School Authority Staff: A Key Component of Healthy Communities

By: Alberta Healthy School Community Wellness Fund (AHSCWF)

June 25, 2020

When the word “community” is mentioned, what are the first things that come to mind?  Maybe it is the geographic boundary where you live or you think of those who share a similar identify to you.  You may not be thinking of schools and all the staff that support the operation of schools in Alberta, or the students and families that connect with them. But maybe you should.

Healthy communities are groups of individuals that show care for one another and experience a sense of belonging.  School authorities and schools themselves are their own communities.  Students, families, and staff who are part of that school community care for one another and feel connected by this common bond.  Educators go into this profession because they care.  This extraordinary level of care has shone through during the COVID-19 crisis.  Circumstances in school communities have a ripple effect into our broader communities. The role that school communities play in our lives has never been clearer. 

Educators have shown resilience and have made it through to the end of the year.  Looking back at the start of the school year, no one expected schools to close for over three months, graduation plans to change dramatically, students learning in a remote environment, or ending the school year with added uncertainty over what next year will bring. 

Despite the physical classrooms and schools themselves being empty, school authority staff have been extremely busy ensuring students continue to receive quality education.  This quality education also takes into account that students are better learners when wellness is integrated in the entire school environment using a comprehensive school health approach.  What happens when an in-person school environment suddenly shifts to a remote environment?  The Alberta Healthy School Community Wellness Fund (a joint initiative between the Centre for Healthy Communities, School of Public Health, University of Alberta and the Government of Alberta) hosted a virtual meeting titled Supporting School Community Wellness Remotely.  This provided a unique chance for school authorities to share and connect on successes, opportunities, challenges, and possible solutions to the unique circumstances of COVID-19.  The result was a sense of support, learning, and growth for participants that has impacted students and families across the province. We heard stories of staff going the extra mile:
  • Using nutrition program funding to provide food hampers to families in need – with no contact pickup and no questions asked.
  • Families sponsoring food hampers for other families in the community, which is an initiative organized by the school.
  • Releasing a weekly wellness package for different developmental age groups.
  • Providing teachers with connection activities to use with their students virtually to support the feeling of continuing to be part of a classroom.
  • Using learning support teams (combination of school administrators, learning assistants, teachers, social worker, or school counsellors) to identify students at risk. This team makes strategic plans to connect either through the teachers or the learning support team.
  • Connecting with students through a porch visit while maintaining physical distancing.
  • Adopting land based learning and lessons in First Nations School Authorities, such as providing seeds and soil in learning packages.
  • Shifting focus from classroom learning to outdoor activities that families can do together for kindergarten to strengthen family connections.

We heard new ideas emerging and sharing amongst participants.  We also heard loud and clear that school staff care deeply for their students and the families of students in a holistic way.  This concern is beyond academic success and reaches their students as individual people, including their wellness.

If communities are made up of individuals who show care for one another and experience a strong sense of belonging, credit and attention to the role school authorities play in our communities is due.  In the midst of the changes that COVID-19 has brought for all of us both personally and professionally, this group of people have displayed extreme resilience in continuing on under less than ideal circumstances.  They are going the extra mile to show their care and concern for others and have continued to foster school communities in unprecedented times.  Now that we have made it to the end of the school year, it is important to recognize the vital role school authority staff play in our communities.  While the details for what school will look like in the fall remain uncertain, the fundamental care for students and their families that school authority staff demonstrate will not change.  Because of this, our school communities are in good hands.

The AHSCWF is a joint initiative between the Centre for Healthy Communities, School of Public Health, University of Alberta and the Government of Alberta. The AHSCWF promotes sustainable, healthy school communities across the province by providing facilitated support and grants to Alberta's public, private and francophone school jurisdictions. This approach enhances health and wellness among school-aged children and youth using a Comprehensive School Health (CSH) framework.