EDUC551: Comprehensive School Health

Assignment 1: Letter to School Administration Team

Marsha Larson

University of Calgary ID: 30011945

January 17, 2019

January 17, 2019

Administrators
Vauxhall School
Vauxhall
T0K 2K0

Dear Administration Team,

Thank you for the warm welcome into your school community. I look forward to my

return in a few weeks, but currently I am enjoying my last few courses and I would like to

present you with a suggestion I generated in one of my classes.

Although there is no Comprehensive School Health (CSH) policy created at this time, my

research has helped me to understand that there is a direct link between health and learning. In

fact, Bassett-Gunter, Yessis, Manke and Gleddie (2016) explain that CSH helps students to

“realize their full potential as learners and as healthy and productive members of society” (p.

239). CSH embraces the idea that school must include instruction and initiatives that promote

positive and holistic wellness, such as healthy eating, physical activity, and mental health and

well-being to create the best possible learning environment.

Although there were so many successful initiatives happening, and it is clear that the

school has focused on creating a positive school climate where many social and physical

activities are encouraged, I was concerned about the Mennonite students, and if they are

experiencing the rich social and emotional learning that is vital to create a sense of belonging.

During my time in the classroom, many students were lucky enough to have a birthday party. I

was surprised and saddened to see that more than once all the children except the Mennonite

students were invited. I tried to minimize any attention to this fact to spare hurt feelings, but it

was clear that while there is no aggressive bullying or mean spirited behaviours, there is certainly

a divide that must lead to feelings of exclusion and rejection. CASEL (2017) acknowledges that
developing and maintaining healthy relationships with diverse groups “enhances students’

capacity to integrate skills, attitudes, and behaviors to deal effectively and ethically with daily

tasks and challenges” (para. 1). I truly believe that these relationships improve the well-being of

both cultural groups, and I have been wondering if there is a school wide initiative that would

encourage students to cross the cultural barriers and create new friendships.

My suggestion is that our school host a cultural awareness event in the Spring where each

student would research their family history and then share that with the community. Parents

could help their children learn about their culture and then attend the event. Students could be

grouped into their preexisting climate teams to tour the displays, and a scavenger hunt for

information, or similar activity, could encourage lots of engagement. My hope is that learning

about each other’s similarities and differences will create more inclusion in our school

To reach this level of inclusion, the pillars of social and physical environment, teaching

and learning, healthy school policy, and partnership and services need to be harmonized and

integrated. Although the school already has a very positive reputation for its social and physical

environment, and its other healthy school policies, I believe that some direct teaching to students,

and teacher PD on cultural inclusion may help. I also think that collaborating with partners in the

Mennonite community specifically may generate additional ideas that would encourage more

relationship building.

According to Alberta Education (2017) “When students feel like they belong, it

encourages them to stay in school to learn and succeed” (para. 1). With that goal in mind, I hope

you will consider this initiative to foster more belonging and inclusion in our school.

Thank you for your time.

Marsha Larson
 References

Alberta Education (2017). Welcoming, Caring, Respectful & Safe Schools. Retrieved from

https://education.alberta.ca/safe-and-caring-schools/safe-and-caring-schools/

Bassett-Gunter et al. (2016). Healthy School Communities in Canada. Health Education Journal,

75(2), 235-248. Retrieved from

http://journals.sagepub.com.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/doi/full/10.1177/0017896915570397

CASEL (2017). Core Social Emotional Learning Competencies. Retrieved from

http://www.casel.org/core-competencies