THURSDAY
S I N C E
MARCH 6, 2014
1 8 9 5
Vol. 119, Issue 37
105
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INCLUDING G.S.T.
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PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALMO
School district sets sights on sexual health education BY SHERI REGNIER Times Staff
Learning about the birds and the bees on the playground has never been the best source for truths about sexual health. This year, the subject is back in the classroom after School District 20 (SD20) partnered with Healthy School coordinators to advocate and develop consistent schoolbased sexuality education, titled the Comprehensive Sexual Health Initiative, by involving stakeholders from Interior Health, community organizations, parents, staff and students. “A couple of years ago it came to our attention that there were teachers out there struggling with a minimal amount of sexual health information that currently sits in our curriculum,” explained Bill Ford, SD20’s assistant superintendent. “But they didn’t want to take that on and create something on their own,” he said. “So the conversation across the district became if this is something we should spend some time on.”
SOUP FOR YOU
With the assistance of a liaison, called a Healthy School coordinator, a goal was developed for the school district to implement a sexual health curriculum that can be taught consistently within all its classrooms by using a holistic approach where school administration, teachers, parents, students and community agencies work together to create an environment that will have a positive impact on a child’s health and learning. “We collected information from parents and kids about sexual health, such as what were the issues and what the current thinking is out there,” said Ford. “Then we built a comprehensive approach to sexual health through the thoughtstream process.” That process was completed online through a series of emailed questions (thoughtstream) designed for respondents to rank the importance of each issue by assigning stars, and provided opportunity for comment through open-ended questions. See GROUPS, Page 3
NUTRITION MONTH
College kitchen serving up healthy meals BY SHERI REGNIER
er program, located in the centre. “Seniors are our focus clienEveryday is a healthy eating day tele so we make sure our meals in the kitchen of the Greater Trail are low sodium with no MSG,” he Community Centre. explained. So this week’s menu includ“And we make sure nutritional ing today’s black bean soup with needs are met by using fresh proa spaghetti and meatballs entree, duce and cooking something new fits right into March being touted each day.” “Nutrition Month” by the Interior Small changes to diet can pay off Health Authority (IHA). big by reducing the risk of obesity, “We balance our lunch spe- diabetes, heart disease and cancer, cials and alternate our soups so and IHA’s nutrition month theme the meals hit at least three of the is “Simple Cook and Enjoy!”, which four food groups each service,” plays into Tellier’s lessons for stusaid Geoff Tellier, chef instructor at dents in his program. What ofworkIllness is related Selkirk College’sType food service See GET,to Page 3 Times Staff
What is a Mitochondria? its Dysfunction?
Healthy & Effective Options for
Weight Loss
SHERI REGNIER PHOTO
Nothing is better than a steaming bowl of beef barley soup on these wet and wild days of winter served up with a scoop of TLC by the students of the food services program at the Greater Trail Community Centre. Second-year student Liam Donnelly stirred the pot while Colleen WebbMorisseau, also a second year student, dished it out.
Dr. Jeffrey J. Hunt N.D. (250)368-6999 E-Mail: huntandhunt@shaw.ca
Healthy & Effective Options for
Allergy Testing & Treatment
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