Moncton High School ESD

The Moncton High School staff (including 18 educational assistants and 53 teachers of multiple disciplines) is embarking on an ambitious and exciting initiative this upcoming year: Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Our focus will be on the engagement of learning through the wellness of our school and greater community. We are attempting to raise levels of responsibility, consciousness, wellness and empathy in our entire student body (approximately 1180 students).
Moncton High School, a charter member of the Fundy Biosphere Reserve, has developed a model for implementing ESD within schools by using a value-based framework. The values are caring, diversity, environment and living simply. We will use the above UNESCO ideals and principles as a guide to establish specific targets. Similar to the RCE’s (Resource Centers for Expertise) that the United Nations University has established all over the world, Moncton High will implement the program with the core elements of governance, collaboration, research, and transformative education.

Update (May 2, 2012)

Project is underway, and we have offered the following sessions for the students to pick:
BLOGGING
This session is for you if.... you want to learn how to set up a personal blog (using word press, square space, etc.), a tumbler page or host music on a bandcamp site. Contribute and connect on the ESD website with some innovative ideas

BOOK CLUB
This session is for you if.... you love to read! Reading a book could change your life. Discussing stories & characters with others often helps us see things we wouldn’t on our own. Explore the world through stories, learning more about yourself & others as you read & discuss books. Embark on a journey of exploration through the world of books.

BOOT CAMP
This session is for you if.... you’re up for a challenge & you’re motivated to get in shape. You’ll tone your muscles, lose stubborn fat & get an all-around, total-body workout. Work with others & sweat through walking lunges, push-ups, squats, planks, jumping jacks, stair running & more. MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!

CHILDREN’S BOOK ILLUSTRATOR
This session is for you if.... you’re artistic & creative & interested in collaborating with children to illustrate their stories. Pay it forward by donating the books to local paediatric wards.

CHILL OUT
This session is for you if... you are unable to relax, and find yourself running on 'overdrive' throughout the day. This will be your chance to treat yourself to some 'chill time' ... a time to discover some easy, de-stressing activities that will guarantee a 'calmer you'. Relaxation techniques and calming music await!

CHESS
This session is for you if.... you’d like to learn how to play chess or develop new strategies. Practice with your peers & get ready for some competition when you host a community-based Moncton High Chess Tournament!

CHOIR “GLEE CLUB”
This session is for you if.... you’re an aspiring GLEEK! Join like-minded enthusiasts looking to express themselves through music. Highlight your talents as you entertain seniors at a local seniors’ home.

CINEMA
This session is for you if...you like watching movies with realistic characters, amazing and captivating stories that have a strong message and unpredictable endings. Unlike typical Hollywood movies, this group will explore films with authentic situations, controversial plots, and emotionally-charged stories that are centered on subject matter that requires an open mind and that challenges us to think outside our personal experience.

Update (June 18, 2012)

Our program was featured on CBC radio for Maritime Magazine - a half hour feature on ESD at Moncton High School. It featured interviews with staff and students that have been conducted by Vanessa Blanch over the past month or so.

As a staff at Moncton High we recognize that the challenges facing our youth are complex and profound. The acute issues of unwellness, apathy, and identity are certainly receiving more attention from academia as well as popular media. Working within a community and family context, studies are increasingly identifying the need for schools to play a leadership role in affecting a paradigm shift towards a sustainable culture. Healthy, empathetic, and self-aware youth are motivated and engaged learners.

We understand the concept of fuel efficiency in motor vehicles, what about learning efficiency in students? This brings us to next year's plan... MHS Healthy Eating Module (stay tuned!)