About Us

Our community… moving and choosing… to be healthy

Moving and Choosing is a community – based coalition promoting healthy growth and development and the prevention of child and adolescent obesity. Key objectives target building healthy school environments and improving access to high – quality curriculum education in nutrition and physical activity. Community partnerships link schools and families to programs which promote active living and increase food security.

Moving and choosing… meet the team

Desirea Agar, Health Promotion Facilitator

Alberta Health Services
School Health and Wellness Promotion
Healthy Living,
Population Public and Indigenous Health
2948 Dunmore Rd SE
Medicine Hat, AB T1A 8E3
Email: desirea.agar@ahs.ca
Ph: (403) 502-8418
Cell: (403) 878-2379
Fax: (403) 528-2250
Lead for: Grasslands Public Schools
Medicine Hat School District No. 76
Prairie Rose School Division
Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education

 

Pat

Pat MacIntosh, RD

Public Health Dietitian
Community Health Services
2948 Dunmore Rd SE
Medicine Hat, AB T1A 8E3
Email: pat.macintosh@ahs.ca
Ph: (403) 502-1411
Fax: (403) 528-2250

 

 

Benefits & Resources of Moving and Choosing

Health Champions
Health Champions are the vital link between the Moving and Choosing Facilitators and the schools to promote health, acting as leaders in health promotion in the school setting.

Active Living, Healthy Eating & Positive Mental Health Resource Kits
Ready-to-go kits contain lesson plans, activities and ideas to promote healthy eating, active living and positive mental health. They are fun and easy to use, and can be borrowed by teachers to support the health curriculum.

Professional Development, Parent Education
We provide education and training sessions and health information for teachers, parent groups, and parent councils on a variety of topics: school lunches and snacks, Alberta Nutrition Guidelines, DPA strategies, etc.

School Environment – Policy and School Improvement Plans
Assistance to school boards, principals, parent councils, and school health committees with development and implementation of healthy school policies to support healthy eating, active living and positive mental health.

Moving and Choosing Team
A team of Health Promotion Facilitators, a Resource Coordinator, and allied health partners are dedicated to working with the Lead Teachers, Principals, School Boards, Parent Councils, and students to promote the health of children and families.

Welcome!

In this section you will find information that may be of interest to community or school partners wishing to learn more about:

  1. the Moving and Choosing Collaborative
  2. best practices in promoting healthy  growth and development of children and youth utilizing a population  health approach
  3. the application of collective impact in creating healthier communities and schools and measurement of collective impact
  4. specific initiatives underway by the Moving and Choosing Collaborative partners

The Moving and Choosing Collaborative Mission is … “to be a strong community collaborative that fosters healthy environments and promotes healthy eating, active living and positive well-being in Southeast Alberta. We envision a community where children and youth thrive leading healthy, happy and active lives where they live, learn work and play.”

Initiated in 2003, Moving and Choosing has evolved and transformed significantly over the years. Information to reflect the current collaborative work and historical evolution of Moving and Choosing can be found as follows:

  1. Moving and Choosing Collaborative Charter: a two- pager that describes the Vision and Mission of the Moving and Choosing collaborative.
    Moving and Choosing Collaborative Charter January 2015
  2. An 11 x 17” poster that outlines the current dimensions of Moving and Choosing Collaborative.
    Moving and Choosing Poster
  3. Moving and Choosing Collective Impact Presentation pdf and handouts: This outlines the basics of the collective impact approach and how they can be applied in the current structure of Moving and Choosing and the community.
    Moving and Choosing Collaborative Collective Impact
  4. A Snapshot of Children and Youth Health in Medicine Hat: the purpose of this report was to summarize the findings of the M & C collective measurement process, thereby laying a foundation for collective measurement and mutually reinforcing activities that emerge as a result of this process.
    M & C Report 2015

Please feel free to contact us if you require any further information or assistance, or to become involved in working collectively to promote healthy communities for children and youth.

Marcia Stodalka RD
Chair, Moving and Choosing Stewardship Group
Ph: (403) 502-8209
Email:  marcia.stodalka@albertahealthservices.ca