8 components of comprehensive school health program

Health education curricula should address the National Health Education Standards NHES and incorporate the characteristics of an effective health education curriculum. Health education assists students in living healthier lives. Fred Powers , Supervisor, Physical Education. Physical education is a school-based instructional opportunity for students to gain the necessary skills and knowledge for lifelong participation in physical activity. Physical education is characterized by a planned, sequential K curriculum course of study that provides cognitive content and learning experiences in a variety of activity areas.

Quality physical education programs assist students in achieving the national standards for K physical education. The outcome of a quality physical education program is a physically educated person who has the knowledge, skills, and confidence to enjoy a lifetime of healthful physical activity. Fred Powers , Supervisor, Health Education. Schools should provide access to a variety of nutritious and appealing meals that accommodate the health and nutrition needs of all students.

School nutrition programs reflect the U. Dietary Guidelines for Americans and other criteria to achieve nutrition integrity. The school nutrition services offer students a learning laboratory for classroom nutrition and health education, and serve as a resource for linkages with nutrition-related community services.

These services are designed to ensure access or referral to primary health care services or both, foster appropriate use of primary health care services, prevent and control communicable disease and other health problems, provide emergency care for illness or injury, promote and provide optimum sanitary conditions for a safe school facility and school environment, and provide educational and counseling opportunities for promoting and maintaining individual, family, and community health.

Organizational assessment and consultation skills of counselors and psychologists contribute not only to the health of students but also to the health of the school environment.

School Nursing Practice Roles and Standards. National Association of School Nurses, Inc. These standards for school nursing practice are based upon Standards of Clinical Nursing Practice.

Outcomes of Quality Physical Education Programs. National Association for Sport and Physical Education: J Sch Health ;61 6 Turn recording back on. National Center for Biotechnology Information , U. Search term. Public Health Service School can be one of the primary sites through which children and youth learn about the factors that influence their health.

Comprehensive School Health Program The health and well-being of children and youth must be a fundamental value of society. The goals of a comprehensive approach are to: promote health and wellness.

School Environment Policy and Administrative Support District policies and administrative guidelines reflect a commitment to maintaining an open and positive psychosocial climate and a healthy physical environment that are conductive to high student achievement and the long-term health of students and staff. The chief administrator, the school board and the school health coordinating council receive, at least annually, a report on the psychosocial climate of the school and a report on the physical environment, along with an action plan for continuous improvement of the school environment.

A uniform process for reporting injuries and health problems in the school environment should be in place and analyzed for the purpose of monitoring risk factors, trends and patterns and suggesting possible preventive measures. Effort should be made to compare the progress in the psychosocial and physical health arenas with relevant educational goals. Policies that assure safe transport of students to and from school e. Psychosocial Environment Administrative support for a healthy psychosocial environment is evidenced by district and campus policies and procedures.

The school environment is friendly, nurturing, respectful of differ ences, physically and emotionally safe and conducive to learning with high expectations for academic success.

School climate problems are addressed directly, in a timely manner and discussed openly within the limits of privacy. Effective instructional plans and techniques are used with all students to foster learning, self worth and mental health.

Students, families and staff work as a team in planning and implementing programs and activities to affirm all cultural, linguistic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Students are empowered to take a leadership role in the development and implementation of programs to promote a healthy school. Strong encouragement is given for students and staff to cooperatively solve problems and resolve conflict in an open and respectful manner. A crisis response system has been established to support students and staff in the event of violence, suicide, unintentional injury, death and other school-site incidents.

Physical Environment The quality of air, water and other environmental elements is monitored to ensure the safety and well-being of students and staff. The structure of, or adaptations to, school buildings ensure access by persons with disabilities.

District and school emergency disaster plans are established and emergency drills held periodically. Staff and students are trained in and practice emergency, first aid and infection control procedures including universal precautions. All schools have and maintain equipment and supplies needed to implement first aid and universal precautions for infection control.

Buildings, equipment, playgrounds and athletic fields are clean, kept in good repair, free of hazards and meet all safety standards. Student and staff comfort is maintained by adherence to appropriate standards for heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting, space, safety glass and noise. The cafeteria facility creates an environment that encourages students to participate in the meal service.

Safe, clean, appropriately equipped bathrooms, including facilities for hand washing, are available. Health Education Policy and Administrative Support District policies and administrative guidelines reflect a commitment to attain desired student outcomes essential to optimal physical and mental health.

The chief administrator, the school board and the school health coordinating council receive, at least annually, reports on actions taken and results achieved related to desired student outcomes, along with the action plan for continuous improvement in health education.

At the intermediate and secondary level, certified health education specialists with teacher certification teach the health courses. Coordination and team teaching with related professionals is encouraged. At the elementary level, teachers have professional preparation in elementary health education. Educators are given opportunities for effective professional training when implementing a new curriculum. Formative evaluations are conducted to monitor the implementation process and to determine the response of administrators, teachers, other staff, families and students to the curricular materials.

Summative evaluations are conducted to measure changes in students' knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, skills and social action related to health.

Congruence exists between the evaluation measures used, the district's health education curriculum, teaching strategies and the critical health objectives for student learning. Students demonstrate competence in essential health education objectives established for each grade level or course. Curriculum Health education curriculum content is targeted at priority areas appropriate for developmental stage and potential risks.

Health education includes integration of the physical, intellectual, social, emotional and spiritual dimensions of health as a basis of study in the ten content areas suggested by the Joint Committee on Health Education Terminology: community health, consumer health, environmental health, family life, growth and development, nutritional health, personal health, prevention and control of disease, safety and injury prevention and substance use and abuse.

Health education occurs as a regularly scheduled component of the curriculum at each grade level. The successful completion of health education is required for graduation. Health and safety issues are infused regularly into the curriculum of various subject areas e.

Healthy decision making and psychosocial health are reinforced through guidance and counseling curricula and other pupil services prevention plans. Health-enhancing messages are promoted via the media, social clubs, community service, extra-curricular activities and all school programming, including school nutrition services. Opportunities to practice generic personal and social skills e. Teaching Methods Appropriate instructional strategies are chosen to achieve instructional goals.

Health education resources from appropriate agencies and organizations are coordinated and used e. Health Educator Standards Responsibilities and competencies for those providing health and safety education include: 2 Assessing individual and community needs for health education. Coordinating provision of health education services and acting as a resource person in health education.

Professional Development Teachers are involved in: 1 identifying staff-development needs and 2 working with school leaders to implement staff-development programs to ensure achievement of standards. Staff development and inservice programs related to current health and safety issues and instructional strategies are provided at the district level and from professional organizations. Health Services Policy and Administrative Support Policies and administrative guidelines promote, protect and improve the health and safety of students, staff and the community.

Policies and administrative guidelines reflect quality assurance and accountability for an effective health services component. The chief administrator, the school board and the school health coordinating council review, at least annually, reports on actions taken and results achieved by the health services component, along with an action plan for continuous improvement in the delivery of health services.

The planning, management and delivery of school health services are provided by a school health professional e. School nurses are registered nurses with a baccalaureate degree who have met specific school nurse requirements. Goals, Objectives and Program Outcomes Goals and objectives for the health services component are clear, based on assessed needs and stated in terms of expected outcomes.

Student Services All school health services are conducted as required by law or as defined by the school health services plan e. School nurses assess the health status of students, plan appropriate interventions and evaluate the care provided.

Nursing interventions include case finding, direct care, health counseling, health education, referral and follow up. Additionally, systems-level assessment, prevention, intervention, and program design by school-employed mental health professionals contribute to the mental and behavioral health of students as well as to the health of the school environment. These can be done through resource identification and needs assessments, school-community-family collaboration, and ongoing participation in school safety and crisis response efforts.

Additionally, school-employed professionals can provide skilled consultation with other school staff and community resources and community providers. School-employed mental health professionals ensure that services provided in school reinforce learning and help to align interventions provided by community providers with the school environment.

Professionals such as certified school counselors, school psychologists, and school social workers provide these services. Community groups, organizations, and local businesses create partnerships with schools, share resources, and volunteer to support student learning, development, and health-related activities. The school, its students, and their families benefit when leaders and staff at the district or school solicits and coordinates information, resources, and services available from community-based organizations, businesses, cultural and civic organizations, social service agencies, faith-based organizations, health clinics, colleges and universities, and other community groups.

Schools, students, and their families can contribute to the community through service-learning opportunities and by sharing school facilities with community members e. Families and school staff work together to support and improve the learning, development, and health of students.

Family engagement with schools is a shared responsibility of both school staff and families. School staff are committed to making families feel welcomed, engaging families in a variety of meaningful ways, and sustaining family engagement.

This relationship between school staff and families cuts across and reinforces student health and learning in multiple settings—at home, in school, in out-of-school programs, and in the community.

Schools can create an environment that offers many opportunities for students to be physically active throughout the school day. A comprehensive school physical activity program CSPAP is the national framework for physical education and youth physical activity. A CSPAP reflects strong coordination across five components: physical education, physical activity during school, physical activity before and after school, staff involvement, and family and community engagement.

Physical education serves as the foundation of a CSPAP and is an academic subject characterized by a planned, sequential K curriculum course of study that is based on the national standards for physical education. Physical education provides cognitive content and instruction designed to develop motor skills, knowledge, and behaviors for healthy active living, physical fitness, sportsmanship, self-efficacy, and emotional intelligence.

A well-designed physical education program provides the opportunity for students to learn key concepts and practice critical skills needed to establish and maintain physically active lifestyles throughout childhood, adolescence and into adulthood. Teachers should be certified or licensed, and endorsed by the state to teach physical education. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. CDC Healthy Schools. Section Navigation.