A Healthful and Safe School Environment Protecting the Health and Safety of Students, Faculty, and Staff

Rationale Society recognizes that schools are responsible for providing a healthful and safe school environment that optimizes opportunities for learning and growth. Schools are a major part of the environment of students and school staff.

Rationale (continued) Twenty percent of the U.S. population, nearly 55 million people, spend their days in our elementary and secondary schools. Children spend up to 24,000 hours within school buildings, amounting to 15 percent of a child’s entire life up to the age of 18. Millions of teachers and other school staff spend their working days in the school environment.

School Environment Environment – “The multitude of dynamic conditions that are external to a person.” Two types: Supportive: creates healthful choices or protects the well being of the student. Non-supportive: detracts from commitment for healthful behavior.

7 Physical Conditions Necessary for Optimal Learning & Development School size Lighting Color choices Temperature/ventilation Noise control Sanitation/Cleanliness Accessibility

Positive Emotional Environment Feelings, expectations, experiences that affect students’ development. Warm and nonthreatening learning environments promote health and learning. Teacher’s personality and behavior determine emotional climate.

Positive Emotional Environment (continued) Emotional security, a feeling of freedom from anxiety in which individuals feel that they can present and express themselves without fear of ridicule, threat, or belittling is also part of the overall positive emotional environment in schools. Supportive and affirmative behaviors should be taught and modeled.

Positive Emotional Environment (continued) Schools can promote attitudes of respect, understanding and sensitivity by recognizing and accepting differences. Effective classroom management is essential because it promotes student achievement and development of self-control as well providing the optimal environment for learning and development.

Responsibility for Health is Shared by All School personnel Teachers Administrators Staff Students Parents Community Government

Teacher’s Responsibilities Proper reporting of accidents/injuries Assessing/correcting potential safety hazards Providing proper first aid when needed Establishing safety procedures in the classroom Providing appropriate supervision of students at all times.

Protecting Students’ Health and Safety School violence School security measures Sexual harassment Drug use Tobacco Use Bloodborne pathogens

Providing Proper Nutrition Shared responsibility among all community members School food service should serve healthful foods Following guidelines, such as the food guide pyramid, provide low-cost funding for students.

Health Promotion for Staff Rationale: An appropriate response is needed as a result of higher health care costs and health insurance. School health promotion programs have the potential to: Decrease health care costs for teachers and staff Decrease absenteeism Improve morale and increase job satisfaction

Health Promotion for Staff (continued) Health promotion programming includes: Health assessments Health education Health related physical fitness activities