Registration fees do not include overnight accommodations. Hotel Accommodations: Guests will be required to call the Best Western, Mariposa Inn directly at: 705-325- 9511 and select option 1 to speak to the front desk staff. The block is under the name OHSC Conference
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Back to Basics… Healthy Schools for ALL Mariposa Inn and Conference Centre 400 Memorial Ave. Orillia, Ontario Featuring Networking: Thursday, May 30th 6:30 pm Friday, May 31st 2024 8:30 am – 4:30 pm Our upcoming annual conference, taking place the evening of May 30th and all day Friday May 31st 2024, is entitled “Back to Basics….Healthy Schools for ALL”. 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. Offering workshops that focus on the foundations for healthy schools:
Special Networking Event Thursday, May 30th 6:30pm - 8:30 pm Registration OPENS Light refreshments and networking activities provided |
Keynote Interactive Plenary Sessions
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Fostering Healthy Futures:
The Significance of National Healthy Schools Week in Canada 
Join us as we explore why prioritizing the well-being of our students is crucial, and how National Healthy Schools Week is leading the charge. It's not just about one week—it's about setting the stage for healthier, happier generations to come. |
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Joint Consortium for School Health (JCSH)
Susan Hornby
Katerina Maximova 
Canadian Standards and Indicators for HPS. These provide a foundation for education and health systems to work together to create healthy school environments to improve the health and well-being and academic outcomes of all students. This interactive session will explore the key findings that guide the planning, implementation, sustainment, and monitoring and evaluation of HPS in Canadian schools. |
Conference Registration Cancellation Policy: No refunds will be issued for the conference registration fees under any circumstances.
If you are unable to attend the conference, you are welcome to send a colleague in substitute. The name of the substitute must be provided before May 24th 2024 to: OHSC Admin Coordinator, Arlene Morell: [email protected] Registered participants who do not attend will be charged the full registration fee with no refund.
If you are unable to attend the conference, you are welcome to send a colleague in substitute. The name of the substitute must be provided before May 24th 2024 to: OHSC Admin Coordinator, Arlene Morell: [email protected] Registered participants who do not attend will be charged the full registration fee with no refund.
Conference Workshop Session a
A |
Title |
Presenter |
Description |
A-1 |
Not An Experiment - A School-Based Health Promotion Initiative for Vaping Prevention |
Claire Alexander Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit |
Canada has some of the highest teen vaping rates in the world. Schools provide an ideal setting to reach young people related to vaping education, prevention and cessation, and to foster partnerships between school, home and community. Not an Experiment (NAE) is a comprehensive evidence-based health promotion program that aims to reduce vaping among youth in grades 7 to 12. NAE includes activities within each of the foundational areas of the Healthy Schools Framework. This presentation will use an interactive format to showcase NAE’s activities, evaluation results and real-life examples of its use by schools and health units. |
A-2 |
Equity Feels like Belonging; Prompts to Provoke within a Healthy School |
Celenna Ciuro Andrea Haefele Ophea |
Healthy Schools Certification supports school communities with identifying and prioritizing areas of student and staff well-being as well as providing opportunities for students to increase their sense of belonging and school connectedness using a 4-step process. Participants will explore: • frameworks that inform our thinking concerning healthy schools and collectively identify opportunities for re-imagining; • how might a healthy school approach provide meaningful opportunities to improve engagement and equity outcomes; • what healthy living narratives promote belonging and/or impede it and how might a healthy school approach operationalize or disrupt these stories. |
A-3 |
Mentally Healthy Schools and Youth Empowering Students for Mental Health (YES4MH) |
Jenny Marino Upper Grand District School Board Amanda Scales Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health |
This presentation showcases a promising approach to mentally healthy schools and the benefits that result from collaborative partnerships across multiple sectors. Rollout of the YES4MH initiative in select secondary schools was established upon staff completion of a Mentally Healthy Schools and Resilience certificate provided by the local community resilience coalition. YES4MH empowers student leaders to identify needs and mobilize their peers in activities aimed at promoting social connections, fostering supportive learning environments, and strengthening resilience. Aligning community efforts and encouraging a student leadership collective to support youth mental health and well-being exemplifies effective public health and healthy school practices. Note: The YES4MH initiative was adapted with permission from Peel Public Health |
A-4 |
Working together to make every school a Healthy School Panel Discussion |
Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) and Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) |
An interactive panel discussion on the longstanding partnership and collaboration between Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) and Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU), supporting all SCDSB schools to apply a comprehensive school health approach and achieve Healthy School Certification. Panelists will share about their experiences engaging in the Healthy Schools process, key learnings, and outcomes. |
Conference Workshop Session b
B |
Title |
Presenter |
Description |
B-1 |
Food Neutrality |
Ashley Vito Western University |
A food-neutral approach encourages curiosity and exploration of food using all five senses and avoids labelling food such as ‘good', 'bad’, ‘junk’, or ‘healthy’ (Dietitians4Teachers, 2021). This presentation will cover a basic understanding of food neutrality, and challenge conventional ways of discussing and teaching food. We will explore practical applications for everyday language and curriculum. Insights from a recent study on Ontario teachers' experiences in nutrition education for elementary-aged children (grades 4-8) will also be shared. Ultimately, our goal is to inspire positive changes in nutrition education programs within elementary schools. |
B-2 |
Addressing Youth Gambling, Gaming and Substance Use in Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph: A Collaborative Approach |
Sylvie Smith Homewood Health Centre, Community Addiction Services Danielle Pellegrini Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health |
Concerning rates of youth gambling, gaming and substance use have been reported in Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph (WDG). In response, a collaboration between Homewood Community Addiction Services (CADS), Upper Grand District School Board, Wellington Catholic District School Board and WDG Public Health was fostered to implement and evaluate a school-based education and prevention program for grade 8 students. Led by CADS therapists, the program addresses potentially harmful behaviours, including gambling, gaming, and substance use. This presentation will provide an overview of this program, including its development and evaluation, and highlight the key activities which have led to a successful community-wide collaboration to date. |
B-3 |
Playground Activity Leaders in School (PALS) Refresh |
Michelle Eagle Samanta Parsaud Region of Peel - Public Health - School Health Team |
The presentation will provide an overview of: • the refreshed PALS program with inclusive goals, • the Provincial working group and its role in refreshing the program, & • key elements of the refreshed program with a focus on accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and • the barriers and successes, including data on participation from Peel schools during the first year of the updated program. |
B-4 |
Simcoe Muskoka is "On the Move" with Active School Travel |
Sherry Diaz (she/her) Monica Bovett (she/her) Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit |
This presentation describes the Simcoe Muskoka "On The Move" Initiative from the perspective of the benefits of effective collaboration to promote Active School Travel. We will discuss the initiative from a historical perspective, through the opportunities provided by a Ministry of Education funded project, to our current activities with local school boards, schools, and a regional steering committee. We highlight student health and readiness for learning, engagement, and leadership opportunities as benefits of active school travel. We focus on how effective collaboration can prompt system level changes, support healthy social and physical environments, and strengthen home, school, and community partnerships. |
