Coordinated School Health: The Strategic Connection to Improve Student Health and Academic Achievement http://nelovesps.org/story/the-whole-child/ Greet the audience and explain who you are and the organization you represent. (If there is a small group, have them introduce themselves: name, place of work, position.)

American Cancer Society “[Children]….who face violence, hunger, substance abuse, unintended pregnancy, and despair cannot possibly focus on academic excellence. There is no curriculum brilliant enough to compensate for a hungry stomach or a distracted mind.” It is difficult for students to be successful in school if they are: Hungry Tired Using alcohol or other drugs Worried about violence Being bullied Depressed Stressed Sick Abused

Why Youth? Health risk behaviors are established in childhood and adolescence It’s easier to prevent the adoption of health risk behaviors than to change established behaviors Chronic disease health risks are already common among young people Many health risks associated with adults were established in childhood

An Opportunity: Every school day in Nebraska, 300,000+ students attend more than 249 public school districts

“Schools are places where needs must be accommodated, remediated, and met—both health and academic. We must focus on the Whole Child!” Dr. Gene Carter ASCD

Coordinated School Health Education Physical Education Family & Community Partnerships Employee Wellness School Health Services Healthy School Environment Nutrition Services To be effective, coordinated school health programs must be directed toward the needs of students, Be responsive to the needs of families, and Be reflective of the values of the local community. All eight components must be linked to each other and supportive of each other. Often, schools with effective coordinated school health programs develop a committee or TEAM of representatives from each component area. The committee meets to develop school health priorities and programs to address student needs. Many school districts employ a coordinator who works to optimize the connections between the eight separate component areas to prevent duplication and to seek additional resources. Counseling, Psychological & Social Services 8 Components

Coordinated School Health is a STRATEGY to improve health and academic achievement STRATEGY, NOT A PROGRAM It is not a program which is implemented and then eliminated when schools experience administrative turnover, or the program is cut when schools run into budgetary constraints.

Coordinated School Health is a FRAMEWORK to organize existing programs and services We aren’t advocating for additional and expensive programs, just better use of the ones school’s and communities currently have.

DOES THIS LOOK FAMILIAR? Lots of programs, but very disconnected. Source: Talking About Health Is Academic, 1990

Coordinated School Health Is: A process to integrate planned, sequential & school-affiliated strategies, activities, & services designed to promote the optimal physical, emotional & educational development of students. CSH begins with a comprehensive planning process & continues to the implementation of a sustainable infrastructure CSH is multidisciplinary & accountable to the community

NDE Coordinated School Health Policy Each school district/school develop, adopt, and implement a comprehensive plan for coordinated school health based on the CDC/DASH model Each school district establish a School Health Council and each school building establish a School Health Team that meets four times per year Each district/school designate a School Health Coordinator to assist with implementing and evaluating coordinated school health efforts

Coordinated School Health The Framework

Great Ways to School Health: 3 or 4 Are Super Starters! School Environment Health Education School Meals and Nutrition Physical Education Health Services Counseling, Psychological, and Mental Health Services Staff Wellness Parent/Community Partnerships http://nelovesps.org/story/the-whole-child/

1 Healthy School Environment To learn effectively, children must: ■ Feel comfortable and supported ■ Attend a safe, proper functioning school ■ Have minimal distractions ■ Have health-enhancing environments ■ Reinforce health messages

Yale School Of Medicine “With every interaction in a school, we are either building a community or destroying it.” Jim Comer Yale School Of Medicine

2 Health Education Classroom instruction that: addresses the physical, mental, emotional, and social dimensions of health develops health knowledge, attitudes, and skills Is standards- based is tailored to each age level Is based on best practices GOAL = motivate and assist students to maintain and improve their health, prevent disease, and reduce health-related risk behaviors.

3 School Meals and Nutrition The Reality: Students often eat one or two meals a day at school Integrate nutritious, affordable, and appealing meals, snacks, etc. Teach standards-based nutrition education Teach skill-based nutrition education Provide an environment that promotes healthy eating behaviors for all children

4 Physical Education Curriculum instruction that: Is standards-based Is planned, sequential, age appropriate Promotes lifelong physical activity and fitness GOAL = develop basic movement skills, sports skills, and physical fitness as well as to enhance mental, social, and emotional abilities

5 Health Services - Growing kids require a regular health “maintenance” program (immunizations, dental checkups, physicals, & eye exams) - Preventive services, education, emergency care, referral & management of acute and chronic health conditions - GOAL = promote the health of students, identify & prevent health problems and injuries, & ensure care for students

6 Counseling, Psychological, and Mental Health Services Designed to: ■ prevent and address problems ■ facilitate positive learning and healthy behavior ■ enhance healthy development ■ enhance social- emotional learning

7 Staff Wellness Educators and school staff are important role models - Successful schools have healthy, highly motivated staff with low rates of employee absenteeism

8 Parent/Community Partnerships Benefits: ■ A closer working relationship between parents and schools ■ Parents, businesses, community groups, and schools can form powerful coalitions to address health needs of students

Coordinated School Health The Process

CSH: The Process Understand the Evidence/Research Link Between Health & Learning Create a School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) and School Health Teams Make Decisions Based on Data Conduct School Health Index (SHI) (Assessment) Get Administrative support

CSH: The Process Plan For Action Utilize Evidence-based Practices Conduct Evaluation Provide for Sustainability Create Policy and Environmental Change

Coordinated School Health Best Practices Centered on the needs of students: Increases connectedness Develops life skills and competence Identifies and builds upon youth assets Builds on a TEAM effort: Coordination between councils and teams Partnerships Involvement of students/families and communities Links to school improvement plans, school-based site management

Coordinated School Health Best Practices Data-driven: Builds on accurate data Utilizes sound science Aims to eliminate gaps and duplication of services and programming Step-by-Step: Assess health needs Prioritize Plan for action Implement Monitor, evaluate and refine

Lessons Learned About CSH Every school does it differently. CSH is a framework, not a recipe. Changing a system takes time. Implementing CSH is a process, not an event.

Coordinated School Health Results Increased test scores on standardized tests Decrease in suspensions & detentions Reduction in expulsions from school Reduction in drop-out rates Reduction in number of students assigned to SPED classes Decrease in teen pregnancy rates Decrease in juvenile crime arrests out of school Increased graduation rates Schools gain and communities gain when a CSH approach is initiated in schools

Coordinated School Health in Action McComb School District, MS Issues: High teen pregnancy Low graduation rate Low test scores High special education rate High juvenile arrest rates High suspension, expulsions, and delinquency rates

Coordinated School Health In Action Dr. Pat Cooper, McComb, Mississippi Results: Standardized Before CSH After CSH Test by Subject (Grades 3-6) Reading 32% 46% Lang. Arts 32% 47% Mathematics 28% 48%

Coordinated School Health In Action Dr. Pat Cooper, McComb, Mississippi Results: 3% of teens in Teen Parent Program has a repeat pregnancy before the age of 20, (compared to 23.5% for MS & 21% for the US) 66% decrease in juvenile crime arrests out of school 42% decrease in suspensions and detentions 33% reduction in expulsions Graduation rates increased from 77% in 1996-1997 to 95% in 2005 (10% higher than the state average)

Coordinated School Health In Action Dr Coordinated School Health In Action Dr. David Jones, Eisenhower Schools, CA Results: 18% free or reduced lunch 38% 19.79% minority students 37% Assessment scores (percent at standard) 40% Reading 72% 23% Math 53% 43% Writing 68% No students of color passed the state math assessment Minority student performance is much more similar to overall school population.

Keep ‘em goin’. . . Start ‘em early . . . For the end result!

Coordinated School Health improves academic performance, graduation rates, & standardized test scores improves social outcomes by decreasing suspensions, detentions, & expulsions from school improves students’ knowledge, behaviors, attitudes & skills in health

Coordinated School Health = Healthy kids = better learners Coordinated School Health = Healthy kids = better learners! Not one more thing to do but another way to do your thing!

Now It Is Your Turn Now and When you return home: Look for gaps in your School Wellness Policy Think of policy ideas that you can readily infuse into your School Wellness Policy Be bold and dream big Communicate with students, staff, community Celebrate Your Successes! https://www.gonoodle.com/brain-breaks/happy