The Department of Health held its annual Healthy Schools Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, 14th June, at the Bermuda Society of Arts, City Hall. These awards are for schools that consistently promote healthy nutrition, eating and wellness among their students and staff. Fifteen public and private schools and eight government preschools were reviewed as part of the Healthy Schools programme. Schools submitted evidence of compliance to this year’s four selected Components of Health; physical environment; physical education and physical activity; health education; and social and emotional environment.
2022 recipients:
Four school leaders completed last year’s Healthy Schools Assessments, despite the continued adjustments required by schools to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Francis Patton Primary: Mr. Todd Fox
- Lyceum Preschool: Mrs. Sarah Brown
- Port Royal Primary: Ms. Joanne Dill
- Southampton Preschool: Mrs. Karen Joyiens
Health for Success Trailblazers
This year, the Comprehensive School Health Programme (CSHP) history will be celebrated for the first time. Its vision began in 1991, when Dr. John Cann, Chief Medical Officer, and Dr. Joseph Christopher, Chief Education Officer, conceptualised Bermuda’s CSHP to make the critical connection between health and academics. The CSHP was named ‘Health for Success,’ a title penned by the American Cancer Society’s public relations and creative services.
Following are some of Health for Success’s trailblazing accomplishments:
From 1991 – 1994, the Health for Success committee, comprised of officers from the Department of Education, Department of Health, and the Department of Social Services, was coordinated by Dr. Mark Coulby, Senior Dental Officer. Some of this committee’s important work included establishing relationships with schools and developing school health programs that targeted violence and mental health.
From 1994 - 1998, the Health for Success initiative was coordinated by Mrs. Betsy Baillie, Public Health Nutritionist. Under her leadership and supported by Mrs. Mellonie Furbert and Ms. Cymone Hollis, Public Health Nutritionists, the School Nutrition Policy was developed and approved for implementation in schools in 1998. Most importantly, the Public School Health Education Curriculum was developed to provide a framework that ensured the students would be taught health topics at each school level, every school year.
From 1999 to 2004, former Health for Success committee members, nurses Ms. Lovette Lovell and Ms. Lynn Jackson became the initiative’s coordinators. Nurse Lovell focused the committee’s efforts on early childhood issues, commencing research for the Nursery School Regulations with Public Health Nurse, Ms. Corita Saunders. In this vein, Nutrition Services then developed and implemented the Preschool Nutrition Policy.
During Nurse Jackson’s tenure, for the first time, the 5-year-old health assessments became an annual occurrence with a report that was shared with the Caribbean Public Health Agency or CARPHA. In 2001, the Health Promotion Office, Public Health Nutritionists, and the Education Officer for P.E. & Health, Mr. Clint Smith, implemented the Teen Wellness Assessment in middle and senior schools and achieved Bermuda’s first baseline and primary health data for those cohorts.
Another trailblazing health promotion activity in schools included a key partnership with the Bermuda Diabetes Association, in which the Nutrition Incentives Initiative was developed. This initiative encourages schools to submit a physical activity or nutrition activity presentation in a competition in which they would win an award. There was a cash prize for the top school and teacher who led the program.
The first breakfast program began at Francis Patton Primary through the MarketPlace and the Continental Society sponsorship. The Midland Heights Seventh Day Adventist Church and the Department of Health also sponsored the Youth Magazine, which focused on drug abstinence. Finally, the school P.E. program was enhanced, and the Department of Youth & Sport expanded activities in its Afterschool Program.
2023 recipients:
- Mrs. Betsy Baillie, former Health for Success Coordinator and former Public Health Nutritionist
- Mrs. Joan Blades, former education officer for science
- Dr. John Cann, former Chief Medical Officer
- Posthumous Award: Dr. Joseph Christopher, former Chief Education Officer
- Mrs. Vivlyn Cooper, former School Principal
- Mrs. Mellonie Furbert, Public Health Nutritionist
- Dr. Leonard Gibbons, former Health Promotion Coordinator
- Ms. Cymone Hollis, Public Health Nutritionist
- Ms. Lynn Jackson, Chief Nursing Officer
- Mrs. Debbie Jones, Chairperson, Bermuda Diabetes Association
- Ms. Lovette Lovell, former Health for Success Coordinator and former Program Supervisor of the Child Development Program
- Mrs. Janette Musson, former Education Officer and School Principal
- Dr. Celia Nzabalinda, Chief Dental Officer
- Mrs. Lise Pitt, former Nurse Epidemiologist
- Dr. Karen Simons, Former Education Officer
Healthy Schools Health Promoting Officers and Organizations:
In November 2004, the Comprehensive School Health Programme was renamed the ‘Health Schools Program’ by Dr. John Cann, Chief Medical Officer. This program has promoted health in schools through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model, which highlights 10 interrelated health components reflected in the End-of-Year Healthy Schools Assessment. The model’s purpose is to improve each child’s cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development. Most importantly, as education and public health serve the same children and usually in the same settings, the model utilizes a whole-child approach to education, by focusing on the child to align the common goals of both sectors.
Some of Healthy Schools’ accomplishments are as follows:
Through Healthy Schools’ continued partnerships with schools, compliance with the School Nutrition Policy was strengthened through the expertise of Mrs. Mellonie Furbert and Ms. Cymone Hollis. For example, Healthy Schools, with Nutrition Services, developed several processes to improve nutrition practices in schools, including the Foodservice Providers Contract. Environmental Health provided advice to ensure that this contractual process would formalize how school meal and cafeteria vendors could provide school lunches from the bidding phase, through monitorization and assessment. In addition, the Cafeteria and Vending Machine Policy was implemented to complement the School Nutrition Policy, by highlighting the importance of consuming only plain, unsweetened water or 100% juice on school premises.
Healthy Schools partnered with the Argus Insurance Group, to install bottle-filling stations in primary and middle schools, making water the easiest choice. Thus, many schools have adopted their own water-only policies and removed beverage machines from their premises. Argus also purchased the first Bermuda EatWell Plates for schools to highlight portions. As a part of the Premier’s Youth Fitness Program’s nutrition component, the Bermuda Diabetes Association kindly donated EatWell Plates to all Primary 5 students on the island.
To strengthen the nutrition module of the Health Education Curriculum, Mrs. Mellonie Furbert, Public Health Nutritionist, and Mrs. Joanne Anderson, Family Studies leader at CedarBridge Academy developed the nutrition lesson plans for preschool to senior school levels, ensuring that they aligned with the School Nutrition Policy and Bermuda Dietary Guidelines.
Additionally, Ms. Cymone Hollis, Public Health Nutritionist has been instrumental in creating games and activities for the nutrition lesson plans. She was influential in designing the Food Guidelines leaflets that support the Bermuda Dietary Guidelines with the Bermuda Dietitians Association.
An additional synergy between Nutrition Services and another Department of Health school program was developed when Dr. Celia Musson Nzabalinda, Chief Dental Officer, utilized the school Nutrition Policy to enhance school Oral Health Services through the implementation of school oral health education classes. These classes highlighted the importance of healthy eating to improve and maintain good oral health. In 2016, an Oral Health Policy was developed to provide schools with specific actions to ensure optimal oral health practices by their students.
Also, since 2016, in strong partnership with the Curriculum Officer for P.E. and Health, Mr. Arnold Manders, Healthy Schools has been instrumental in developing and delivering the Premier’s Youth Fitness Program (PYFP) for students in Primary 5 to Senior 4 to provide them with tools that can help develop self-efficacy in health decision-making, improved health, a healthy lifestyle, and a love for lifelong physical activity. This program is in the process of being revitalized after becoming somewhat dormant during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Healthy Schools continued its long-term partnership with La Trattoria to ensure that healthy lunches were provided in schools that chose the restaurant as their food service provider. La Trattoria ensured that its menus were evaluated and approved by Nutrition Services before providing the meals in schools.
In addition, Healthy Schools partnered with the Bermuda Union of Teachers to develop a wellness program aimed at improving educators’ health and well-being. Another partnership includes working with the Department of Education’s Facilities Manager, Mr. Dwayne Caisey, to complete the School Readiness Inspections in August and regular cleanliness inspections throughout the school year in preschools to senior schools that ensure school-age children can learn in clean environments.
2023 recipients:
Those who continue to support schools and their health promotion efforts.
- Mrs. Joanne Anderson, Family Studies leader at CedarBridge Academy
- Mr. Dwayne Caisey, Facilities Manager
- Ms. Cymone Hollis, Public Health Nutritionist
- Mrs. Mellonie Furbert, Public Health Nutritionist
- Mrs. Debbie Jones, Chairperson of the Bermuda Diabetes Association
- Dr. Celia Nzabalinda, Chief Dental Officer
- Mr. Arnold Manders, Curriculum Officer for P.E. and Health
- La Trattoria
The Healthy Schools Recognition Awards 2023:
Preschools and schools demonstrated their outstanding health promotion in this year’s four components: physical environment; physical education and physical activity; health education; and social and emotional environment.
Category 1 – Reviewed Preschools and Schools:
Preschools (8):
- Lagoon Park Preschool
- Lyceum Preschool
- Prospect Preschool
- Southampton Preschool
- St. George’s Preschool
- St. Paul’s Preschool
- Victor Scott Preschool
- Warwick Preschool
Schools (15):
- CedarBridge Academy
- Dalton E. Tucker Primary
- Elliot Primary
- Francis Patton Primary
- Harrington Sound Primary
- Prospect Primary
- Saltus Grammar
- Sandys Secondary Middle School
- Somerset Primary
- Somersfield Academy
- St. George’s Preparatory School
- The Berkeley Institute
- The Bermuda High School for Girls
- Victor Scott Primary
- West End Primary
Category 2 – Outstanding Preschool Administrators and School Leaders:
All school principals and preschool administrators, who, during the COVID-19 Pandemic, demonstrated courage and outstanding leadership in delivering education (and sometimes meals) to their students, considering their staff’s health and well-being, and overcoming unprecedented and challenging events, during the 2021-2022 School Year.
Preschool Administrators:
- Devonshire Preschool: Mrs. Ruby Lamb
- Lagoon Park Preschool: Mrs. Sheryce Raynor
- Lyceum Preschool: Mrs. Sarah Brown
- Prospect Preschool: Mrs. Alana Wilson
- Southampton Preschool: Mrs. Karen Joyiens
- St. David’s Preschool: Ms. Marion Dyer
- St. George’s Preschool: Ms. Carmen Byron
- St. Paul’s Preschool: Mrs. Nancy Manuel
- Victor Scott Preschool: Ms. Gladnora Ming
- Warwick Preschool: Ms. Andrea Tucker
School Leaders:
- Bermuda Centre for Creative Learning: Mrs. Cindy Corday
- Bermuda Institute: Mr. Wayne Edwards
- CedarBridge Academy: Mr. Kenneth Caesar
- Chatmore British International School: Mrs. Brittani Butterworth
- Clearwater Middle School: Mrs. Lisa Swan
- Dalton E. Tucker Primary: Mrs. Tajuana Swan
- Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy: Ms. Margaret Phillips
- Dellwood Middle School: Mrs. Luann Wainwright-Dill
- East End Primary: Ms. Julie Foggo
- Elliot Primary: Ms. Kimberly Creighton
- Francis Patton Primary: Mr. Todd Fox
- Gilbert Institute: Mrs. Jana Pitcher
- Harrington Sound Primary: Mrs. Cindy Weeks
- Heron Bay Primary: Mrs. Francine McMahon
- Impact Mentoring Academy: Dr. Timothy Jackson
- Mount Saint Agnes Academy: Mrs. Anna Faria-Machado
- Northlands Primary: Ms. Linda Holdipp
- Paget Primary: Mrs. Sonia Daley
- Port Royal Primary: Ms. Joann Dill
- Prospect Primary: Dr. Holly Richardson
- Purvis Primary: Mrs. Enid Furbert-Jacobs
- Saltus Grammar: Mrs. Julie Rousseau
- Sandys Secondary Middle School: Mrs. Kallie Baxter-Williams
- Somerset Primary: Mrs. Angela Edwards
- Success Academy: Dr. John Duncan
- Somersfield Academy: Mr. Peter Howe
- St. David’s Primary: Mr. Gladstone Thompson
- St. George’s Preparatory School: Mrs. Gail Smith
- The Berkeley Institute: Ms. Keisha Douglas
- The Bermuda High School for Girls: Mrs. Linda Parker
- The Clara Mohammed School: Mrs. Zakiyyah Shakir
- Victor Scott Primary: Ms. Kennelyn Smith
- Warwick Academy: Mr. Dave Horan
- West End Primary: Mrs. Trina Cariah
- West Pembroke Primary: Mrs. Opal wilson
- Whitney Institute Middle School: Ms. Reeshemah Swan
Category 3 – Outstanding Health-Promoting Public Service Officers:
For demonstrating outstanding support to schools through the COVID-19 Pandemic, these awards are being given to Outstanding Officers from the Department of Education and Department of Health. During a time when there was much uncertainty, these officers worked tirelessly with schools, often seven days a week, to ensure the safety of students and staff.
- Department of Education, Facilities Manager: Mr. Dwayne Caisey
- Department of Health, School Surveillance Team Members:
- Mrs. Kelly Crampton
- Mrs. Nakia Furbert
- Mr. Ryan Hassell
- Mrs. Susan Hill-Davidson
- Mrs. Jennifer Robinson, Coordinator
Category 4 – School Health Champions:
These Healthy Schools Recognition Awards are being given to school Health Champions who were key in consistently promoting health to students and staff throughout this school year.
Preschools:
- Lagoon Park Preschool: Noreen Bartley, Kim DeSilva, Kim Pearman, and Kari White
- Lyceum Preschool: Sarah Brown, Patreece Simons
- Prospect Preschool: Alana Wilson
- Southampton Preschool: Karen Joyiens
- St. George’s Preschool: Carmen Byron
- St. Paul’s Preschool: Nancy Manuel, Carla Mendes, Laurie Trott
- Victor Scott Preschool: Tammy Harvey, Kelli Robinson
- Warwick Preschool: Natasha Hurst, Linnal Simons, Andrea Tucker
Schools:
- CedarBridge Academy: Melanie Burrows, Theslyn Catlyn-Martin, Teoyona Gilbert, Davon Govia, Erika Wales
- Elliot Primary: Ian Lim
- Francis Patton Primary: Florence Sharpe
- Harrington Sound Primary: Carolyn Conway
- Saltus Grammar: Facilities Team, Lindsay Manderson, Leslie White
- Sandys Secondary Middle School: Kallie Baxter-Williams
- Somerset Primary: Angela Edwards
- Somersfield Academy: Ankeysha Place
- St. George’s Preparatory School: Monica Dunstan
- The Bermuda High School for Girls: Fiona Lines
- The Berkeley Institute: Kia Burchall, Keisha Douglas, Rhonda Rawlins, Nadia Robinson, Irving Romaine, Cindy Smith, Tiannia Symonds, Facilities Department: Chris Basden, David Butterfield, Sherman Darrell, Tamika Hassell, Rudolph Stroble
- Prospect Primary: Jessica Furtado, Kasandra Hayward, Donna Scott
- Victor Scott Primary: Kennelyn Smith
- West End Primary: Shaun Philpott