September 11, 2019

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OASPHE is encouraged by our initial review of the 2019 Elementary HPE Curriculum document. As an Education Partner to the Ministry of Education and provincial subject association with Ophea, we are happy to see the feedback we provided in May reflected in this newly released curriculum document. Our Core Executive met to determine our next steps for Advocacy moving forward with implementation.

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One of our Association’s main goals is to advocate for and support quality implementation of the 2019 Health and Physical Education curriculum. Effective implementation requires that teachers have access to professional learning and up to date resources to build their confidence and competence to design and implement quality Health and Physical Education lessons. This will, in turn, provide rich opportunities for all students to develop the comprehension, capacity and commitment to lead a healthy active life across their lifespan. Given this, the focus of our advocacy during the 2019-2020 year to support educators responsible for teaching Health and Physical Education across Ontario includes:

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1. Seeking clarification on PPM162 and the government’s position in relation to page 21 of the document; “Mandatory learning is described in the overall and specific expectations of the curriculum”. As members of the education sector we honour our responsibiliity to create and sustain safe, accepting, inclusive and respectful learning environments free from fear and discrimination. OASPHE acknowledges and supports the importance of learning within the Human Development and Sexual Health expectations of the Healthy Living Strand. However, we are concerned about the exemption and its impact on a teacher’s ability to create and sustain a learning environment in which all students feel safe and are respected.
    

2. In the coming months OASPHE will work to share an overview and focus specifically on the Healthy Living Strand and new expectations.
   
   a. We will highlight the intended learning and expectations that continue to address gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation before Grade 8.
   
   b. As Mental Health Literacy is no longer embedded in the curriculum but a new and individual learning focus we will seek information from our membership on potential additional resources needed to support this learning. We also plan to highlight current resources that are currently available, vetted and free of charge to teachers, focusing on those that make specific connections to the expectations of the HPE curriculum expectations. We will continue to advocate that health education is the responsibility of all educators and that mental health is one component of a Healthy School. Health Education should be taught throughout the school year, making cross curricular connections where possible. This will ensure that all curriculum expectations are fully addressed and all educators are and that all educators are able to support their students in developing the skills and knowledge to lead healthy active lives.
    

3. OASPHE will continue to advocate that access to daily quality Health and Physical Education programming is the right of all children and is the foundation for a healthy school community. Schools must value and implement daily quality Health and Physical Education for all students if to truly embody the ideas of a Healthy School community.
    

4. OASPHE supports the Social Emotional Learning Skills (SELS, Strand A) as part of the 2019 Elementary Health and Physical Education curriculum and its position that they are to be embedded within Strands B, C and D of the HPE curriculum and not treated as stand alone expectations. Educators in Ontario will require support in developing learning opportunities that embed the SELS to ensure they are not treated as stand alone expectations. To ensure this, OASPHE will continue to work with the Ministry of Education and School Mental Health Ontario to develop resources and supports for all teachers to adopt an integrated approach to teaching and assessing the Social Emotional Learning skills as articulated in the 2019 Health and Physical Education curriculum.