Health and education are closely intertwined. Medical Health Officers serve School Boards under the B.C. School Act. Public Health Nursing delivers school immunizations and youth clinic services in school settings. Our local Healthy Schools Teams, consisting of various health professionals, including School Health Promoters, are committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of school communities.
The Healthy School Team can help with:
Curriculum & Instructional Support - Curriculum planning, educator consults & health resource support.
Professional Development & Capacity Building - Pro-D, naloxone training, grant research & application, school food programming, health data support.
Student & Community Engagement - Youth initiatives, PAC support, health fairs, and info sharing
Strategic Planning - school district planning, climate resiliency planning, active transport initiatives, healthy public policy.
Student Health Services - Youth and wellness clinics, immunizations, health fairs.
A Comprehensive School Health (CSH) approach encourages school communities to come together to create a learning environment where health and wellbeing are valued and promoted across the whole school. It encompasses the whole school environment with coordinated actions in four interrelated areas:
Relationships & Environments
Teaching & Learning
Community Partnerships
School Policies
To learn more and find resources to implement CSH in your school community:
For grade-specific resources that align with the BC Physical and Health Education curriculum, check out the PHE recommended resources.
You may find additional resources for your school community below each of the following topics, including resources specific to Schools & Educators and Parents/Caregivers.
For support with school food and nutrition topics, email us and connect with a Public Health Dietitian in your area.
Climate Adaptation and Resilience
Climate change is affecting our health and wellbeing. It can also directly impact learning. For example, school access may be limited during adverse weather events, extreme heat can affect concentration, and wildfire smoke can impact respiratory health. Integrating climate adaptation and resilience in all aspects of the school environment is an integral part of the response to climate change. More importantly, students across BC and Canada are calling for a more just and holistic climate change education.
Diabetes in Schools - Province of BC: includes general information on type 1 and type 2 diabetes, glucagon administration, low blood sugar and planning.
Everyone - students, families, schools and community - can benefit from learning how to prevent serious and fatal injuries in the home, at play and on the move.
Safe Kids Worldwide: Parent/caregiver information on child safety & injury topics, such as care seat safety, safe sleep, fire safety, pedestrian safety and more.
Head lice are common, especially among children aged 3 to 12. They can impact children's well-being by causing discomfort, frustration, unnecessary embarrassment, and financial strain on families due to the time and costs involved in treatment. Head Lice are primarily transmitted by close head to head contact. Head lice do not jump or fly. While they can be a nuisance, head lice do not spread any diseases and are not related to personal hygiene or cleanliness in the home, school, or community. Anyone who has hair can get head lice.
NSS Clinical Resource: Seizure Care in the School Setting - review Seizure Rescue Intervention Training* - BC Children's Hospital (*NSS seizure training is voluntary & not required prior to students attending school)
This topic applies to students receiving enteral nutrition at school (tube meals). Schools and parents/caregivers are encouraged to discuss, together, how to support that student's tube meal at school if they are not independent in feeding themselves. Students may be eligible for Nursing Support Services Delegated Care to support school staff to provide the student's tube meals at school. See the Nursing Support Services Website for more information.
Mental Health
Language Matters - Province of BC: The words and concepts we use are powerful tools that have the ability to stigmatize, illuminate or empower. This resource emphasizes the use of language that is accurate, inclusive, stigma free, strengths-based, culturally responsive, and respectful of individual identities and differences.
Website - Here to Help: Fact sheets, self-help materials on mental health & substance use
School and Educator Resources
Language Matters - School Communities: Resource guide for using common language for mental health & substance use to improve mental health literacy & reduce stigma
We are currently updating and adding health and wellness related newsletter inserts. If you are not seeing a newsletter insert for a specific health topic, please reach out to our team so we can work with you to meet your request.
Island Health’s Chief Medical Health Officer has released the 2025 Population Health Status Report, offering an in-depth look at the health of people across the region with a focus on children and youth.
As many children prepare for trick-or-treating, Island Health’s Dental Program is reminding families of a few simple tricks that can help keep fang-tastic smiles healthy this Halloween.
As families are busy with the return to school, Island Health’s Public Health team is reminding parents and caregivers to take proactive steps to support their children’s health and well-being, ensuring a strong start to the school year and in life.
