Quality School Health

About QSH

Quality School Health (QSH) is a comprehensive approach to school health that includes a quality health curriculum, as well as programs, activities and interventions that ensure a healthy school environment. QSH involves participation and collaboration from the whole school community, including students, parents, school staff and community partners, and focuses on the health issues that are specific to the needs and concerns of each school community.

QSH Vision - Healthy learning environments where all children and youth are supported by their school community to make healthy lifestyle choices.

QSH Components

School Curriculum - A quality physical and health education curriculum that helps teachers enhance, maintain and reinforce the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours that will enable students to increase control over and improve their health and well-being.

School Environment - A healthy environment where the social and physical surroundings preserve and enhance the health and well-being of students and staff. This includes respect for individual differences, discrimination and harassment-free, , and a healthy physical environment that has good air quality, safe school playgrounds and sanitary conditions.

Community Support and School Services – A variety of services and programs that are offered to students (and staff) to reinforce the preventative aspects of the curriculum and provide support and intervention to those students at risk or in crisis.

Services include:

  • Assessment
  • Screening programs
  • Early problem identification
  • Child protection
  • Referrals
  • Guidance counseling
  • Support for special needs students
  • Rehabilitation
  • Programs for post-treatment
  • Peer support

Promoting QSH

Children and youth today are faced with an ever-increasing array of health issues, such as violence, poverty, STD’s, smoking and physical inactivity. Even with this in mind, schools face major challenges in implementing quality school health programs. The challenges include:

  • Provincial and regional differences in education and philosophies about health.
  • Shrinking budgets and a "back-to-basics" mentality - health education is increasingly becoming an ‘add-on’ subject, with little-to-no structured curriculum time.
  • Ill-prepared or ill-equipped teachers who are responsible to teach the subject.
  • Inadequate, inaccessible, or non-existing teacher preparation courses and professional development opportunities.
  • Cutbacks to public health that compromise the level of support public health professionals are able to offer to schools.

The health of young people is everyone’s responsibility. Healthy schools can only be achieved through collaboration and coordination with the whole school community - students, parents, teachers, and community partners. PHE Canada’s Quality School Health (QSH) initiative advocates for a ‘comprehensive school health approach’ and nurtures multi-sector partnerships in an effort to complement ongoing activities.

"Comprehensive School Health (CSH) is an approach to school-based health promotion involving a broad spectrum of programs, activities, and services which take place in schools and their surrounding communities. Such actions are designed to positively enhance student’s health and to improve the environment in which they live and learn."

Why promote health in schools?

1. There is a natural relationship between health and learning. Students learn better because they:

  • Get their basic needs met
  • Attend school more regularly
  • Feel better about themselves
  • Get along better with their peers, teachers and parents
  • Have developed the foundation for healthy physical, social and emotional development
  • Have learned the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices
  • Have developed resiliency needed to face life’s challenges

2. Schools are an important influence in the lives of children. Schools promote and teach the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours that foster healthy living.

3. Students have the opportunity to learn about long-term health and well-being. Research shows that a comprehensive approach to school health positively influences risk behaviours relating to nutrition, physical activity, smoking, unprotected sexual behaviour, and alcohol and drug use.

4. Helping our children to adopt healthy lifestyles is an investment in the future!

QSH Checklist

Is your school on the path to becoming a QSH school? Check it out with the PHE Canada’s formally CAHPERD's 2007 Poster/Checklist!

Check out your school’s current QSH accomplishments and refer back to the poster for activities to enhance healthy child development in your school/community environment.

To view a copy of the poster, click here (948 KB).

The 12 Characteristics of a Healthy School Community

1) A health-minded school administration

  • There is excellent awareness about the importance of school health programs and interventions.
  • The school has adopted the Comprehensive School Health approach.
  • There is total commitment and cooperation from all administration and staff.
  • There are appropriate resources and time allotment to support QSH.

2) A holistic view of health

  • Programs and services offered by the school community consider the whole child -- physical, mental, emotional and social.

3) A safe and healthy learning environment

  • The school is an environment where students, educators and their supporters are enthusiastic about learning and respectful of each other.
  • There are optimal physical conditions, such as clean air, safe playground equipment, and nutritious food options.

4) Community participation and collaboration

  • The school and the community work together in the decision-making, planning and implementation of programs around student health.
  • Community resources are offered and accessed.

5) Meaningful student involvement

  • Young people are invited to participate in the planning and implementation of activities that directly affect their health and well-being.
  • Young people feel empowered and considered as part of the school community.

6) A coordinated plan or framework

  • Activities are planned to coincide with community-wide health initiatives.
  • Activities are planned to coincide/enhance other school programs and events.

7) Health policies

  • Policies for clean air, nutritious food, proper sanitation, safe playgrounds, physical activity, harassment, and staff wellness are implemented.

8) Quality health instruction

  • Health is included as a core subject and is given adequate time in the school curriculum.
  • Qualified teachers who understand the issues affecting our kids, and have the skills and confidence to teach about sensitive, yet important issues teach health education.

9) Access to current, quality health resources

  • Teacher education programs provide adequate preparation in health.
  • Teachers have access to resources and lesson plan material.
  • Public health is available to support the school.
  • Cross-curricular health themes that include collaboration from community partners and access to resources are present.

10) Inclusive school health programs and services

  • Health programs and services address the needs of all young people in the school community, regardless of gender, race, religion, culture, physical and mental ability, or economic status.

11) A spirit of lifelong learning

  • The healthy lifestyles that students adopt at school carry forward into all aspects of their daily routines.
  • A Preventative Approach supports continued healthy lifestyles into adulthood.

12) Regular evaluation

  • Assessment mechanisms are in place from the onset in order to monitor the effectiveness of health programs and services.
  • Evaluation measures: How successful have the school health activities been? Are there better ways to deliver the programs and services? Have the school community’s priorities changed?
  • Evaluation involves all QSH partners.

This checklist is also available in a brochure format. Click here to download. (.pdf, 452 KB)

QSH - Make it happen

1. Bring Key Players Together

  • Develop a team of participants from a variety of backgrounds. This may include:
  • Youth. Interested students, student council representatives, student peer leaders.
  • Parents. Parent council members, interested parent volunteers, parents with expertise in relevant areas.
  • School staff
  • Teachers
  • Physical Education teachers
  • Teaching aides/assistants
  • Principals and Vice-Principals
  • Guidance counselors
  • School nurse/Public health nurse
  • School administration staff
  • School Board/District representative
  • Custodians, groundskeepers, and cafeteria workers
  • Your Community
  • Public health nurses
  • Nutritionists/dietitians
  • Health promoters
  • Social workers/Child and youth workers
  • Psychiatrists and psychologists
  • Family physicians/pediatricians
  • Police/law enforcement officers
  • Youth justice/Family court justice workers
  • Physical activity coordinators
  • Community recreation programmers
  • Community coaches
  • Local media

2. Form a School Health Committee

Consider the following tips:

  • Be inclusive – try to include as many different groups of people as possible.
  • Be persistent – particularly when trying to reach marginalized youth and/or their parents.
  • Schedule regular meetings – The first meeting may be more of an introduction of the program and what you are trying to accomplish (rationale and plan). Consider hosting it in the early evening or as part of the Parent/School Council meetings. Once you have volunteers on Board, ensure that regularly meetings are scheduled to keep the momentum going and to ensure everyone stays engaged.
  • Use the QSH Checklist and QSH Tool Kit – These resources are excellent guides for schools.

3. Gain commitment

Explain the importance of school health planning and the general needs of the school community. Offer a forum where other ideas can come forward. PHE Canada has excellent support resources that may provide additional assistance.

4. Develop a School Health Profile

Look at the people that make up the school community. What cultures are present? What languages are spoken? What is the socioeconomic makeup? What are some of the social, health, or physical challenges that exist in your school? Determine your school community’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as possible barriers and opportunities that may affect your school health planning.

Voices and Choices – Planning for School Health is a great tool to help engage young people in identifying their health and school-related needs and in developing and implementing strategies to address these needs. For more information

5. Create a Vision

Creating a vision establishes the purpose and goals for teaching and learning within your school. It paints a picture of what you would like your school community to look like in the future. Examples of a school vision are:

Our school provides a safe and healthy learning environment for all students. We encourage positive action within the school and wider community. We respect, value, and celebrate diverse traditions, beliefs, and languages.

The key to developing a successful vision is achieving consensus with the stakeholders with whom you are working. Consult with key players and seek their input to draft the vision. Keep in mind that a vision statement is not etched in stone and may be revisited as time and the scope of your QSH program develops. Consider the following statements for inspiration:

  • My (child’s) school is a place where…
  • My family would like to live in a community where…
  • A health promoting school community can…
  • A health promoting school community is successful because…
  • A healthy student is…

6. Develop a school health plan

After reviewing your school health profile, try to identify high priority areas (i.e. the need for breakfast programs, high incidences of smoking, safety issues). Try to be realistic and choose one or two issues to start with. The priorities should be agreed upon by all committee members to ensure that there is commitment to working towards solutions. Develop short and long terms goals for each issue and assign individual tasks to all partners. Take the time to plan in a conscientious and deliberate manner. These activities will assist your move toward a safer, healthy, happy and more productive school community.

7. Celebrate Successes

Be sure to recognize organizers and participants for their efforts and to celebrate successes with the team and the entire school community. Importantly, let local media know about your accomplishments.

8. Measure Up

Evaluation will help your committee to identify what has happened, assess whether goals have been met, and determine what changes should be made to improve the program. Ideally, evaluation should be considered early in the planning and implementation of your Quality School Health (QSH) initiative and its activities. Remember that evaluation is an ongoing process and should occur at the beginning, during and end of the school year. Concentrated periods of assessment are also beneficial during particular stages of your plan such as after training events, classroom sessions, and special events.

9. Review and Adjust

Maintaining Quality School Health programs is an ongoing process. It is important to review the effectiveness of activities, and look for areas of improvement. It also provides an opportunity to renew commitment and look for additional membership opportunities.

10. Other tools

These relevant tools will help you in the process of making Quality School Health a reality. Visit the QSH Resource section for resources that can help you every step of the way.

  • QSH Overview Presentation (PDF, 310 KB)—This slide presentation provides a brief description of the Quality School Health initiative. It is ideal for users tasked with presenting information on Comprehensive School Health/Health Promoting Schools.
  • Health Promoting Schools: A QSH Tool Kit (PDF, 610 KB)—created by PHE Canada for anyone who wants to help make their school a “health promoting school”. It has been adapted with permission from the Ontario Healthy Schools Coalition Toolkit called Making Health Happen.
  • Forming the School Health Committee (PDF, 81 KB)—Step by step instructions on how to bring key players together to form a School Health Committee.
  • Role of the Teacher in Comprehensive School Health (PDF, 270 KB)—This document clearly outlines the four aspects of a Comprehensive School Health (CSH) program in which teachers are involved: Health Education, Social Support, Health Services and a Healthy Environment.

QSH Resources

NEW Resources from - PHE Canada’s Online Bookstore

For more great physical education, health, recreation, teacher support resources, visit www.excelway.ca

Leading the Way was developed to improve youth leadership skills and to encourage participation in physical activity. It will support young people to develop the skills they need to successfully plan, organize and implement their own programs.

Who should use Leading the Way?

Leading the Way is designed for anyone who is developing leaders among children and youth in a school or community setting:

Health Promoting Schools - A proactive approach to creating healthy school communities

A toolkit for Student Leaders

This toolkit can help you build a school environment that promotes health - a health promoting school - that will benefit not only your entire school, but your community as well.

Free Resources

Canada’s Guide to Healthy Eating and Physical Activity

Canada’s Guide to Healthy Eating and Physical Activity - Will help you make wise choices and learn about the benefits of eating well and being active. To order your free copy or to download the Guide visit: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/guide/index_e.html

Canadian Journal of Public Health

The Canadian Public Health Association, in cooperation with the Canadian Association for School Health, publishes a regular series of inserts on school health promotion three times per year. The Winter 2008 insert focuses on the roles of the public health nurse and public health staff in schools. 
Health and Learning

Canadian Best Practice Portal for Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention

The Canadian Best Practices Portal is an online resource for decision makers in practice, policy and research. It is a virtual front door leading to an array of evidence- based best practices interventions, systematic reviews, and resources for health promotion and chronic disease prevention. The Population Health Approach is used as the organizing framework, providing you with a systematic approach to planning.

To obtain further information, visit http://cbpp-pcpe.phac-aspc.gc.ca/

School Health Public Service Announcements (PSAs)

These vibrant announcements promote the importance of school health in the development of active healthy learners. Feel free to print and distribute them around your school and community or to publish them in newsletters and school resources.

Health Promoting Schools: A Quality School Health Toolkit (PDF, 610 KB) – Created by PHE Canada for anyone who wants to help make their school a “health promoting school”. It has been adapted with permission from the Ontario Healthy Schools Coalition Toolkit called Making Health Happen. If you or anyone else you know has ever thought about, or talked about, making your school a healthier place, then this toolkit can help.

QSH Overview Presentation (PDF, 310 KB) – This slide presentation provides a brief description of the Quality School Health initiative. It is ideal for users tasked with presenting information on Comprehensive School Health/Health Promoting Schools.

QSH Information Brochure (PDF, 887 KB) – This ready-to-print brochure provides the Who, What, Where, Why, and When of a Quality School Health program. It includes eight steps to getting started with QSH.

What is Comprehensive School Health (CSH)? (PDF, 156 KB)

This informative document defines Comprehensive School Health and gives practical advice for making the link between health and learning.

Partners for Health: Schools, Communities and Young People Working Together (PDF, 494 KB) - This research paper was a joint project of the University of Toronto, PHE Canada, the Canadian Association for School Health (CASH) and Health Canada. It clearly explains the link between health and learning, and outlines the important role schools play in promoting the health of Canadian children and youth.

Always Changing - Is a co-ed puberty education program for grades 5 & 6 that is endorsed by PHE Canada.. It is available at no cost due to the generous support of Always and Tampax.

Vibrant FACES – Is a co-ed physical activity and self-esteem program for grade 7 & 8  that is endorsed by PHE Canada. It is available at no cost due to the generous support of Always and Tampax.

Member Resources

Quality School Health Clipboard

The Clipboard is PHE Canada’s popular teaching tips publication that provides ready to implement lesson plans and activity ideas. The Clipboard is published in two different themes: Quality School Health and Physical Education and Intramurals. View the Quality School Health Clipboard sample –Health Promoting Classrooms (.pdf, 1.5 MB)

Physical and Health Education Journal

Published quarterly, the PHE Journal is PHE Canada’s signature periodical, offering leading-edge articles to professionals.

Special Issue on Quality School Health, Vol 70, No. 2, Spring 2004

(Available for purchase through our online store

QSH Links

About Health Promoting Schools