​ASD-W has launched a menstrual hygiene pilot project at two high schools to help female born students better manage their health and prevent lost time at school.

 “In ASD-W, sanitary napkins and/or health pads may not be freely available or easily assessable to students while at school,” said Joanna Seeley, public health nurse for the district’s healthy learners in school program. “There are students who have reported staying home from school during menstruation due to a lack of adequate support to handle periods. Caring for periods is an important part of being healthy. Providing students with free pads and tampons in school bathrooms helps them stay focused on their learning and sends a message about value and respect for their bodies.”

Seeley said Horizon Public Health’s Healthy Learners in School program nurses in ASD-W reached out to school administrators in the spring of 2018 to find out what resources their schools had to supply menstrual hygiene products (tampons and pads) to students.

In past years, schools have been able to obtain free company samples. However, it came to school nurses’ attention companies were no longer providing free menstrual hygiene product samples to schools. As a result, some schools were purchasing their own supplies and some teachers were spending their personal money to have tampons and pads on hand for students.

In the fall, a summary report was provided for the district about what middle and high schools are doing to address the need for students who need menstrual hygiene products while at school. With the support of Acting School Superintendent Catherine Blaney, Horizon Public Health approached the Department of Education (EECD) with those findings. In response, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development agreed to provide financial support for a pilot project in ASD-W to explore ways students who are experiencing period poverty could be supported while at school.

Horizon Public Health formed partnerships with representatives from EECD, ASD-W and the UNB Sociology Department to plan, develop, implement and evaluate the menstrual hygiene pilot project. Due to the size and diversity of its student population, the two high schools selected for the project were Fredericton High and Leo Hayes High. There are 965 female born students at FHS and 740 female born students at LHHS.

In November, students completed a school-wide survey to assess their attitudes and beliefs about menstrual hygiene needs. Two student groups, “Go with the Flo” at FHS and “Period Pact” at LHHS were formed.

Horizon Public Health helped facilitate the purchase and installment of dispensers and menstrual products (pads and tampons) in the female and gender-neutral washrooms at both schools. To bring awareness of the availability and accessibility of these products, FHS and LHHS students implemented a poster campaign and created announcements.

“The purpose of the pilot project is to explore whether or not a provincial initiative to provide free menstrual hygiene products in school bathrooms decrease student absenteeism and class tardiness,” Seeley explained. “At ASD-W, we feel that no students should face losing instructional time because they are too embarrassed to ask for, can't afford or simply cannot access sanitary products.”

Over the past year, various international health agencies have spoken about menstrual hygiene as a human rights issue. A United Nations Sustainable Development Goal calls for access to sanitation and hygiene for all by 2030, “paying special attention to the needs of women and girls."

Shown in the photo below are (left to right), Hayley Banks, Carrie Pelkey, Dhanista Ambwani and Hannah Tran from Leo Hayes HIgh School. Every week, students are filling dispensers in school washrooms and product use is being tracked.