Good Health and Learning Go Hand in Hand in Some Michigan Schools
by Elizabeth Haller, Supervisor, Coordinated School Health and Safety Program, Michigan Department of Education
Educators face a variety of pressures in addition to meeting the federal demands of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Pontiac School District found a way to make sure exercise and nutrition are not left behind when their importance is weighed against academic success. Pontiac School District has formed partnerships and collaborated with community and service organizations to reduce type II diabetes, asthma, and the most serious health threat facing Michigan’s children today, obesity. Since 1999, Pontiac has recognized that the availability of nurses makes a difference not only in the health of the students but also in their ability to pay attention in class and learn.
Did You Know?
Good health helps children succeed in school. According to the National Association of State Boards of Education, “Schools cannot achieve their primary mission of education if students and staff are not healthy and fit physically, emotionally, and socially.” The American Cancer Society stated, “[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.” |
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Through a coordinated approach to school health and by engaging parents, teachers, students, families and the community, Pontiac has increased attendance and Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) scores and reduced the number of suspensions. Pontiac continues to support learning and success in school by advocating for student and staff health by helping them develop knowledge and skills to make smart choices.
Detroit Schools Team Up With the Urban Institute
Two years ago, the Detroit Public Schools joined the Urban Institute, a nonpartisan economic and social policy research organization. This involvement led to several school health initiatives:
- Revival of the district-level Coordinated School Health Council.
- Identification of an administrator with sole responsibility for coordinated school health.
- Revision of the annual health information card.
- Identification of five major health concerns: asthma, diabetes, healthy weight, sexually transmit- ted diseases/sexuality, and violence prevention.
To date, the Detroit team has accomplished many tasks including appointing a team to investigate what is offered in the school vending machines and making recommendations for changes; holding a press conference to raise awareness of health challenges and steps being taken to reduce the health burdens for students and staff; and establishing valuable partnerships with community organizations to collaborate on addressing health concerns. Helping students and staff take responsibility for improving their individual health by developing healthy habits will improve not only academic achievement, but also the overall quality of life for Detroit residents.
Healthy Kids Make Better Students
by Elizabeth Haller, Supervisor, Coordinated School Health and Safety Program, Michigan Department of Education
Even the best instructional methods will fail if students are tired, hungry, sick, stressed, depressed, abused, bullied, or using alcohol or drugs. The solution to these health and learning challenges lies in implementing Coordinated School Health Programs (CSHP), a systems model developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With the support of such programs, students are better able to come to school ready to learn.
Coordinated School Health Programs support academic learning, reinforce positive social behaviors, and help students make smart health choices. The programs do this by engaging parents, teachers, students, and communities to work together to help keep students healthy.
The CSHP model includes several components: 1) health education; 2) physical education; 3) health services; 4) nutrition services; 5) family involvement; 6) health promotion for staff; 7) counseling, psychological, and social services; 8) healthy school environment; and 9) academic support. The Michigan Departments of Education (MDE) and Community Health (MDCH) are working together to expand the number of Coordinated School Health Programs under the leadership and support of the Healthy Schools Network and many partnering agencies through two collaborative projects.
Building New Coordinated School Health Programs
On March 8, 2004, over 190 school and community representatives attended an event featuring Dr. Patrick Cooper, Superintendent of McComb Public Schools in McComb, Mississippi. Dr. Cooper presented the positive results of building coordinated school health programs over the past seven years in his formerly failing school district. Teams of administrators, nurses, counselors, social workers, food service directors, and health educators developed plans for initiating coordinated school health programs.
American Cancer Society Coordinated School Health Leadership Institute
In April 2004, eight Michigan school districts and nine Indiana school districts began participating in a three-year regional American Cancer Society Coordinated School Health Leadership Institute. Michigan’s participating districts include: Adrian, Benton Harbor, Flint, Hale, Hudson, Houghton Lake, Jackson, and Taylor. The MDE and MDCH, in collaboration with the American Cancer Society and the Indiana Department of Education, are conducting the new institute, which will help school districts articulate a five-year vision for school health programming for their district. The Pontiac School District participated in an earlier institute (the American Cancer Society’s National Leadership Training Program), and, in 2002, the Detroit Public Schools joined the Urban Institute (see Detroit Schools Team Up With the Urban District above).
The Coordinated School Health Programs model offers a powerful approach schools can follow to improve student learning and health. The Michigan State Board of Education and the Healthy Schools Network encourage the development of Coordinated School Health Teams in all school districts and recommend that the MDE provide all possible assistance to schools and school districts to implement effective Coordinated School Health Programs.
The Michigan State Board of Education’s policy on CSHP can be found at www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-5373 _5382---M_2003_9,00.html. Guidance is available from the staff at the MDE. Contact Elizabeth Haller, Coordinated School Health and Safety Program, Michigan Department of Education, P.O. Box 30008, Lansing, MI 48909, (517) 241-4284, hallere@michigan.gov. |
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