Week 3: Health Education

Coordinated School Health is an effective model that schools use to coordinate interventions that address students' social, emotional, behavioral and health needs. A well established Coordinated School Health system strengthens prevention, intervention, and other 'learning supports' resulting in a coordinated, integrated and seamless system of support that allows all children to thrive in school—regardless of barriers to learning. Through this process, schools will develop partnerships with the community and families to set in place the collaborations that will allow programs to be sustained and grow. In time, this support system will lead to improvements in student health and well being, academics, and graduation rates.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Coordinated School Health Model consists of eight components. These components include:

  • Counseling & Psychological Services
  • Physical Education
  • Health Services
  • Nutrition Services
  • Healthy School Environment
  • Health Promotion for Staff
  • Family/Community Involvement


Health Education:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describe the Health Education component of Coordinated School Health as a planned, sequential, K-12 curriculum that addresses the physical, mental, emotional and social dimensions of health. Curriculum should be designed to motivate and assist students to maintain and improve their health, prevent disease, and reduce health-related risk behaviors (CDC).

Likewise, health education curriculum needs to foster student development of health-related knowledge, attitudes, skills and practices (CDC). Coordinated School Health emphasizes the importance of integrating consistent health education messages through the various components of Coordinated School Health. The Physical Education teacher, School Nurse, School Counselor, as well as family and community members, should be aware of and echo the same messages taught by the Health Education teacher. Likewise, Nutrition Services should provide healthy food choices that exemplify those same teachings. Coordination and communication between all eight components is essential.

COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING THREE ACTIVITIES.
Then TAKE THE SURVEY BELOW to earn 5,000 bonus miles.

 

  1. CLICK HERE to download and read the article “Improving the Health of Youth Through a Coordinated School Health Program” by Diane DeMuth Allensworth, PhD, RN. Share this article with your School Health Council members as well as other teachers and administrators.
  2. CLICK HERE to visit the CDC’s School Health Education Resources page on Characteristics of an Effective Health Education Curriculum.
  3. CLICK HERE to visit the Action for Healthy Kids Website. Locate helpful resources for your school’s Health Advisory Council as well as health education curriculum on a variety of topics for students.


CLICK HERE TO EARN YOUR 5,000 BONUS MILES.

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