Historical Timeline

Click here to download a historical events timeline for the ACHSC from 1990-present.

The school setting for health promotion is gaining momentum as people from all walks of life are seeking ways to address health issues of school-aged children. The school is an important setting because

• children’s health status affects their ability to learn, and
• educational attainment affects health status.

The Alberta Coalition for Healthy School Communities (ACHSC) is a registered non-profit society representing a network of individuals and organizations committed to promoting and fostering healthy school communities.

The ACHSC is affiliated with the Canadian Association of School Health (CASH), which is a national association compromised of provincial/territorial coalitions whose members promote the health of children and youth through school-based health promotion.

Since 1990, the ACHSC network has hosted annual forums/conferences and the 2005 conference attracted 270 delegates from across Canada and featured international speakers on school health promotion. ACHSC maintains this website for knowledge exchange and network development and since it's redevelopment in 2005, we have seen a nine-fold increase in the number of visitors. Other notable activities include: presentations to the Alberta Commission on Learning, College of Alberta School Superintendents, and Council of Medical Officers of Health; writing of grant proposals to Health Canada/Public Health Agency of Canada; and drafting resolutions to the Alberta Public Health Association and Alberta Home and School Council Association.

Strategic Planning

In 2003, stakeholder consultation meetings were convened and it was determined that a strategic plan was needed to

• Strengthen the network and increase participation
• Facilitate partnership development for collaborative action
• Provide a framework for knowledge exchange and advocacy.

An intersectoral Ad Hoc Committee drafted a plan in the spring of 2004 and a final plan was completed by a Coordinator* and adopted by the Executive Committee in December 2004. The intent is to use this plan to help the ACHSC network increase collaboration and knowledge exchange about creating and sustaining healthy school communities in Alberta. See Our Initiatives: ACHSC 3 Year Strategic Plan.

The 3 Year Strategic Plan was favorably received, however, some stakeholders believed it did not go far enough to capitalize on potential private sector funding opportunities and to support local school community action. Therefore. through continued stakeholder consultations the ACHSC Executive Committee revised the Plan over the fall of 2005 - to provide an integrated and coordinated approach to school health promotion, build upon existing initiatives, support new government initiatives, and identify further strategies for collaborative action.

The Draft Strategic Plan: Building Capacity for Healthy School Communities through Comprehensive School Health was completed in January 2006 and ACHSC is now working with Alberta Education and Alberta Health & Wellness to build upon our work in order to create a School Health and Wellness Plan.

The ACHSC network is well positioned to act as the coordinating body to facilitate knowledge exchange, partnerships for action, and advocacy for creating and sustaining healthy school communities. We believe that success relies on shared knowledge and collaborative work with a broad range of people and initiatives.

We invite you to join the ACHSC network to share and explore how we can better work together to support healthy school communities. Contact us!

Let's work together!

*ACHSC is grateful to the Public Health Agency of Canada (Alberta/N.W.T.) for three grants (2004, 2005, 2006).