The OFF-TRAIL Preschool-Primary Program was conceived by the Centre RBC d’expertise universitaire en santé mentale and co-constructed by a number of players from the primary school, health and social services, and university sectors. Based on a holistic approach, this entirely free program is aimed at students, their parents and the various members of the school team. By developing psychosocial skills and creating a healthy, caring environment, this program aims to prevent anxiety disorders and other adjustment disorders.
Since 2020, the CISSS de la Montérégie-Centre has put in place a support team dedicated specifically to deploying the OFF-TRAIL program into schools. This team has been responsible for rolling out the program across all regions of Québec, in partnership with health and social service establishments and schools.
To implement the OFF-TRAIL Preschool-Primary Program, contact horspiste.primaire.cisssmc16@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
- Program overview and introduction
- This promotional brochure will give you a quick overview of the various components of the OFF-TRAIL program.
Promotional brochure – Preschool-Primary Program - These placemats give you a quick overview of the objectives of each workshop, by grade level.
Overview of the OFF-TRAIL program - This introduction will enable you, first of all, to appreciate the contribution of each of the people involved in developing the OFF-TRAIL preschool-primary program. In addition, this document is designed to help you understand the governing principles of the OFF-TRAIL program. You can also learn, in more detail, about the key elements of the preschool-primary program.
Introduction Facilitation Guide – Preschool-Primary Program - This sample workshop will give you an idea of the workshops’ structure:
- This promotional brochure will give you a quick overview of the various components of the OFF-TRAIL program.
- Implementation support
- Our role:
The CISSS de la Montérégie-Centre has been selected to launch the OFF-TRAIL program throughout Québec
Our role:
The CISSS de la Montérégie-Centre has been selected to launch the OFF-TRAIL program throughout Québec. Our team is tasked with supporting health and social services institutions and high schools in implementing the program in schools. Our implementation team works proactively to adapt the program implementation process to the reality of each region in the province.
Our vision:
The successful implementation of the OFF-TRAIL program in Québec’s school environments relies on teamwork and shared responsibility between the healthcare institutions, schools, and school service centers.Our mandate:
– Support institutions in launching the program on a provincial scale;
– Engage stakeholders from various settings;
– Coordinate the various program phases;
– Support the creation of the expert committee and program appropriation.To contact us:
The support team is always available to help and guide you. We offer in-person meetings or videoconferences (Zoom or Teams). Contact us at horspiste.primaire.cisssmc16@ssss.gouv.qc.ca
- Our role:
- Implementation tools
- In this implementation guide, you’ll find all the information and documentation you need to complete each step of the program implementation:
Implementation Guide for Schools - This planning document (template) will also help you determine in concrete terms how the various stages will be realized:
Planning document (template) - In this document, you’ll find a list of all the reading suggestions made in the workshops, by grade level:
- In this implementation guide, you’ll find all the information and documentation you need to complete each step of the program implementation:
- Facilitator training
- This training video is aimed at those who will be facilitating the program’s workshops for students. It gives you all the information you need to run the workshops. CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN FRENCH ONLY
Formation des personnes animatrices
- This training video is aimed at those who will be facilitating the program’s workshops for students. It gives you all the information you need to run the workshops. CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IN FRENCH ONLY
- Workshops and tools for the school staff
- Overview of the program
- This video aims to present the program to the entire school staff.
https://youtu.be/g9qzc0JJEJE - The purpose of this document is to guide you in reflecting on and discussing the program with your school team after watching the introductory video.
Reflection sheet – Program presentation to the school staff
- This video aims to present the program to the entire school staff.
- Training workshops for school staff
- Cultivating well-being
Length: 1 hour 45 minutes
Intended audience: Members of the school team
Objectives:
– Increase awareness of issues associated with well-being and mental health in teaching;
– Define mental health and its key determinants in the workplace;
– Learn ways to look after your own and other people’s wellbeing;
– Collectively identify action steps to implement at the school to support your wellbeing and the wellbeing of the team.Facilitated by: A member of the school team, the school service centre, or the public health directorate who has completed the mandatory facilitator training (1 hour). This training is offered in French only, but an English slideshow will be provided.
See the training calendar HERE - Anxiety in our students: What can I do as a member of the school team?
Length: 2 hours 30 minutes
Intended audience: Members of the school team
Objectives:
– Understand the importance of addressing anxiety among students;
– Distinguish between stress and anxiety;
– Identify signs of anxiety in students;
– Understand the basic concepts related to anxiety;
– Identify strategies to implement in the classroom or school to prevent or reduce students’ stress and anxiety.
Facilitated by: A member of the school team, the school service centre, or the public health directorate who has completed the mandatory facilitator training (2 hours). This training is offered in French only, but an English slideshow will be provided.
See the training calendar HERE - Mindfulness as the heart of your practice
Length: at your leisure (self-paced)
Intended audience: Members of the school team
Objectives:
–Understand what mindfulness is, how it works, and what it entails;
– Identify links between mindfulness practice and its benefits;
– Gradually apply mindfulness in personal and professional life.
It is recommended that the video clips be viewed in order. Please note that the clips are in French only.
Clip 1: Qu’est-ce que la pleine conscience?
Clip 2: Comment ça fonctionne?
Clip 3: À quoi ça sert?
Clip 4: Boîte à outils et activités à expérimenter
- Cultivating well-being
- Fact sheet on stress and anxiety
- This sheet is for all school staff members. It provides a summary of key concepts related to stress and anxiety, as well as strategies for preventing or lessening anxiety in students.
Anxiety is Everyone’s Business!
- This sheet is for all school staff members. It provides a summary of key concepts related to stress and anxiety, as well as strategies for preventing or lessening anxiety in students.
- Reinvestment guides
- This tool provides teachers who did not lead the workshops with all the information they need to reinforce the learning in the classroom.
Reinvestment guide – Kindergarten 4
Reinvestment guide – Kindergarten 5
Reinvestment guide – Grade 1
Reinvestment guide – Grade 2
Reinvestment guide – Grade 3
Reinvestment guide – Grade 4
Reinvestment guide – Grade 5
Reinvestment guide – Grade 6 - This tool enables daycare staff to read summaries of the stories and activities carried out in class, and to have all the information they need to reinvest at the daycare what the students have learned.
Reinvestment Manual – School Daycare Service
- This tool provides teachers who did not lead the workshops with all the information they need to reinforce the learning in the classroom.
- Overview of the program
- Workshops and tools for parents
- Overview of the program
- This explanatory sheet provides parents with an overview of the program.
Overview of the program – Parents - This introductory email must be sent to parents before the start of the workshops in class. Its purpose is to let them know that their child will be participating in the program and to provide them with some tools. It’s best to copy and paste the content directly into an email instead of attaching it.
Email to parents – Startup
- This explanatory sheet provides parents with an overview of the program.
- Stress and anxiety awareness workshop and clips
- An awareness workshop can be given for parents to deepen their knowledge about stress and anxiety and to equip them with strategies they can apply at home to prevent or lessen anxiety in their child. Parents can register HERE. Please note that this workshop is in French only.
The content of this workshop is also available in the form of online clips. You can view them en English HERE. - If you are a facilitator and would like to offer the workshop “Anxiety in Our Children: What Can I Do as a Parent?” to the parents in your community, you can take a 2-hour training session that will enable you to lead the workshop afterwards.
N.B. This course is currently offered only in French. However, a slide show translated into English will be provided so that you can present the training to the parents in your community.
To take the facilitator training, you can register for one of the dates listed in the training calendar HERE.
- An awareness workshop can be given for parents to deepen their knowledge about stress and anxiety and to equip them with strategies they can apply at home to prevent or lessen anxiety in their child. Parents can register HERE. Please note that this workshop is in French only.
- Web presentation
- Under construction.
- Fact sheet on stress and anxiety
- This sheet is intended to deepen parents’ knowledge about stress and anxiety and to equip them with strategies they can apply at home to prevent or lessen anxiety in their child.
Talking About Anxiety Without Stress… for parents!
- This sheet is intended to deepen parents’ knowledge about stress and anxiety and to equip them with strategies they can apply at home to prevent or lessen anxiety in their child.
- Reinvestment sheets for parents
- A reinvestment sheet for parents is available for each of the in-class workshops. The purpose of these sheets is to inform parents about what the students learned in class and to suggest ways of continuing the work at home. These sheets can be found on in the “Workshops and tools for students” section, organized by workshop.
- Audio versions of the reinvestment sheets for parents
- An audio version of the content of each reinvestment sheet can be e-mailed to parents. Pre-written e-mails containing the link to the audio version can be found in the “Workshops and tools for students” section, sorted by workshop.
- Primary-to-secondary transition tool
- This tool is intended to help parents support their child’s transition to secondary school. It can be given to parents at the end of their child’s grade 6 year, or just before the child starts secondary school.
Helping your child make a happy transition to high school
- This tool is intended to help parents support their child’s transition to secondary school. It can be given to parents at the end of their child’s grade 6 year, or just before the child starts secondary school.
- End of workshops
- This email is sent to parents to let them know the workshops are finished.
Email to parents – Workshops completed
- This email is sent to parents to let them know the workshops are finished.
- Overview of the program
- Workshops and tools for students (facilitation materials)
- Complete facilitation guide
- This complete facilitation guide contains all the workshop materials in a single, printable document.
Complete Facilitation Guide – Preschool-Primary Program
- This complete facilitation guide contains all the workshop materials in a single, printable document.
- Basic workshops (facilitation guides, facilitation slide shows, reinvestment handouts for parents, audio versions of the reinvestment handout)
- In this section, you’ll find all the workshops you can run in the classroom, sorted by grade level. You’ll also find a slide show for each workshop, and a reinvestment handout to send to parents.
- Introduction to the program and the characters
- Kindergarten to Grade 2
This slide show introduces students to the program and its star characters, Leo and Charlie, when they are first introduced in the program. You can also use this craft and this activity sheet if you like.
Slides show: Introducing Leo and Charlie – Preschool-Grade 2
Activity sheet – Introducing Leo and Charlie
Craft – Making puppets
Vocabulary words – Preschool
Vocabulary words – Grade 1 - Grade 3 to Grade 5
This slide show introduces students to the program and its star characters, Leo and Charlie, when they are first introduced in the program. You can also use this comic strip if you like.
Slides show: Introducing Leo and Charlie – Grade 3-5
Comic strip – Introducing Leo and Charlie - Grade 6
This slide show introduces students to the program and its star characters, Leo and Charlie, when they are first introduced in the program. You can also use this comic strip if you like.
Slides show: Introducing Leo and Charlie Grade 6
Comic strip – Introducing Leo and Charlie
- Kindergarten to Grade 2
- Kindergarten (K4)
- The lists of materials and the printable handouts for students for the 5 workshops of this level can be found in the next section in the “Materials lists and handouts” drawer.
- K4.1 The big adventure
- K4.2 This feels good!
- K4.3 Choosing your camp
- K4.4 Lost and found
- K4.5 Feathers and rocks
- Kindergarten (K5)
- The lists of materials and the printable handouts for students for the 5 workshops of this level can be found in the next section in the “Materials lists and handouts” drawer.
- K5.1 The bus breaks down
- K5.2 Radio communication
- K5.3 R-E-S-P-E-C-T!
- K5.4 Cabin fever
- K5.5 Walking the talk
- Grade 1
- The lists of materials and the printable handouts for students for the 5 workshops of this level can be found in the next section in the “Materials lists and handouts” drawer.
- 1.1 OFF-TRAIL Camping
- 1.2 Flawless!
- 1.3 A helping hand
- 1.4 A night in the forest
- 1.5 One for all and all for one
- Grade 2
- The lists of materials and the printable handouts for students for the 5 workshops of this level can be found in the next section in the “Materials lists and handouts” drawer.
- 2.1 Sunny or cloudy
- 2.2 Discussing the rapids
- 2.3 Rabaskatastrophe!
- 2.4 Keeping your batteries charged
- 2.5 Remi gets new tools
- Grade 3
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The lists of materials and the printable handouts for students for the 5 workshops of this level can be found in the next section in the “Materials lists and handouts” drawer.
- 3.1 The big crossing
- 3.2 Two sides of the same coin
- 3.3 A scary story
- 3.4 At the crossroads
- 3.5 Conflict at play
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- Grade 4
- The lists of materials and the printable handouts for students for the 5 workshops of this level can be found in the next section in the “Materials lists and handouts” drawer.
- 4.1 My inner rollercoaster
- 4.2 Cooling your jets
- 4.3 Making sure we help each other
- 4.4 Was it worth it?
- 4.5 A hurricane in my head
- Grade 5
- The lists of materials and the printable handouts for students for the 5 workshops of this level can be found in the next section in the “Materials lists and handouts” drawer.
- 5.1 Influences that weigh you down
- 5.2 A new “state-of-the-art” siren
- 5.3 The big swim
- 5.4 Being different without disagreeing
- 5.5 A shambles in the night
- Grade 6
- The lists of materials and the printable handouts for students for the 5 workshops of this level can be found in the next section in the “Materials lists and handouts” drawer.
- 6.1 The stress detectives
- 6.2 In my face… or in my head?
- 6.3 An out-of-zone expedition
- 6.4 Braving the mountain
- 6.5 The summit!
- Materials lists and handouts
- Materials lists
- Handouts to print
- Posters and other reinvestment materials
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Posters: My Memory Helper
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These posters are designed to provide a visual reminder of the key messages at each grade level, to facilitate reinvestment. We invite you to display them in your classrooms or elsewhere in school. The ideal print format is 11 x 17, but you can select another size in the print options.
Poster – My Memory Helper – Kindergarten 4
Poster – My Memory Helper – Kindergarten 5
Poster – My Memory Helper – Grade 1
Poster – My Memory Helper – Grade 2
Poster – My Memory Helper – Grade 3
Poster – My Memory Helper – Grade 4
Poster – My Memory Helper – Grade 5
Poster – My Memory Helper – Grade 6
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Posters: My OFF-TRAIL progress
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These posters provide a visual reminder of the progression of workshops and challenges. After each workshop, you’re invited to cut out the challenge and paste it on the poster. The ideal print format is 11 x 17, but you can select another size in the print options.
Poster – My OFF-TRAIL progress – Kindergarten 4
Poster – My OFF-TRAIL progress – Kindergarten 5
Poster – My OFF-TRAIL progress – Grade 1
Poster – My OFF-TRAIL progress – Grade 2
Poster – My OFF-TRAIL progress – Grade 3
Poster – My OFF-TRAIL progress – Grade 4
Poster – My OFF-TRAIL progress – Grade 5
Poster – My OFF-TRAIL progress – Grade 6
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Posters: Resolving your conflicts
- You can use these posters to help students resolve their conflicts. The ideal print format is 11 x 17, but you can select another size in the print options.
Poster – Resolving your conflicts – Preschool-Cycle 1
Poster – Resolving your conflicts – Cycle 2-3
- You can use these posters to help students resolve their conflicts. The ideal print format is 11 x 17, but you can select another size in the print options.
- Poster: Physical sensations linked to stress and anxiety
- You can use this poster to help students identify the physical sensations they may feel in the face of stress or anxiety. The ideal print format is 11 x 17, but you can select another size in the print options.
Poster – Possible physical sensations linked to stress and anxiety
- You can use this poster to help students identify the physical sensations they may feel in the face of stress or anxiety. The ideal print format is 11 x 17, but you can select another size in the print options.
- Poster: Resource people in our school
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This poster aims to give you a clear idea of the various resources available in your school community. The ideal print format is 11 x 17, but you can select another size in the print options.
Poster – Resource people in our school
Poster – Resource people in our school (empty)
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- Poster – Recognizing your emotions
- You can use this poster to help preschool and Cycle 1 students identify their basic emotions.
Poster – Recognizing your emotions -
You can use this poster to help Cycle 2 and 3 students identify more complex emotions and feelings.
Poster – Identifying your emotions
- You can use this poster to help preschool and Cycle 1 students identify their basic emotions.
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Poster: Belly breathing
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You can use this poster to explain belly breathing to your preschoolers.
Poster – Belly breathing
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- Poster: Strategies for asserting yourself
- You can use this poster to help Cycle 2 and 3 students identify useful ways to assert themselves.
Poster – Strategies for asserting yourself!
- You can use this poster to help Cycle 2 and 3 students identify useful ways to assert themselves.
- Strategy Key Tags (Strategies for calming down and Conflict resolution solutions)
- You can print out, cut out and put on a ring the strategies you want to review regularly with your students.
Strategy Key Tags
- You can print out, cut out and put on a ring the strategies you want to review regularly with your students.
- Certificates
- If you wish, you can give a copy of this certificate to each student after completing the workshops, to recognize their participation.
Certificate – Preschool-Cycle 1
Certificate – Cycle 2-3
- If you wish, you can give a copy of this certificate to each student after completing the workshops, to recognize their participation.
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- Visuals of the characters
- These images of Leo and Charlie can be used to illustrate your reinvestment materials or to display on the walls of your school.
- These images of Leo and Charlie can be used to illustrate your reinvestment materials or to display on the walls of your school.
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Complementary activity: Mindfulness Supplement
- These activity sheets are designed for teachers and other staff who want to do more mindfulness activities with their students.
Mindfulness Supplement – Breathing – The Pause That Refocuses
Mindfulness Supplement – Feeling – Body Scanning
Mindfulness Supplement – Inner Weather – Sticking out your thumb
Mindfulness Supplement – Reacting versus responding – Ice Cubes
Mindfulness Supplement – Visualization – Life on an Island in the Pacific
Mindfulness Supplement – Listening – Active ears
Mindfulness Supplement – Making Connections – Things in Common
Mindfulness Supplement – Switching Off – The Jar of Thoughts
- These activity sheets are designed for teachers and other staff who want to do more mindfulness activities with their students.
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Complementary activity: The Gifts of Nature
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This activity of roughly 1.5 hours aims to help Cycle 2 and 3 students experience the benefits of nature on their well-being. It also provides tips on how to facilitate reinvestment in the classroom, in the school environment and the home environment.
Nature Activity – The Gifts of Nature – Taking care of yourself by connecting with nature
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Primary-to-secondary transition
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The purpose of this tool is to remind students of a few strategies they can use to ease their transition to secondary school. It can be given to students at the end of their grade 6 year, or when they begin secondary school.
Making a happy transition to high school
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References
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This document contains all the references used to design the program:
References
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- Complete facilitation guide
