Mental Health in Schools

Why is mental health important?

• We need both physical and mental wellness in order to live our best lives.
• Mental health is important no matter what age you are. Children’s mental health impacts their ability to learn, make friends, participate in activities and feel well. In short, having good mental health helps children grow and enjoy their lives.

How can I help my students be mentally well?

• One of the most important things you can do as an Educator is to build your student’s sense of belonging.
• Students feel like they belong when they feel safe, accepted, respected and supported.
• As an Educator you have a unique opportunity to help your students feel like they belong. You can do this by:
  • Forming positive relationships with your students
  • Provide opportunities for your students to form social connection both inside and outside the classroom (Ex: teamwork exercises, organized recess games, etc)
  • Help your students build their social skills such as: teamwork, respect, empathy, and problem solving through classroom activities.
  • Make your classroom a safe and inclusive environment by choosing learning materials that represent many different cultures and viewpoints.
  • This series is available to all elementary schools in our area. It includes lessons, activities, and resources on important mental health topics. We can offer it in an electronic format or in person.

How can I incorporate mentally healthy activities into my classroom?

There are many fun and engaging activities that you can facilitate in your classroom for all ages. Here are some activities to consider:

• Primary Grades
  • High Five for Friendship
  • Guess Who?
• Junior Grades
  • Kindness Jar
  • Inspirational Snow Ball Fight
• Intermediate Grades
  • Practicing Gratitude
  • Kindness Jar
• High School Grades
  • Practicing Gratitude
  • Networking

Activities can be short, and use no or few materials.  For more activities, resources, and classroom guides visit School Mental Health Ontario.

How does public health help my student's mental health?

We provide both 1:1 and population level (classroom/ community) level support.

In addition to mental health consultations with students we offer classroom programs such as: Healthy Relationships Plus, MindUp, the School Mental Health Ontario Mental Health Literacy Series and others. Please contact your school’s Public Health nurse for more information.

If you are looking for information regarding common mental health topics such as:

• Digital Literacy and Online Safety (PDF), for the French version click here
• Bullying and Cyberbullying (PDF), for the French version click here
• Coping, Resiliency, and Stress (PDF), for the French version click here
• Positive Body Image (PDF), for the French version click here
• Positive Relationships with Food (PDF), for the French version click here
• Empathy, Mindfulness and Caring (PDF), for the French version click here
• Understanding Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (PDF), for the French version click here