The 2019 health and physical education curriculum includes updated expectations in a number of areas, including mental health. Opportunities to learn about mental health are enhanced through the inclusion of new expectations on mental health literacy; new expectations on social-emotional learning skills, to be taught in connection with all parts of the curriculum; and enhanced connections to mental health within existing curriculum expectations.

The goals of the health and physical education program are as follows.

Students will develop:

• the social-emotional learning skills needed to foster overall health and well-being, positive mental health, and the ability to learn, build resilience, and thrive;
• the skills and knowledge that will enable them to enjoy being active and healthy throughout their lives, through opportunities to participate regularly and safely in physical activity and to learn how to develop and improve their own personal fitness;
• the movement competence needed to participate in a range of physical activities, through opportunities to develop movement skills and to apply movement concepts and strategies in games, sports, dance, and various other physical activities;
• an understanding of the factors that contribute to healthy development, a sense of personal responsibility for lifelong health, and an understanding of how living healthy, active lives is connected with the world around them and the health of others.

The knowledge and skills acquired in health education and physical education form an integrated whole that relates to the everyday experiences of students and provides them with the physical literacy and health literacy they need to lead healthy, active lives.