Come together, Canada: reflecting on mental health week and education week in Ontario schools
Come together, Canada: reflecting on mental health week and education week in Ontario schools.
This year’s theme for Mental Health Week, ’Come together, Canada’, reminds us that connection supports mental health. In schools, that connection doesn’t need to be complicated or time-consuming. It can be built into everyday moments, across classrooms, hallways and shared spaces.
All week long, we shared simple, classroom-ready ways to support connection, community and calm. As we wrap up the week, we’re taking a moment to reflect on how we can carry this work forward throughout the school year.
Small moments that build connection
We started the week with a simple idea: connection often begins with a conversation.
Across classrooms every day, educators create space for low-pressure check-ins:
- What made you smile this week?
- What helps you feel calm?
- What do you wish others understood about you?
These small moments help students feel seen and heard. When students experience that sense of belonging, it strengthens their mental health and well-being – a key part of creating a mentally healthy school where every student can thrive.
Explore more ready-to-use conversation starters.
Kindness in action
Kindness activities can bring connection to life in visible ways.
Students can share appreciation through ’kindness walls’ or ’pay it forward’ notes, where they recognize each other’s strengths and take part in small acts of care. These simple practices can help shift classroom tone and reinforce a culture where kindness is noticed and grows over time.
This kind of everyday engagement practices reflect the importance of collaboration and shared ownership in school mental health. When students and staff contribute together, the impact is stronger and more sustainable.
When kindness is seen, it grows.
Explore more kindness activities.
Connecting through shared experiences
Connection does not always come from talking. Sometimes, it comes from doing.
Throughout the week, we encouraged classes to explore:
- Connect Quest activities
- collaborative art and creative expression
- movement-based games and shared challenges
These activities create space for students to connect naturally, without pressure. They also support student voice, participation and agency – key priorities within Ontario’s school mental health strategy.
Through Connect Quest, students and educators can access ready-to-use activities designed to strengthen relationships and build community in fun, accessible ways.
Making space for calm
Connection also means helping students connect with themselves.
Schools can make time for:
- grounding and breathing exercises
- quiet reflection
- short pauses to reset during busy days
Even a few minutes of calm can help students regulate, refocus and feel more prepared to learn. These practices support mental health promotion at the classroom level and contribute to the broader continuum of supports available in schools.
Connection is ongoing
As Mental Health Week comes to a close, we want to remind you that connection is not a one-time activity.
It is something we build over time, through consistent, caring interactions that affirm student identities, honour their experiences and create a sense of belonging. Identity-affirming approaches remind us that when students feel recognized and valued, their mental health and well-being are strengthened.
Supporting every student, every day
At School Mental Health Ontario, this work continues beyond a single week. Mental Health Week serves as an important reminder:
The real impact happens in the everyday.
Small conversations. Shared experiences. Moments of calm. Acts of kindness.
These are the building blocks of connection – and connection is at the heart of student mental health.