Prioritizing Well-being

Greenwood strives to promote mental health and well-being as a part of our culture and experience. 

This year, we welcome Laura Mincer as School Social Worker. Together with Shai Kohen who joined us in 2021, Laura provides emotional and mental well-being support to Greenwood students and staff. Our School Nurse, Lorrine Perera, provides first aid care and additional support for physical and mental health. Additionally, our classroom environments are designed to facilitate community building, personalization and well-planned instruction – all of which can contribute to mental well-being. 

Outside the classroom, Greenwood’s Outdoor Education program, clubs and committees also offer many connections to student well-being. Greenwood starts the year with a fulsome Outdoor Education program for all grades. Studies show that being outdoors and connecting with peers in a natural setting can reduce anxiety and improve one’s general sense of well-being. Outdoor education also provides students the opportunity to connect with their classmates and build stronger social-emotional relationships. Many Grade 12 students participate as leaders for Grade 7, 8 and 9 fall Outdoor Education programs and this creates a strong intergrade bond that continues through the school year. 

Greenwood’s extensive list of co-curricular clubs and leadership committees also provide students the opportunity to find connection within and across the grades. These co-curricular activities present many chances for students to step into leadership roles. When students have the opportunity to contribute to everyday life at their school, their well-being benefits. Joining a co-curricular club or committee also allows students to practise their time management skills, self-advocacy, prioritization skills and stress management skills. 

We also are focused on improving physical health and well-being with our Health and Physical Education courses, which pair well with our athletics program. The planned expansion of the Greenwood campus to allow for additional recreational and athletic outdoor space will help contribute to our objective to promote both physical and mental health and well-being. Greenwood has also recently partnered with GoodLife Fitness to provide a corporate membership discount to the entire school community. We continue to assess ways to improve the Greenwood experience to benefit physical and mental well-being.