Four Reasons to Support the New Health Curriculum

YMCA Academy Healthy Living, In the News No Comments

HealthPhysEdCurrIn September, the YMCA Academy will implement Ontario’s new Health and Physical Education curriculum — a document aligned with the foundation of inclusiveness, health, and respect that our school has fostered since we opened our doors.

The new curriculum moves beyond simply teaching students about abstinence, safe sex, reproduction, and sexually transmitted infections, to discuss how social, mental, and emotional health connects to sexual identity, behaviour, and expression. It is, on multiple levels, a forward-thinking document — unbound by heterosexuality or the male/female binaries of identity and expression, and designed (as stated in its preface) to help students “be critically literate in order to synthesize information, make informed decisions, communicate effectively, and thrive in an ever-changing global community.”

Here are four reasons why The YMCA Academy supports this new curriculum.


1. It’s about everyone’s health and safety (more…)

Jan. 25th, 2012 – PPL2O Awards Presentation

YMCA Academy Healthy Living

This year’s awards were granted to Grade 10 gym students based on outstanding achievement.

Awards were granted in a number of categories.

Highlights from today’s event:

  • Brianna “Best Wall sit: 7min, oh yeah!”
  • Pauline “Best swim with full make-up”
  • Cato “Best sportsmanship”
  • Clayton “Fastest in a wheelchair”
  • Alex “Fierce Badminton serve”
  • Mikaela “Best at trying new things”
  • Max “Best Leg Burn workout”
  • Jacob “Best skip, hop and smile”

Congratulations to all. I really enjoyed teaching this course. What a wonderful semester!

Jan. 24th, 2012 – Food Share Field Trip Pictures

YMCA Academy Community, Experiential Learning, Healthy Living

The Food and Nutrition class spent an afternoon at FoodShare a non-profit community organization whose vision is Good Healthy Food for All.

They take a multifaceted, innovative, and long-term approach to hunger and food issues. FoodShare works on food issues “from field to table” – meaning that they focus on the entire system that puts food on our tables: from the growing, processing and distribution of food to its purchasing, cooking and consumption. They operate innovative grassroots projects that promote healthy eating, teach food preparation and cultivation, develop community capacity and create non-market-based forms of food.

Check out the rest of the pictures on our Facebook Page!

Visit the FoodShare Website

Nov. 17th, 2011 – Shovel and Spoon Program

YMCA Academy Community, Experiential Learning, Healthy Living

As part of The YMCA Academy’s commitment to experiential learning, the Food and Nutrition (HFN1O) and Healthcare (TPJ3M) classes have been participating in a very exciting program called “Shovel and Spoon” available to us through one of our community partners, The Stop Community Food Centre.  The program consists of a series of field trips to the beautiful Whychwood Barns (and occasionally Hillcrest Gardens). During the duration of the program at Whychwood Barns the students are fulfilling course curriculum expectations for each of their classes.

We are very fortunate to be participating in this unique program.  It offers opportunities beyond those that we can offer on our premises and includes valuable lessons about healthy living and healthy choices, which are important for all students to learn.

The “Shovel and Spoon” program includes, but is not limited to, some of the following activities:

  • Cooking in the community kitchen (i.e. canning and preserving, cooking on a budget, knife skills, low-sugar baking, cooking for one, and cooking for various health conditions)
  • Planting in the greenhouse (i.e. food growing, sprouting, plant propagation, container gardening, seed starting)
  • Hands-on learning about nutrition and wellness
  • Shared reflection and journal writing

The Shovel and Spoon staff Toyin Coker and program volunteers (Lindsay, Lara and Lee) share their extensive knowledge through fun activities that engage the students and offer them a supported learning environment. The students and staff of The YMCA Academy are enjoying the experience tremendously!

Check out the rest of the pictures on our Facebook Page!

The Stop Community Food Centre Website

Nov. 9th, 2011 – CPR Certification Pictures

YMCA Academy Experiential Learning, Healthy Living

On November 9th the YMCA Academy participated in a full-day CPR certification. This is part of our commitment to continue to certifying and build professional skills for staff and students.

Participants benefit on a number of levels:

  • They learn to save lives
  • They demonstrate expectations for courses such as Healthy Active Living, Science and Health Care
  • They add to their resume skill sets
  • They enhance their skills for college entrance
  • They enhance their skills for the workplace

Thanks to all who participated and got certified!   And a BIG thanks to Linda and Ricky for teaching us to save lives!

Check out the rest of the pictures on our Facebook Page!