1. Starting a Healthy School Team

2. Why is Health Important?
Good health is necessary for academic success
It is difficult for students to be successful in school if they are:
Depressed
Stressed
Tired
Being bullied
Sick
Hungry

3. Why is Health Important?
A child’s physical, emotional, social, & mental health directly affects capacity to learn
Higher needs of this hierarchy come into focus for students once lower needs in pyramid are satisfied. Students will have a hard time learning if their basic physiological, safety, belongingness & love needs, as well as self esteem needs are not met.
Physiological needs include breathing, food, water, and sleep.
Safety needs are particularly in jeopardy for students who are at risk, poor, or members of minority groups.
Safety needs include one’s health and well-being.
Social needs include friendship and having a supportive and communicative family.
Esteem needs include one’s desire to be respected, to have self-esteem, self-respect, and to respect others.
Aesthetic needs include the human need to have beautiful imagery or something new and aesthetically pleasing
Self-actualization is the instinctual need to make most of your abilities and to strive to be the best you can be.

4. Health Risk Behaviors of Young People
Behaviors that may result in unintentional injuries and violence
Sexual risk behaviors
Alcohol and other drug use
Tobacco use
Unhealthy dietary behaviors
Inadequate physical activity
These 6 risk behaviors contribute to the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among youth and adults and are preventable!

5. Florida Statistics High School Students: 2005
1 in 4 is overweight &/or at risk for overweight
14.5% of students seriously considered suicide during the past year
1 in 6 students are current cigarette smokers
2 of 5 students reported current alcohol use
40% of students report ≥3 hours daily TV on school day
Statistics taken from the 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) administered by the Florida Departments of Health and Education. Additional stats can be found at:

6. Obstacles to Academics
Poor health
Food insecurity
Physical condition of a school
Absences
Discipline problems
Mental health issues
Children’s physical, cognitive, & emotional health is linked to their readiness to learn and ability to achieve academic success.

7. Why Schools? Most young people enrolled in school
School health programs can improve students’
Health knowledge, attitudes, and skills
Health behaviors and health outcomes
Social outcomes
Educational outcomes

8. What is Coordinated School Health (CSH)?
Systemic method of promoting health that brings together teams of people in eight areas who are able to address all aspects of student health
Healthy students are fit and ready to learn
Schools deliver consistent health messages
Schools coordinate existing resources
Individualized means to wellness

9. What is Coordinated School Health (CSH)?
These 8 areas, when looked at in a coordinated manner, are highly effective in addressing the health risk behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death, disability, and social problems among youth and adults in the United States.

10. CSH: A Solution to Problem
Keeping kids healthy over time
Supporting a student’s capacity to learn
Help students develop knowledge and skills to make smart choices for life
Reinforcing positive behaviors throughout the day
Making it clear good health and learning go hand in hand
A coordinated school health approach at the school level can assist in reaching the ultimate goal of producing students that are productive members of society.

11. Benefits of CSH Approach
Reduced school absenteeism
Fewer behavior problems in classroom
Improved student performance
More positive spirit among educators and students
Reduced duplication between schools and community activity

12. Steps for Healthy School Team Success
Gather team members
Identify school needs
Identify local school resources
Write a School Health Action Plan
Manage and monitor implementation
Market success
There are 6 basic steps that can be followed to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of healthy school team efforts.

13. Step 1: Gather Team Members
Seek faculty/staff who have a commitment to the cause
Look for community partners to join team
Secure administrator support
Set time for regularly scheduled meetings
This is a good opportunity to look for community and parent support in your effort to improve health of students and faculty/staff. Students can be excellent partners in this mission as well.

14. Step 2: Identify School Needs
Investigate state & local survey results
Florida Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)
Local YRBS in Broward, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, Orange, and Palm Beach
Identify health issues & concerns of students, families, & school staff by completing the School Health Index: A Self-Assessment and Planning Guide
YRBS data available every odd year for high school students. Results are posted on the DOH website at:
Additional information about the School Health Index can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website at:

15. School Health Index Uses a coordinated school health approach
Identifies strengths and weaknesses of their health promotion policies & programs
Develops an action plan for improving student health
Involves teachers, parents, students & community in improving school programs, policies, & services

16. Step 3: Identify Local School Resources
Look up your district’s Wellness Policy posted in the Food and Nutrition section of district website
Contact your district’s School Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) for support
Work with your School Advisory Council (SAC)
Identifying current initiatives & policies around health and wellness can help avoid duplication of programs or services.
The district’s SHAC, according to state law, should be patterned after the coordinated school health model.

17. Step 4: Write a School Health Action Plan
Use results of needs assessment to develop action plan
Consider short & long-term goals for team
Document actions, steps to complete actions, and person & date responsible
Sponsor/promote projects for students, parents, & school
The School Health Index has an action plan imbedded within the document.

18. Step 5: Manage & Monitor Implementation
Reflect on action plan to monitor progress
Meet regularly with team members
Recognize members for accomplishments

19. Step 6: Market Success Celebrate successes
Spread the word about successful healthy school team accomplishments
Remind key stakeholders about benefits of healthy students & staff, which in turn affect educational success

20. Summary Coordinated school health approach can:
increase healthy behaviors
impact students’ academic achievement
Empower students with knowledge, skills, & judgment to help them make smart choices in life
Creating a Healthy School Team manual available from Florida Department of Education:
For more information, visit Florida Department of Education’s Coordinated School Health Program website and select “Healthy Schools” section. You may also contact the Healthy School Coordinator at