Help Your School Take Action - Creating Healthy Opportunities

Balanced School Days (BSD)*

• Concept
• BSD Benefits
• BSD Sample Timetable
• Introducing BSD
• Tips for Teachers

Concept

Developed in 2001 at Caledon East Public School in the Region of Peel, The Balanced School Day (BSD) concept has since been adopted by many school boards throughout Ontario.

The BSD is based upon the brain compatibility theory, which states that children learn better when they have proper nutrition, effective exercise and consistent teaching and learning approaches.

BSD Benefits

1. More Instruction Time
   Less time is lost getting students ready for two breaks instead of three.
2. More Student Learning and Attention
   Less breaks during the day means fewer interruptions during instructional time.
3. Less Student Discipline Problems
   Students are outdoors for shorter time periods, which can decrease boredom and conflict.
4. More Safety for Students
   All eating is done indoors instead of 'on the run'. This reduces outdoor litter and the attraction of bees, which are especially dangerous for those who are anaphylactic to bee stings.

A BSD Timetable Sample

Introducing BSD

• Have meetings to discuss what the change will mean for students, parents and staff.
• Separate staff into two supervision teams to make sure teachers have an uninterrupted 45-minute lunch break and part of the second break.
• Create team building opportunities where staff can be together since teachers no longer have a common lunch hour.
• Have a practice day to find out what changes need to be made for a smooth transition.

Tips for Teachers

• Teach some recess games during physical education classes so students have games to play during these breaks:
  • Playground Activity Leaders in Schools (P.A.L.S.)
  • School Health Profiler Issue #3 (783 KB, 12 pages) & #5 (656 KB, 12 pages)
  • Recess Revival from PARC
• Emphasize the importance of physical activity messages using Canada's Physical Activity Guides for Children and Youth.
• Remember that students need 20 minutes of Daily Physical Activity (DPA) on top of these two physical activity breaks.
• For ideas on packing lunches refer parents to Cool Lunch Ideas for the Balanced School Day.

*Adapted from materials produced by the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit and Region of Peel Public Health.