Implementing Comprehensive School Health in Alberta, Canada: the principal's role

Abstract

Comprehensive School Health (CSH) is an internationally recognized framework that moves beyond the individual to holistically address school health, leading to the development of health-enhancing behaviors while also improving educational outcomes. Previous research has suggested that principal support for CSH implementation is essential, but this role has yet to be explored. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to examine the role of the principal in the implementation of a CSH project aimed at creating a healthy school culture. This research was guided by the grounded ethnography method. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with APPLE School principals (n = 29) to qualitatively explore their role in creating a healthy school culture. A model consisting of five major themes emerged, suggesting that the principal played a fluid role throughout the CSH implementation process. Principals (i) primed the cultural change; (ii) communicated the project's importance to others; (iii) negotiated concerns and collaboratively planned; (iv) held others accountable to the change, while enabling them to take ownership and (v) played an underlying supportive role, providing positive recognition and establishing ongoing commitment. This research provides recommendations to help establish effective leadership practices in schools, conducive to creating a healthy school culture.

Support for healthy eating at schools according to the comprehensive school health framework: evaluation during the early years of the Ontario School Food and Beverage Policy implementation

“…9,20,22,[31][32][33][34] Individuals with a personal passion for improving the health behaviours of students, referred to as school health champions, are key facilitators to ongoing support of CSH initiatives within and external to the classroom. 20,21,35,36 In our study, school health champions were teachers who dedicated their non-classroom time (i.e.…”

“…18,19,[21][22][23] When stakeholders, be they teachers, school staff, food service providers, families, community partners, health promotion officials or students, are engaged in the decisionmaking process, there is an increased sense of buy-in and ownership that leads to a personal commitment to sustain CSH initiative outcomes. 19,22,23,37,38 In our study, school staff members said they were not often consulted on discussions related to healthy eating in their schools, and one may assume this disengagement may have contributed to a lack of extracurricular supports for healthy eating within the social environment pillar. Future work is needed to include staff in such discussions to further build buy-in for healthy eating promotion in schools and, perhaps, to help encourage the uptake of P/PM 150 standards.…”

“…When implementation strategies account for context, schools are able to align priorities with CSH policy. 9,18,20,22,41,42 For example, the Alberta Project Promoting active Living and healthy Eating in Schools (APPLE Schools) aimed to embed wellness into school culture through ongoing events and activities and by including wellness teachings in curriculum. 43 Through allocated funding, each school was able to dedicate time for staff to connect with a school health facilitator and prioritize school wellness policies and practices.…”

“…43 Through allocated funding, each school was able to dedicate time for staff to connect with a school health facilitator and prioritize school wellness policies and practices. 22 When school principals had a firm understanding of the project philosophy and recognized its alignment with the priorities of the school, APPLE Schools' CSH initiatives were successfully implemented and sustained. 22 The data collected from the current study, related to the dynamic context of schools, emphasizes the need for multiple representatives from positions of power (i.e.…”

“…16,17 The comprehensive school health (CSH) framework, for example, was informed by a social ecological approach, recognizing that in supporting positive student health behaviours, attention to school environments, teaching and learning and partnerships and services complements policy. [7][8][9][18][19][20][21][22][23] Such multidimensional approaches to school health, also called "health-promoting schools" and "coordinated school health" approaches, are intended to support the health and academic achievement of students. 24 The CSH framework is a model that examines the school environment using four interrelated pillars, defined in Table 1.…”