Question 1

MENTAL HEALTH

Accepted Answer

• Ensure every secondary school has advisory/mindfulness periods incorporated in their weekly school schedule where students have the opportunity to rest, take a break, make-up work, meet with teachers, etc.
 • Ensure mental health resources are publicly advertised at each school.
 • Keep counselors, psychologists, social workers, and mental health specialists in the Operating Budget and ensure they are not first on the chopping block.
 • Advocate for quarterly Wellness Half-Days to be implemented throughout the school year calendar to alleviate stress for students, especially during exam season and long periods of schooling.
 • Ensure the counselor-to-student and psychologist-to-student ratio is met at all schools and students have easy access to them.
 • Develop a standardized policy for Student Mental Health and Wellbeing, including making it easier for students to switch classes/teachers.
 • Expand Bridge to Wellness (BTW) teams to all 25 high schools.
 • Allow students to use their cell phone and other devices during lunch at all schools.

Question 2

SCHOOL MEALS

Accepted Answer

• Improve the quality and nutrition of school meals.
 • Add diverse menu items that are accommodating for students with specific dietary restrictions (ex. allergies, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, kosher, halal, etc).
 • Increase student feedback surrounding school meals through taste testing events, surveys, etc.
 • Reduce the use of plastic in the lunch line to minimize plastic waste (ex. plastic packaging, plastic utensils, etc).

Question 3

HATE SPEECH

Accepted Answer

• Work with students to hold administrators and faculty accountable for racist, sexist, homophobic, etc incidents at the school.
 • Enhance staff and administration training to ensure they know how to respond to and handle hate incidents.
 • Outline and strengthen punishments for hate incidents, especially for repeat-offenders.
 • Improve the reporting process for hate/bullying incidents.
 • Teach students at an earlier age (elementary school) about the history of hate and oppression in the world (“The earlier we teach them, the better”).
 • Expand Restorative Justice to foster community and resolve conflicts.

STUDENT WELLBEING