Welcome to the Ever Active Schools Blog!
We are pleased to present healthy school community stories surrounding thought leadership, health champions and innovative ideas, all supporting healthy school communities through a Comprehensive School Health lens.
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Finding professional learning opportunities that match your goals, suit your schedule and don’t break the bank can be a daunting task. The good news is we’ve done some of the heavy lifting for you and compiled a list of our top ten(ish) FREE professional learning opportunities. Being who we are, each of these opportunities has…
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Ever Active Schools will observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th. We encourage other organizations, schools and communities to pause and also move to having September 30th as a public holiday, including the Government of Alberta. True reconciliation involves reflection and truly listening to the positive actions that we can take…
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September is here and Alberta students are heading back to class, but students under the age of 12 are not yet eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. While masks, physical distancing and other public health policies are fairly straightforward to apply in many classes, Physical Education brings unique challenges: masks are not worn during moderate-to-vigorous…
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Summer Send Off – Thank You Teachers! Farewell, 2020/2021 school year. It’s been a time. We’re sure you have BIG summer plans to get to–hello, sleeping in, enjoying the sunshine and avoiding screens–but before you go, we’ve got a few quick things for you. We’ll keep it short and sweet so you can go find…
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Acknowledging the Past that Ensured Our Future Written by Apsipistoo (Evans Yellow Old Woman) Oki Niksokowa, nistoo’unohk Apsipistoo, nitohmto’to Siksikawa. Hello my friends, my name is Apsipistoo, which is my Siksika name. It was gifted to me by my late great grandmother Koomakii, who hailed from the Blood Tribe. My name means White Owl. My…
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Written by Sandra Lamouche June is National Indigenous History Month, and June 21 of this year marks the 25th year of celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada. With over 300 First Nations, Metis and Inuit nations we have a lot to celebrate! As an award winning educator and a champion women’s hoop dancer, this is…
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The homestretch is near as many of us are just weeks away from the end of the 2020/2021 school year. We are sending this note to remind everyone of the importance of well-being and also a heartfelt thank you for your extraordinary efforts in being the strength of our school communities. Research over the past…
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By the student team behind Joy4All It’s important to celebrate all things big and small as we move into another spring focussed on virtual learning and caring for the well-being of our families, friends, and communities. Here at Ever Active Schools, we recently celebrated the very first birthday of The Joy4All Project: a phone hotline…
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Written by Shonna Lamb, E-RYT 200, RYT 500, YACEP With vast access to unlimited content, it can be overwhelming to know where to start when you want to develop a deeper understanding and relationship with meditation and mindfulness practices. Ever Active Schools and I have partnered together to create videos to help you dip your…
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Submitted by Karena Munroe, Calgary Board of Education Special thank you to co-authors Cindy Thomson and her grade 7 classes In my School District, students and teachers have sent a resounding message through an internal survey about the importance of prioritizing school wellness responses as critical work in our school development planning. I set out…
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Beginning in September 2020, Ever Active Schools began to question our practice of territory land acknowledgements. The tipping point for some staff could be expressed in the words of Kay Ho: “Oftentimes, when non-Indigenous organizers make a territory acknowledgement, it is done hastily, and then discarded.” (2014, An Introduction to Settler Colonialism: Part Three) This…
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Written by Megan Weiler, Krista Trim and Kayli McClelland The days are getting longer, the sun is shining warmer, and the people are coming out to play. It’s spring time, and we’re going to enjoy every minute of it. The easiest way to take advantage of the changing weather is to get out there and…
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It’s no secret that physical activity boosts brain health: just read the 2018 ParticpACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth! While we all know that movement can help our children and youth learn better, oftentimes we find it hard to prioritize physical activity. Teachers might have curricular outcomes to focus on, out-of-school…
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Written by Kayli McClelland, Creative Media Specialist, Ever Active Schools If you’re like me – you live close to many of your loved ones and you enjoy being active – Family Day is really nice. It’s a Monday off in the middle of February. The cold of Alberta’s winter has started to set in.…
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This year has started out strong here at Ever Active Schools! Every year, we host events specific to helping school communities increase their capacity for wellness. Some events are specific to youth, as students as change agents is an essential condition for comprehensive school health; while others take a broader approach, looping in teachers, administrators,…
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Podcasts are a rich source of information, stories and entertainment, with a surprisingly wide range of topics: the history of the elevator, the secret world of moss, Dolly Parton, and much, much more. Many of us listen to podcasts while we cook, travel, or move our bodies – but have you ever considered using podcasts…
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It’s officially 2021, which can only mean one thing: it’s almost time for Shaping the Future! In the best interest of public health, the conference will be held entirely online this year. This is as new for us as it is for you, so bear with us! We’re doing everything we can to make Shaping…
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This winter break is something we’ve all been waiting for. It’s a long overdue chance for a few days off of some major stressors in a time where just existing is stressful for everyone. The EAS team has a few ideas for you on how we like to unwind and reconnect with our best selves.…
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Submitted by Laurina Eskow, MPH, RD Community Nutrition Advisor, First Nations and Inuit Health Branch Indigenous Services Canada Looking for simple, comforting meals this winter? Look no further than your favourite mug to host some quick meals. These recipes are perfect for beginner cooks and those who know their way around the kitchen. The ingredients…
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Teachers. They’re hard-working, selfless, dedicated, and a million other words for “awesome”. While this year has been hard on everyone in different ways, education professionals have pivoted with grace for the sake of our students’ health and well-being. Perhaps it’s time we turn the tables and send a little love and thank you back –…
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