Principal helps students grow up great.
Heather Graham, principal at W.O. Mitchell Elementary School was presented with the 2011 Meeting Fundamental Needs Award at the Growing Up Great awards on Monday, Nov. 28.
Submitted photo
A Kanata principal has been recognized for her work at three Ottawa schools over the past number of years.
Heather Graham, principal at W.O. Mitchell Elementary School was presented with the 2011 Meeting Fundamental Needs Award at the Growing Up Great awards on Monday, Nov. 28.
Graham was recognized for her work in promoting the Healthy Active Schools Program, which she piloted in 2006.
She partnered with Ottawa Public Health to pilot the project when she was principal of Alta Vista Public School, and later at D. Aubrey Moodie Intermediate School. She continued the program when she came on board with W.O. Mitchell this school year.
Building on the success of the pilot, the program was expanded to all four Ottawa school boards in 2009.
“I'm not used to it,” said Graham about being honoured. “You're just thinking, ‘This is my job, this is what I do. I don't need an award for this.’”
Jama Watt, director of the Growing Up Great partnerships said it was important to honour Graham’s commitment to children and youth.
“Heather’s work through the Healthy Active Schools Program has enabled children in our community to make healthy food and activity choices,” she said.
The program creates opportunities for students to learn how to be active and make healthy choices.
The program at W.O. Mitchell was already in place when Graham joined the school community this past September.
“This is a school that has just a ton of physical and health initiatives already,” she said. “The kids are active and they are fairly healthy already at this school (but) they have some other needs. In this community with what's gone on, there are some issues where you need to be looking at the social and emotional needs.”
Through the program, W.O. Mitchell offers a range of activities and workshops for students and parents to promote overall health.
One of the best programs at the school is one that promotes student leadership, said Graham.
“The kids can do it,” she said. “The positive is that more (activities) happen and it grows kids self esteem. Allowing them to take that leadership role is just fantastic for them.”
Students run intramural sports during the lunch hour recess, monitor the classrooms during the lunch period and run a host of student-led groups, including a video club and spirit assembly group.
“We just tell them it’s your responsibility to be a leader, to help the little ones,” said Graham. “They just do that without question. It’s really quite fascinating.”
The principal is working on recommending a number of Grade 7 students attend a summer leadership camp at the Ontario Educational Leadership Centre just north of Orillia, Ont.
“It’s fantastic,” said Graham. “They take the best of the best in Ontario and facilitate them to be a leader.”
SCHOOL PROGRAMS
Alta Vista was one of the first five schools to join the Healthy Active Schools Program. When Graham was transferred to D. Aubrey Moodie, she worked on developing the program for the Nepean students.
Graham helped to create a snack program to feed students who may not otherwise have a meal, along with healthy snack coordinator Susan Molson.
The snack program feeds an average of 180 kids out of 360 students every day, she said.
“There are some big needs as far as just getting fed every day,” said Graham. “For some kids it’s the best meal of their day.”
Eight students are chosen at a time to help prepare and serve the snacks.
“It provides healthy snacks and teaches the right kids how to make these snacks,” said Graham.
Students have learned to make things such as pita chips, banana bread, spinach bars, hummus and salsa.
“It’s quite an amazing program,” said Graham.
jessica.cunha@metroland.com