Kicking Off a Year of Well-Being Initiatives with Dr. Greg Wells

One of our major goals at Greenwood is empowering our community—students, staff, and parents—to manage their health and well-being. Last year, staff and parents worked with Dr. Greg Wells, a physiologist, an exercise medicine researcher at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children, and a professor of kinesiology at the University of Toronto. Dr. Wells shared useful and practical tips to build healthy habits.

This year, Dr. Wells will work with students and their families in a variety of ways, including through assemblies, email, and a parent information session in April. Teachers will apply what they learned last year in their own sessions with Dr. Wells to support students in making healthy changes.

On October 1, Dr. Wells came to Greenwood to introduce himself and start working with students. He met with the Student Council for a roundtable discussion to get an idea of the student body’s needs and concerns around health and well-being. The grade representatives came prepared with concerns and questions from their peers; Dr. Wells will use these priorities to personalize the program for Greenwood’s needs, including a series of mini videos to answer common questions. The Student Council also posted a form on Groodle, where students can submit any new questions or concerns that might arise; Dr. Wells will work with the Student Council to respond to these throughout the year.

During assembly, Dr. Wells demonstrated how healthy choices impact our bodies and brains through an example that will be familiar to every student: preparing for a big exam. He provided an overview of the ways that the many different components of well-being, such as healthy eating, sleep, and exercise habits can impact a person’s performance and functioning; for example, even a bit of exercise can increase activity in the brain and is linked to improved math scores. These are themes that he will expand upon throughout the school year.

A number of teachers reported their students were energized by the assembly and excited to learn more. Students will soon receive a series of emails with tips and assignments, designed to help them craft their own unique health and well-being plan.