed due to COVID restrictions and/or public health/government orders, a full conference credit will be granted towards the next held OHSC Conference.
Substitutions will be accepted if you cannot attend the conference, the name of the substitute must be provided to OHSC Admin Coordinator, Arlene Morell:amorell@rogers.com
Registered participants who do not attend will be charged the full registration fee with no refund.
Please note: if the May 2023 conference is postponed due to COVID restrictions and/or public health/government orders, a full conference credit will be granted towards the next held OHSC Conference.
Substitutions will be accepted if you cannot attend the conference, the name of the substitute must be provided to OHSC Admin Coordinator, Arlene Morell:amorell@rogers.com
Registered participants who do not attend will be charged the full registration fee with no refund.
2023 Conference Workshops
Featuring 10 workshops to select from that focus on building resilience from multiple perspectives:
- Evidence-informed and/or promising practices for building resilience among K-12 students
- Evidence-informed and/or promising practices for building resilience among staff
- Highlighting effective collaboration amongst and across organizations and sectors to promote resilience in schools
Workshops: Session A
A |
Title |
Presenter |
Description |
A-1 |
Diet Culture in the Classroom: Food-positive and body-inclusive tools |
Emily Huynh National Eating Disorder Information Centre (NEDIC) |
In one sentence, attendees will learn: practical strategies for combatting diet culture in the classroom and curriculum tools to support food-neutral, body-inclusive health messaging. |
A-2 |
Healing Brain, Mind and Body: Supporting learning |
Christine Preece St. Clair Catholic District School Board |
Coming together in a purposeful and intentional manner to communicate, implement and anchor learnings through a whole system K-12 trauma informed approach is critical to improving student outcomes. Learn the cross curricular work being done across the system that helps support our students through an inclusive, equitable lens. |
A-3 |
Dreamwalkers - Building Resilience Using Meditation |
Tyler Boyle Dreamwalkers |
Join dynamic edutainer and multi award-winning teacher, Tyler Boyle to learn how to use guided meditations to reinforce resilience in students, teachers and yourself! You will leave this workshop with practical and actionable knowledge and resources to begin using meditation your first day back in schools with zero prep! |
A-4 |
Healthy Schools Certification: A National Journey |
Celenna Ciuro Andrea Haefele Ophea |
The HSC Program gives your school the tools to promote and enhance the health and well-being of the school community. Learn more and have the opportunity to share feedback to support the evolution of the national program. Now is the time to prioritize health, collaboration, and connection! |
A-5 |
Implementing School Produce Markets: Empowering Students to Address Food Insecurity in their Communities |
Alison Edward Austin White Niagara Region Public Health |
Discover how public health worked collaboratively with school staff, and community partners to engage students in the topic of food security, and increase access to fresh produce through a monthly school market. By aligning the curriculum with the Healthy Schools approach, students developed a sustainable model to address food insecurity |
Workshops: Session B
B |
Title |
Presenter |
Description |
B-1 |
How Big Tech mimics Big Tobacco, Big Sugar |
Christine Preece St. Clair Catholic District School Board |
BIG TECH is comparable to BIG SUGAR, BIG TOBACCO in their business models and how they are intentionally engaging clients in their product, many targeted to our children and youth. This session will be disruptive, engaging and interactive to help make changes to the use of technology/social media in our lives. |
B-2 |
Life Beyond Trauma - Finding Your Inner SPARK and Reawakening Your Innate Resilience |
Sharyn Di Ubaldo The SPARK Initiative, Inc. |
Trauma doesn’t have to define you. ALL people can access their innate well-being and resilience, regardless of their past or circumstances. When you have a better understanding of how your mind works, it allows you to move through life/trauma with less distress, more grace, and even positive emotions. |
B-3 |
Find your Flame: Wellness Resiliency through Self-Care |
Michelle Hillier Breath & Fire |
When was the last time you felt optimal wellness? Special focus will be placed on developing evidence-based self-care practices; meditation, breathwork, movement and self-reflection. Curate personal coping strategies to reduce stress which can lead to burnout and compassion fatigue. It's time to find your breath and ignite your fire. |
B-4 |
Parent Engagement: Applying Evidence to Build Resilience in Schools |
Olga Safronava, Toronto Public Health |
In partnership with schools, parents play an essential role in building resilience in children. Toronto Public Health underwent an evidence informed decision making process to examine parent engagement within school communities. The implications of these findings will be discussed within the context of public health school-based practices. |
B-5 |
Outdoor Ways of Learning and Sharing (OWLS) - Exploring how bringing learning outside helps build resilient school communities. |
Coral Bissett, Canadian Ecology Centre Eileen Berwick, Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board |
Join us as we share how the OWLS mentorship program supports educators in implementing curriculum connected, exploratory, play-based learning in various outdoor environments as a way of encouraging risky play, social emotional learning and improving the executive functioning, resiliency and overall well-being of their students |
