PDTCA2018

A Whole School Approach to Mental Well-Being/Alberta Health Services
*Note - this session is 1 hour long
Is your school an environment where students feel respected and cared for? Does your school explore areas of student strengths, interest and potential? Positive mental health is the foundation that supports learning and the development of individuals who can deal with life’s challenges and contribute to the community. Improving positive mental health in schools involves teaching social and emotional skills, fostering resilience, and creating an environment that support student’s healthy growth and development. Join us to learn about strategies and resources that schools and teachers can use to incorporate positive mental health concepts using the comprehensive school approach.

This session is part of the Ever Active Schools Health & Wellness Symposium.

This description shows the whole half day symposium. Scroll down to see all the sessions offered.
Attend the entire symposium or drop-in to one or more of the presentations. Come ready to be active, and bring your passion for championing staff and student wellness in schools.

8:30AM - 9:45AM - IMPERIAL 8 - OPENING SESSION AND FEATURE SPEAKER
Imperial 8 - The Importance of Intergenerational Trauma Transmission - Tim Fox, Director of Indigenous Relations/The Calgary Foundation
Feature Speaker sponsored by Ever Active Schools

15 minutes - Active transition featuring Don’t Walk in the Hallway

10:00AM - 10:30AM - BREAK-OUT SESSION #1
Imperial 8 - Nature Immersion/University of Calgary Outdoor Centre
Imperial 4/6 - Move your Body, Grow your Brain: Activity Permissive Learning Environments/Ever Active Schools
Imperial 5 - Kick-Starting Workplace Wellness/Alberta School Board Employee Benefit Plan
Imperial 7 - A Whole School Approach to Positive Mental Health/ Alberta Health Services *Note: this is a one-hour session from 10:00am - 11:00am

15 minutes - Active transition featuring Move & Play at Recess

10:45AM - 11:15AM - BREAK-OUT SESSION
Imperial 8 - Many Skills, Many Strategies: Adapted Physical Activity/Christine Meikle School
Imperial 4/6 - Move and Play at Recess/Be Fit for Life Network
Imperial 5 - Health Champions Unite!/Health and Physical Education Council

15 minutes - Active transition featuring Move & Play the Inclusive Way

11:30AM - 12:30PM - IMPERIAL 8 - EXPERT PANEL
Equitable Access to Physical Activity/Moderated by the Be Fit for Life Network

Session Descriptions:

The Importance of Intergenerational Trauma Transmission/Tim Fox, Director of Indigenous Relations - The Calgary Foundation
Quality teaching practices include elements of First Nations, Métis and Inuit perspectives and, importantly, they integrate relevant aspects of Aboriginal culture. Equally important is how to mobilize reconciliation practices in school communities to support the needs of students from a variety of diverse backgrounds. Blending these practices in today’s classrooms, while understanding the impacts of intergenerational trauma, will support the health, learning and resilience of all students, and further support the development of healthy school communities.

Nature Immersion/University of Calgary Outdoor Centre
Take your class outside and into nature! Join us, Bridget and Dena from the Outdoor Centre at the University of Calgary, as we introduce you to our program that applies elementary curriculum to the great outdoors. We will discuss the benefits of teaching in nature and tips on engaging young students outside of the classroom.

Move your Body, Grow your Brain/Ever Active Schools
Explore the concept of Activity Permissive Learning Environments with Ever Active Schools. Look at how projects like Don’t Walk in the Hallway and Don’t Sit Still in Class can benefit both students and teachers’ health by creating school-wide culture change. Take away tangible ideas to nudge your school towards a movement-positive culture starting on Monday morning.

Kick-Starting Workplace Wellness/Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan
Here’s your chance to explore how school jurisdiction employees are bringing their wellness programs to life! The Sandbox is a safe space where wellness champions share their inspirations, ideas and successes for promoting workplace wellness. One of ASEBP’s fantastic workplace wellness liaisons will walk you and other champions through The Sandbox and explain how to collaborate and learn from the experiences of others to improve your own wellness initiatives.

A Whole School Approach to Mental Well-Being/Alberta Health Services
*Note - this session is 1 hour long
Is your school an environment where students feel respected and cared for? Does your school explore areas of student strengths, interest and potential? Positive mental health is the foundation that supports learning and the development of individuals who can deal with life’s challenges and contribute to the community. Improving positive mental health in schools involves teaching social and emotional skills, fostering resilience, and creating an environment that support student’s healthy growth and development. Join us to learn about strategies and resources that schools and teachers can use to incorporate positive mental health concepts using the comprehensive school approach.

Many Skills, Many Strategies: Adapted Physical Activity/Megan McLelland, Christine Meikle School
How can physical literacy be made fun and accessible for learners with a wide variety of abilities and motivations? What strategies can you use to encourage those who are less inclined to be physically active and still motivate those who already love to move? Bring your experiences, stories, and questions to this interactive session and together we will explore how to modify things like instruction, environments, and equipment to help those with whom we work become active for life, each in their own unique way!

Move and Play at Recess/Be Fit for Life Network
The Be Fit for Life Network supports the development of Physical Literacy and health and wellness in communities across Alberta, including in schools. Move and Play at Recess is one of many free resources offered by Be Fit for Life. Using stencils in the school playground to create a movement-positive culture has had great impact in schools across Calgary and area. Learn student-created games that you can apply and adjust in your own school.

School Health Champions Unite!/Health and Physical Education Council of the Alberta Teachers’ Association
What is a Health Champion? Research has indicated that healthy students are better learners but how do we get there? review the Comprehensive School Health (CSH) approach and participants will explore their role in a healthy school community and discuss ways to make sustainable change. We will provide you with some fun, easy (and cheap!) ideas for you to take back to your classrooms on Monday morning.

Expert Panel - Equitable Access to Physical Activity/Moderated by the Be Fit for Life Network
Our panel will feature a teacher, a community leader, a program developer, and a retired athlete, and will address equity for those with adapted needs, varied ages and demographics, female participation, and gender and sexual orientation.