Working Together to Nurture Mental Wellness - Burnaby Schools - School District 41, Burnaby, BC, Canada

This Canadian Mental Health Week, we’re looking at work over recent months across the District that nurtures students’ well-being. From student leadership and classroom learning to program opportunities, there’s much underway to support mental wellness.

Many schools across the District pick a week to highlight mental health. For example, Burnaby Central Secondary had a daily focus over the first week of May with Wellness Week themes of: Mindful Monday, Take a Breath Tuesday, Well-Fueled Wednesday, Thoughtful Thursday, and Fun Friday. At Byrne Creek Community School, Student Government helped lead Wellness Week at the end of April. Part of the emphasis was on nutrition, with students handing out healthy snacks. Back in March, the Mental Health Club at Moscrop Secondary led fellow students in a wide variety of anti-stress activities for their Mental Health & Wellness Week, such as a gratitude challenge, meditation, dance, and a nature walk.

At the end of April, students at Confederation Park Elementary held a “ConfiDANCE” to celebrate their learnings as part of the Kind Mind Program, a school-based initiative supported by the Kelty Foundation. Students at Kitchener Elementary had their wrap-up dance in March as part of the program, which encourages meaningful conversations around mental health and wellness tools.

Olympic medalist and PWHL player Sarah Nurse spoke at the end of April to two high schools in the District about the connection between mental wellness and healthy use of screens. The visits to Moscrop and Burnaby Central Secondary were part of Rogers Screen Break program to help Canadian youth and families address excessive screen use. The students were the first in BC to benefit from the new program. Learn more here.

To help their fellow students with managing exam stress, youth at Burnaby North Secondary spent weeks making AP Care Kits, complete with cards and a treat for the nearly 300 students taking Advance Placement exams at the end of April. South Slope Elementary was among the schools that examined how digital devices affect physical and mental health. Their research and explorations were part of Digital Citizen Week in February.

At Brentwood Park Elementary in March, leadership students from Alpha Secondary worked with younger children about how to “fill their buckets” for emotional wellness and how to help their peers to do so. Back in December, children in a Grade 2/3 class at Buckingham Elementary explored positive affirmations.