Building Belonging

In its inaugural year of hosting LEAD (Literacy, English & Academic Development) classes for newcomer students to Canada, Belfast School, part of the Calgary Board of Education, embarked on a transformative journey. The school community united in a collective effort to foster a culture of health and well-being, aimed at creating a sense of belonging and connection for all students. From a supportive leadership team including both the principal and assistant principal who prioritized staff well-being by investing in multiple professional learning opportunities and who actively engage with students throughout the day during breaks in the hallways, to the Parent Fundraising Society that provides funding for initiatives like the Climbing Park and Spring Dance, the healthy schools wellness committee is led by a passionate teacher champion and has empowered an impactful student change-maker team.  With a project focused on student engagement through outdoor play and enhancing the Physical Education & Wellness (PEW) curriculum, Belfast School not only embraced and demonstrated the Canadian Healthy School Standards but also achieved Gold in the Healthy Schools Certification.  

Identifying Needs and Setting Goals 

Belfast school does not have a PEW specialist; therefore, generalist teachers are responsible for teaching PEW. Recognizing this need for supporting teachers in implementing the PEW curriculum and enhancing student leadership, Belfast School partnered with Ever Active Schools (EAS). The collaboration focused on achieving the school’s goals of fostering student leadership through outdoor play and improving PEW curriculum assessment practices. These priorities guided the delivery of the EAS Everybody Plays-Schools Program.  Aligning with the Canadian Healthy School Standards, Belfast School demonstrates strength across all Foundational & Implementation Standards, with the focus of this project’s goals on Implementation Standards #1 Students As Change Makers and #8 Professional Learning. 

Students as Change Makers 

Culture shift at Belfast School was driven by the students themselves. Embracing their roles as change-makers, students became leaders in building a sense of community. They discovered that understanding their environment and connecting with nature fosters a deep sense of belonging. Through community walks, outdoor play, and team-building activities, students explored the natural spaces surrounding their school, strengthening social connections and learning to appreciate the outdoors. 

For Earth Day, the student leaders organized a school-wide event featuring stations that promoted environmental stewardship, land-based learning, cooperative games, and outdoor play. Classes rotated through these stations, which were led by student change-makers, showcasing the power of peer-to-peer learning. “Our student change-makers have become key leaders in our school,” noted the principal. “We were delighted to see them lead the stations and confidently interact with students from all grade levels.”  

Developing Student Leaders 

Students from Grades 3, 4, and 5 were selected to become change-makers at Belfast School. EAS facilitated a series of workshops to help these students develop leadership skills, engage in outdoor play, and explore their community. 

• Workshop 1: Students learned what it means to be a change-maker in their school community, identifying their character strengths and understanding how to use them effectively. 

• Workshop 2: The change-makers ventured beyond their classroom walls, learning to connect with others through outdoor play. They experienced how nature fosters a sense of belonging through team-building, physical literacy, outdoor skills, and environmental stewardship. 

• Workshop 3: Students explored the areas surrounding their school, learning how communities create opportunities for people of all ages to connect. They assessed the walkability of their community and discovered how pathways, parks, and playgrounds bring people together. 

• Workshop 4: Students brainstormed ways to use the outdoors to create a sense of belonging at Belfast School. They developed an action plan and decided to host an event day for the entire school. In celebration of Earth Day, the change-makers designed and led activation stations focused on team building, outdoor exploration, physical literacy, and environmental stewardship. 

Supporting Teachers 

School leadership identified the need to include PEW into the professional learning plan.  Through the school’s partnership with EAS, a series of professional learning opportunities were delivered including three EAS workshops: Teaching Physical Education & Wellness Without Breaking a Sweat, Exploring Assessment & Year Planning with PE & Wellness, and Navigate Your Way to Engaging Outdoor Learning.  Two teachers also attended the Shaping the Future conference.  By learning how to connect organizing ideas, exploring cross-curricular connections and discovering additional ways to approach year planning and assessment, teachers felt empowered and confident to foster health and wellbeing in the school 

Expanding Opportunities and Looking Ahead 

The partnership with EAS also introduced the school to other inclusive programs like the Youth Run Club and the Jays Care Affiliate Schools program. These initiatives further enriched the school’s PEW curriculum, providing students with more opportunities for healthy living and community engagement. 

Two tools were utilized throughout the project to support planning, implementation and reflection.  These tools will be valuable sources for planning the school’s next steps: 

1. The Healthy Schools Certification guided the school through the 4 step process to coordinate, prioritize, plan and celebrate their initiatives.
   
2. The school reflected on their progress using the EAS Outcome Journal assessment tool, resulting in Belfast School achieving the status of Accomplishing the Canadian Healthy School Standards.

This school’s journey is a powerful example of what can be achieved when students, staff, and partners work together toward a common goal of health and well-being. 

Photo: provided by Ever Active Schools

IF YOU HAVE A STORY TO SHARE ABOUT HOW YOUR SCHOOL OR SCHOOL DISTRICT IS FOSTERING WELLBEING, PLEASE CONTACT KATHLEEN AT  KLANE@EDCAN.CA.

Meet the Expert(s)

Amy Risk Richardson

Assitant Director, Ever Active Schools

Formerly with the Be Fit for Life Network and with Ever Active Schools since 2021, Amy has a passion for community development and promoting healthy schools and communities through a variety of well-being initiatives and collaborations.

Read More