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The Health Promoting School (HPS) and Comprehensive School Health Program (CSHP) initiatives have been proposed as a means of going beyond some of the limitations associated with health promotion initiatives aimed at school-aged children. To be specific, these initiatives involve moving beyond practices that rely primarily on classroom-based health education models, to a more comprehensive and integrated health promotion approach. These more comprehensive approaches focus not only on students' attitudes and behaviours, but also on their environment. The HPS and CSHP models include focusing on the whole child, as well as utilizing strategies that consider individual, classroom, and schoolwide interventions. Student engagement, staff engagement, and parent engagement are key components to creating a healthy school environment that leads to the development of healthy young adults that give back to society.
Despite the tremendous potential of HPS and CSHP initiatives in terms of health and educational gains, only rarely are they actually put into practice. This is not so for Chris Friesen, Principal of Woodstock Collegiate Institute in Woodstock, Ontario. Chris' motto is "every student should leave this school better than when they came here," and he firmly believes this should be the measure of student success.
Chris' foundational belief in the importance of developing productive humans is evidenced in his volunteer work; he is a frequent volunteer at his local child welfare agency, and has been a foster parent to three children, in addition to having two children of his own. When speaking with Chris, it is evident that he truly cares about helping children and youth grow up to be successful, healthy adults. Thus, it is no surprise that as a secondary school principal, he believes that schools play an instrumental role in this process.
Chris' intent to help students become productive citizens upon graduation directed him to consult the literature on the topic. Thus, during the summer of 2010 Chris spent many hours reading the research of J. Douglas Willms, a Professor and Director of the Canadian Research Institute for Social Policy at the University of New Brunswick. Dr. Willms has published over 200 research articles and monographs pertaining to youth literacy, children's health, the accountability of schooling systems, and the assessment of national reforms. Chris understands that the research points out the...