In November 2018 the Toronto District School Board released the results of its 2017 Student and Parent Census. And, while the overall results were encouraging, there was one aspect of the study that stood out in stark contrast. It revolves around the notion of well-being. Here’s a short excerpt from the report.
“Students’ emotional well-being has dropped incrementally with age and over time. Many more middle and high school students compared to the last Census felt nervous and under a lot of stress and pressure often or all the time, and had multiple worries especially about their own future and their school marks.”
While it perhaps shouldn’t be surprising that students are not immune from the increase in stress that most of society is experiencing, it is worrying that this issue is becoming ever more evident among the young and very young.
There are many definitions to describe well-being. The most generally accepted is that put forward by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). They define well-being as:
Cognitive – General ability to apply knowledge to problems or experiences in the world,
Social – Opportunity and capacity to generate and support positive relationships with peers and adults,
Psychological – Personal sense of purpose, self-awareness and life satisfaction,
Physical – Consisting of sleep, diet and exercise or physical activity.
On February 2 the Oakville Independent Schools (OIS) will host an all-school Open House. (By the way, last October we posted 3 tips to help you get the most out of your Open House visit.) At that time you’ll be able to book an appointment with one of the school admissions representatives. This is an important step in determining which school will be the best fit for your child and during your admissions meeting the school will welcome all of your inquiries. Among those inquiries you may want to learn how the school is addressing student well-being.
Here are four questions you might want to explore at that time:
- How does your school create an environment where my child can develop positive relationships with other students and teachers?
- Do you have specific programs and curricula which focus on wellness and how do you define well-being?
- What physical activity and programs are integrated into the daily life of a student?
- What is your long-term vision of what your school can do to prepare my child for a successful life?
What we expect you’ll find is that each member school will be readily able to answer these questions and explain to you, in some detail, how private and independent schools are a superior alternative in delivering effective, comprehensive programs and environments.
The 11 member schools share a commitment to educational excellence in safe, supportive environments and emphasize the development of lifelong values. OIS schools serve students of all ages, skill levels, and incomes offering a variety of educational programs. Each school has its own mission and philosophy and is uniquely positioned to address individual educational goals and needs.
We hope to see you on February 2. RSVP to our Oakville Independent All School Open House Day on Saturday, February 2nd and discover the difference of an independent school.
Photo credit: Andi Rieger, Unsplash
