Photos, Video: 2014 Healthy Schools Awards

June 12, 2014

The Healthy Schools Awards ceremony was held yesterday [June 11] at the Bermuda Society of Arts, with those present including Minister of Health, Seniors & Environment Jeanne Atherden, Acting Permanent Secretary of Education Mrs. Valerie Robinson-James Acting Commissioner of Education Dr. Lou Matthews and various award winners.

The Healthy Schools Awards celebrate and recognize schools for their efforts at consistently promoting health to their students, staff and communities.

One-hour video of the presentation:

Minister Atherden said, “We know that Healthy Schools is important in helping to keep health in the forefront in schools and that Healthy Schools represents the vital link between education and health. In addition, the Ministry of Education, the Department of Health and our community health partners are linked to one another through a unified goal of ensuring that the children in our schools are healthy.

“We are aware that schools are involved in a child’s entire developmental lifespan — from preschool to high school. Schools deliver their curricula, but they also realize that when their students are healthy, they are better able to achieve their potential.

“In the face of constant social change, on any given day, schools expose their students to a variety of experiences because they understand that students should be taught across a broad spectrum of development to help them establish lifelong habits to become viable and healthy members of our society.

“This year, a total of 31 of 33 schools were reviewed, including: 6 of 7 private schools and 25 of 26 government schools. Those schools will be recognized here today as we celebrate all school health promotion activities. Last year, 25 schools achieved a Gold Level Award. This year, 27 schools did so with 13 schools achieving 100% and a Gold Level Award, and an additional 14 schools reaching the Gold Level.”

The list of award winners follows below:

GOLD, SILVER, AND BRONZE LEVEL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS TO HEALTH PROMOTING SCHOOLS THAT ACHIEVED A SCORE REFLECTING THEIR LEVEL OF COMPLIANCE TO HEALTHY SCHOOLS STANDARDS:

This designation was designed to recognize those schools that achieved a standard within a specified range in all eight of the Healthy Schools categories. These Health Promoting Schools realize that health and education are linked and consistently develop and implement innovative health-related activities throughout the year, in which the students and staff readily participate.

BRONZE LEVEL (70 – 79.9%):
West End Primary
Clara Mohammed
SILVER LEVEL (80 – 89.9%) in Ascending Numerical Order:
Prospect Primary
West End Primary
GOLD LEVEL (90 – 100%) in Ascending Numerical Order:
27. East End Primary
26. Harrington Sound Primary
25. CedarBridge Academy
24. St. David’s Primary
23. T.N. Tatem Middle School
22. Sandys Secondary Middle School
21. Gilbert Institute
20. Whitney Institute Middle School
19. St. George’s Preparatory
18. Bermuda Institute
17. Dalton E. Tucker Primary
16. The Berkeley Institute
15. Bermuda High School for Girls
14. Purvis Primary
13. Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy (100%)
12. Victor Scott Primary (100%)
11. Clearwater Middle School (100%)
10. Francis Patton Primary (100%)
9. Elliot Primary (100%)
8. Somerset Primary (100%)
7. Port Royal Primary (100%)
6. Heron Bay Primary (100%)
5. Somersfield Academy (100%)
4. Mount St. Agnes Academy (100%)
3. West Pembroke Primary (100%)
2. Saltus Grammar School (100%)
1. Northlands Primary (100%)

The Health Education Recognition certificate recipient: BERMUDA HIGH SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
Bermuda High School for Girls has aimed to consistently deliver the required Health Education Curriculum and provide students with opportunities to practice health-related knowledge.

The Physical Education Recognition certificate recipient: FRANCIS PATTON PRIMARY
Francis Patton Primary has aimed to consistently deliver the required Physical Education curriculum and promote a variety of sports that all students can enjoy and pursue.

The Nutrition Services Recognition certificate recipient: PURVIS PRIMARY
Purvis Primary has aimed to consistently promote healthy eating with its students and staff at all school events and during school hours. In addition, school staff was consistently encouraged to be health role models to their students throughout the school day.

The Counselling, Psychological, and Social Services Recognition certificate recipient: CLEARWATER MIDDLE SCHOOL
Clearwater Middle School has aimed to consistently ensure that support from the school counsellor and relevant health partners is available to students.

The Health Services Recognition certificate recipient: SALTUS GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Saltus Grammar School has aimed to consistently ensure that all health-related polices and services are implemented for its students.

The Family, Parent, and Community Involvement Recognition certificate recipient: MOUNT SAINT AGNES ACADEMY
Mount Saint Agnes Academy has aimed to consistently encourage an integrated approach for enhancing the health and well-being of students, through the involvement of parents/guardians and community resources in school activities.

The Healthy & Safe School Environment Recognition certificate recipient:WEST PEMBROKE PRIMARY
West Pembroke Primary has aimed to consistently ensure that the school environment is healthy and safe and that health and safety issues are reported and action taken.

The Health Promotion for Staff Recognition certificate recipient:PORT ROYAL PRIMARY
Port Royal Primary has aimed to consistently assist staff with maintaining and improving their health and well-being, and in doing so, served as health role models for students.

THE HEALTHY SCHOOLS RECOGNITION CATEGORY CERTIFICATES TO INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS

The Physical Education Recognition certificate recipients:

Through this individual’s delivery of the required Physical Education curriculum, she has consistently championed a variety of physical activities with her students. For the third year in a row, she has been recognized for this award. Over the last seven years, she has taught her students to jump-rope. Under this individual’s instruction, her jump-rope team has provided jump-rope demonstrations at a number of community events. As the result of her consistent encouragement, her students perform with ease and confidence. This individual hopes that all of the students at her school will develop a lifelong love and appreciation for movement that can help them maintain optimal levels of health and fitness. MS. MARY-BETH AITKEN of Northland’s Primary School is a recipient of the Physical Education Recognition certificate.

This individual, another Physical Education / Health teacher, has been also been exemplary. He has consistently encouraged his students to participate in a variety of physical activities. This year, he and his colleague continued to the FitnessGram application to track their student’s assessment results and performance levels. MR. QUINCY ABERDEEN of Northland’s Primary School is a recipient of the Physical Education Recognition certificate.

The Health Services Recognition certificate recipients:
This individual, a community nurse and school nurse, worked tirelessly this year to ensure that her schools not only received the medical services required, but also an emphasis on safety and health issues. MRS. NINA SIMONE MINORS is the recipient of the Health Services Recognition certificate.

The Counseling, Psychological, and Social Services Recognition certificate recipient:
This individual, a school counsellor, has consistently worked closely with her students. She has exposed them to health practices, character-building practices, social skills, and anti-bullying strategies. This individual helped to organize an All Boys’ Club with Youthnet to assist the male students in developing skills that will enable to become viable members of society. She works diligently with staff, parents and students to examine the issues of concern and to problem-solve. She is actively trying to impact the school climate through her classroom guidance. MRS. TRESCA TROTT of Victor Scott Primary is the individual recipient of the Counseling, Psychological, and Social Services Recognition certificate.

The Healthy & Safe School Environment Recognition certificate recipient:
This individual is the Deputy at his school and a co-chairperson of his school’s Safety & Health Committee. He also works closely with Healthy Schools to ensure that his school is compliant with school health policies and health-related Bermuda Laws. Through the years, he has championed holistic health at his school. This year, he worked tirelessly with his Principal and school team to implement Gorham’s Enviro School Program with Andrew MacKay and Sangita Iyer, which includes completing trash audits and enhancing the school’s environment through the development of a beautiful and serene ECO garden. Through combined school efforts, this individual has positioned his school to receive a Bronze Award for the Gorham’s Enviro School Program. MR. WENDELL SMITH is the individual recipient of the Healthy & Safe School Environment Recognition certificate.

Healthy Schools Special Recognition certificates to Individual Recipients:
This individual gave generously of her time and labours every Saturday and Sunday for six weeks to bring her vision of a Sensory Garden for her special needs students to fruition. During this process, she was often seen moving heavy boulders and metal benches. She used her own funds to purchase items for the garden and solicited parental and community support to ensure that this garden was truly beautiful. MS. FREDA TRIMM of West Pembroke Primary is the individual recipient of the Healthy Schools Special Recognition certificate.

This individual generously gave of her time at no charge to chair the ECO team. Tasks which she completed included emailing overseas personnel, compiling charts, assist with the implementation of the trash audit, updating the school ECO bulletin board, and meeting with Andrew MacKay of Gorham’s for the Enviro School Program.

Healthy Schools Health Services Recognition certificates to Schools:
This year, these schools demonstrated the highest rates of participation and cooperation with the School Screen & Seal Program provided by the Oral Health Section of the Dept. of Health.

1. The Berkeley Institute is being recognized at the Senior School Level.
2. Whitney Institute Middle School is being recognized at the Middle School Level.
3. Gilbert Institute is being recognized at the Primary Three Level.
4. East End Primary is being recognized at the Primary Two Level.

Healthy Schools Recognition certificates to Community Health Partners:

BARRITT’S
In strict compliance with the Healthy Schools Nutrition Policy, Mr. Bruce Barritt has consistently ensured that only plain, unsweetened water and/or 100% juice is provided at school events and for sale in school beverage vending machines and cafeterias, since 2005.

DUNKLEY’S
Mr. Michael Dunkley and his team have consistently ensured that his company is compliant with the Healthy Schools Nutrition Policy. Dunkley’s now delivers only plain, unsweetened water and/or 100% juice to school beverage vending machines and cafeterias. Mr. Dunkley also readily changed snack vending choices in schools to be healthier and consistent with the Healthy Schools Nutrition Policy.

THE COMMISSIONER’S AWARD FOR THE MOST IMPROVED SCHOOL

The Commissioner’s Award for the Most Improved School is being presented to the school that improved in all categories of health and/or its overall level of compliance to the Healthy Schools Standards as it promoted health throughout this year. This school’s ratings were compared to its own from last year and when compared to all other schools on the island, were found to have improved the most. Mount Saint Agnes Academy received the 2014 Commissioner’s Award for the Most Improved School

THE HEALTHY SCHOOLS RECOGNITION AWARD FOR MOST BONUS POINTS REPRESENTING EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITES AND ALL CATEGORIES OF HEALTH

The Healthy Schools Recognition Award for the Most Bonus Points is being presented to that school that involved its students in the most extra-curricular activities representing all eight components or areas of health. Northlands Primary received the 2014 Healthy Schools Recognition Award for the Most Bonus Points.

THE HEALTHY SCHOOLS AWARD

The Healthy Schools Award is presented to the school with the highest level of compliance to all Healthy Schools Components and Standards, and Bermuda Laws. In this case, this school achieved 100% for their assessment.

This award plaque is being given to a school that consistently promoted health to its students, staff, and families throughout this year. A thirteen-way tie that included this school was broken when bonus points for the Out-of-the-Box Activities for each health category were added up. Each bonus point represents an extra activity.

Through the years, Healthy Promoting School has responded positively to guidance and support from Healthy Schools, and thus has made vast improvements in every health area, including:
• increasing safety and health aspects of the school as a part of the Healthy and Safe Environment Component;
• producing lesson plans and tracking students’ physical education performances for Physical Education;
• providing their students with a Summer fitness Program, which complements the FitnessGram Program.
• liaising with community health partners, such as PRIDE Bermuda to provide all year levels with PRIDE’s PATH Program and the Dept. of National Drug Control to provide P1 and P2 students with the ALS PALS Program; and
• having their students participate in the Government House Garden Club.

At this school, teachers do not reward children with food, but consistently use other creative ways of highlighting students’ achievements, such as awarding non-food rewards in the form of Greencard Awards.

This recipient understands that school achievement is largely dependent on students maintaining good health and that school activities can be divided into two broad categories: Academics and “Other” – with “Other” being “Health”. Each activity outside of academics relates to health.

Finally, this school understands that health and Healthy Schools are actions that happen naturally every day as a part of the school’s overall culture.

The winner of the Healthy Schools Award 2014 is Northlands Primary School