Health Report Cards Sees Bright Future For Struggling Students

It's Health Report Card Day at St. Stephen High School.


Grade 10 students were tested in areas such as cholesterol, blood glucose, body mass index, as well as mental health and self-esteem. Today the students receive their results.

The initiative started 3 years ago at SSHS as a way to help unhealthy kids, before they become unhealthy adults.


Dr. Sohrab Lutchmedial, a heart specialist who is overseeing the Health Report Card Day says, "Our kids are the first generation that will live a shorter lifespan than their parents." He says, "Today is all about educating the kids. That's why we realized we have to start where the kids are, which is in school, and not try to drag them out of their environment to a hospital or clinicto try an learn about their health. It should happen here."

Last year's results showed 10% of the students, aged 15, had 5 or more risk factors for coronary heart disease.

Dr. Lutchmedial says, "It's not about comparing the statistics of one class to another, but comparing how one student is doing throughout their high school years. Are they getting healthier as they get better educated? Are they starting to make better choices? With the interventions this year, are they actually going to be feeling better?"

Vice-Principal Krista Amos tells Tide News it is now time to focus on the intervention process. She says, "There will be opportunities during our Academic Intervention, which is a period students currently use to do homework during their school day. We are also going to open up the gym for some after school slots. We know the dietition will be coming to the school to work with students, mental health will be here to look at students who may have scored low on self-esteem. All sorts of good things are about to happen at St. Stephen High School."

The initiative started 3 years ago as a way to help unhealthy kids before they become unhealthy adults.

Amos says the entire program is voluntary and parents are sent a copy of their child's report card in the mail -- as opposed to the bottom of a bookbag.
(Picture: Dr. Lutchmedial (left), Nurse Practitioner Yvonne Bartlett (centre), and Vice Principal Krista Amos (right) explaining the Health Report Cards to the first class to receive them.)

Skilled Trades A Focus In Anglophone South District

Skilled Trades are becoming a popular item in our local high schools.


Coordinator of Technology & Skilled Trades for Anglophone South Moira Sherwood making a presentation to the District Education Council last night on the importance of skilled trades to our students and the connection between co-op courses and apprenticeship.

Sherwood tells Tide News the need for skilled trades workers across New Brunswick is very evident. She says the labour shortage in the province identifies why this is an opportunity to show the students all of their choices for a career.
Sherwood says many courses the students can take now will give them hours that can count towards an apprenticeship later, such as Carpentry, Cabinet Making, Framing & Sheathing.   Sherwood says not all of the schools in the Anglophone South School District have every course, but there is a wide variety of careers to choose from at each school. She says they want students to see all of their possibilities.