To honour the inaugural Healthy Schools Day in Canada, the Children's Health & Environment Partnership of Manitoba met with an inspiring group of teachers and administrators at elementary school - Ecole Robert H. Smith. Healthy Schools Day is about working together to make our schools healthy places and this school could not have been a better example of that.

While the national campaign for Healthy Schools Day focuses on Indoor Air Quality as its main determinant of a "healthy school", Ecole Robert H. Smith has taken a broader approach.

Here is a snapshot of just some of their efforts:

• There is a real commitment to eliminating scents from the indoor environment and reducing chemical sensitivities on the part of students, parents, and staff. Parts of the school have been classified "Scent-free Zones" and products and soaps used in the washrooms have no fragrances. This commitment has also been communicated through their Parent Advisory Group and in school newsletters.
• Non-toxic cleaning products can pose a challenge for schools since provincial cleaning regulations outlining what can and cannot be used. However, the school has taken this responsibility very seriously by seeking out alternatives and making recommendations where possible.
• The development of a school green space has led to each grade having ownership of their own little garden - to maintain and nurture. The green space acts as an outdoor classroom for children during the warmer months of the year and links up with teachers' commitments to including environmental education as part of their in-class activities. One class raised Painted-Lady Butterflies as a conservation project last year.
• An on-site school-wide composting program is underway to divert waste into useful organic material picked up by a local company, Samborski Garden Supplies. The students not only learn about the process of composting and what constitutes compostable items but they volunteer to collect the organic material and place it in the larger compost bin.
• Students also volunteer and play a role in sorting through the recycling bins to ensure the items in it can be recycled. The school including teachers and staff have invested time in teaching students about the value of waste diversion as a way to keep the school and the planet a healthier place.
• Various kinds of communication are used to raise awareness of the school's commitment to creating healthy spaces for children and the community. They have a regular system of posting projects, events or programs on their Bulletin Board. Additionally, there is an active group of teachers and administrators that comprise the Sustainable Development Committee. The Parent Advisory Group also has a Sustainable Development Committee so that new initiatives are shared with the parent community.
• One of the school's proudest achievements is the work their students are doing in the larger community. These young students are developing themselves as "citizens" and taking an interest in local and global issues. Each grade or classroom has started fundraisers and collaboratively decided on which charity or organization the funds would support. This is an ongoing activity for students as is volunteering in the community.

The impact of all of these various efforts on the students of Ecole Robert H. Smith is profound. The school's approach has been that of gradual change, collaboration and education. Changed behaviour has led some students to take these important lessons home and share them with their parents.

For more information on the school's activities, please contact Claudette Warnke, Vice Principal. Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   Phone: (204) 488-1137