Build Your Healthy School Community with Healthy Schools Certification

The Healthy Schools Certification Logo: a blue and gold circular emblem bearing the words "Healthy Schools Certification" in both English and French.

For 50 years, Max Bell Foundation has supported Canadians who want to make Canada better. With an emphasis on education, health and wellness, and the environment, not many organizations do what the Max Bell Foundation does. By focusing on working with charities (and the people in them), they encourage the development of forward-looking innovations; they inform and impact public policy; and they tackle the important problems of today to make society a better place.  

As we navigate the complexities and opportunities in today’s public policy environment, the world needs more of what the Max Bell Foundation provides: the opportunity for collective, coordinated action. 

New partnerships, a new website and a new school year! 

We are excited to be a recipient of a Max Bell Foundation grant. With their support, we are working in partnership with PHE Canada at a national level as well as Ever Active Schools in Alberta to adapt and expand a national Healthy Schools Certification program that focuses on recognizing and celebrating school communities working together on well-being. Through these partnerships, there is the potential to support and recognize schools across Canada in creating the enabling conditions for a healthy school community. These relationships and networks are also contributing to collectively realizing the commitment of the Canadian Healthy Schools Alliance: to share knowledge and tools to enable every school in Canada to be a healthy school. 

Healthy Schools Certification is grounded in the Essential Conditions for Comprehensive School Health, and is based on the 4-Step Healthy Schools Process, inspired by the Canadian Healthy School Standards and Canada’s Comprehensive School Health Framework. The Healthy Schools Certification program is recognized in helping schools simplify and focus well-being policies and actions towards positive change for the school community. The Healthy Schools Approach brings staff, students, parents/caregivers, and the community together to affect the health and well-being of everyone in the school. The approach motivates and supports school communities in establishing healthy, safe, and inclusive learning environments where all students can reach their full potential.  

Healthy Schools Certification is always changing and evolving to meet the needs of students and school communities. Healthy Schools Certification’s new website, healthyschools.ca has launched for a streamlined and refreshed Healthy Schools Certification experience!​ 

Partnerships are the key to success 

We are inspired by the creativity and commitment of our partners, and through this important collaboration, Max Bell Foundation will support not only access to timely and relevant information and tools but also the strategies to implement them: changing attitudes and positively impacting students across Canada. 

Healthy Schools Certification: 

  • supports schools that want to enhance the health and well-being of their students and staff  

  • increases student engagement and leadership opportunities to support health and well-being at school   

  • increases adult engagement in prioritizing health and well-being at school 

  • strengthens community engagement and partnerships 

Through working together and sharing ideas and resources, we are bridging policy and practice to support school communities to become healthier, safer, and happier. 

So, what’s next for you? 

This school year has started and so has our Healthy Schools Certification program! Check-out the updates at healthyschools.ca and join our 2022/23 #HSCert online community! Register by November 25th at 12:00pm ET to make Healthy Schools a priority for your school! 

​Be sure to sign up for Ophea’s monthly e-newsletter eConnection and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date with the latest developments out of this national partnership!