School Health

Coordinated School Health Programs

We often do not associate underlying problems, such as poor nutrition, domestic violence, alcoholism, substance abuse, depression, and more with education. But they can adversely affect not only the child’s health, but also his or her ability to learn. That is precisely why a coordinated approach to school health can make a difference. We know the importance of academics, but how much can they learn if they are using alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, and/or suffering from stress, depression or abuse?

Preparing children for learning means more than addressing their intellectual needs, it also includes their emotional and physical needs. A coordinated approach to school health improves kids’ health and their capacity to learn through the support of families, schools and communities working together. At its very core, Coordinated School Health (CSH) is about keeping students healthy over time, reinforcing positive healthy behaviors throughout the school day, and making it clear that good health and learning go hand in hand. CSH programs offer students the information and skills they will need to make good choices in life. The ideal approach brings health topics into day-to-day learning activities in a variety of subject areas and settings, so that both academic goals and health issues are addressed together.

Summary of CSH Research - pdf


Coordinated School Health Topics

Click a topic to jump to section

|   School Environment   |   Physical Education    |   Health Services   |   Staff Wellness   |
|   Health Education   |   School Meals and Child Nutrition Services   |
|   Counseling, Psychological and Mental Health Services   |   Parent and Community Partnerships   |

School Environment

To learn effectively, children must be in a school setting in which they feel comfortable and supported. It is also important that parents and other adults working with kids have high expectations about learning and provide support. This is especially critical in the elementary years, as students are learning and forming their own internal codes of conduct and standards as well as learning how to socialize and become a part of a peer group. In addition, the building must be safe, the heat, lighting and water must function properly, the bathrooms must be clean and safe, and students must observe general rules of conduct – all of which, combined in a coordinated approach to school health, will minimize distractions and maximize students’ learning potential. Here are some ideas that could help this aspect become a reality:

  • Each school should have a comprehensive safety/conflict resolution program in place. This program should be coordinated between parents, teachers and the community and should be an ongoing part of the student’s learning expectations. Research has provided us with some excellent curricula and programs that are showing true behavior change and as a result, increased academic performance. Examples of Curricula/Programs
  • "Intervention specialists" or mental health counselors should be available at each school to provide training to teachers/school personnel on identifying early warning signs to negative or disruptive behavior, barriers to learning and student success, and provide guidance and intervention strategies. In addition, these specialists serve as a mediator/facilitator when conflicts between students do arise. Some schools have implemented "Solution Centers" where children can go/teachers can refer students during conflicts. The intervention specialists mediate the discussion of how to best solve the conflict. Initial reports indicate substantial improvement in student behavior in places where programs such as these have been implemented.
  • Classrooms and buildings should receive the necessary funds to facilitate repairs/improvements necessary to provide a safe and healthy environment in which children can learn.
  • Alaska Department of Education & Early Development’s Facilities Section

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Health Education

School staff - teachers, nurses, administrators, or counselors--can work together to develop an ongoing approach to helping students build health-related knowledge and skills starting in kindergarten and continuing through 12th grade. This effort can play an important role in helping students make healthy choices. Here are some examples:


  • A teacher could incorporate a mix of activities and role-playing to teach conflict resolution, refusal skills, or the dangers of alcohol, drug, and tobacco use.
  • The cafeteria can provide opportunities to try healthful foods (which could be discussed in class and reinforced in posters displaying a range of healthy behaviors).

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School Meals and Child Nutrition Services

Many students eat one or even two meals a day at school. Thus, schools have the opportunity to examine their meal programs and revamp them to offer more nutritious food, as well as develop coordinated educational activities and projects to encourage students to make healthy eating and good nutrition priorities for life. Teachers may wish to try the following:

  • Parents, students and school staff can partner to select healthy menus for the cafeteria. You may wish to tie these in with local celebrations, events, or holidays in order to make a broader teaching experience.
  • Schools can focus on healthy food choices for venting machines and classroom moneymaking activities.
  • Schools can adopt healthy snack policies for elementary school celebrations.
  • Alaska Department of Education & Early Development Child Nutrition Services

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Physical Education

Unfortunately, more American children are obese than ever before. Schools can and should encourage students to lead a physically active lifestyle both in and out of school. One way to start is to emphasize the importance of regular exercise as a lifelong activity. A strong, coordinated effort by schools can have a big impact on the sedentary lifestyles of children. For instance:

  • Develop a calendar of sports activities, not just to turn out star athletes and winning teams, but also to act as a catalyst to building self-esteem, motivation, and leadership skills, and to reduce stress and depression.
  • Challenge parents, teachers and students to learn the advantages and fun of physical fitness and incorporate these lessons into their daily routines.
  • PE Links 4U Organization

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Health Services

Growing kids require a regularly scheduled health "maintenance" program – including immunizations, dental checkups, physicals, eye exams, other types of screenings, and, in certain instances, daily medication for students with specific medical problems. With the help of health professionals and the local health department, schools can encourage the provision of preventive services that enable students to take proactive measures to stay healthy and get more out of school. Plus, a coordinated approach can benefit busy parents. In some communities, school-based health centers are the only place for kids to access health services. In other communities, kids may have access to regular medical care but it may make sense to provide certain screening and preventive services at school.


  • Parents, schools, health care personnel, and Medicaid can work together to provide critical preventive care.
  • Health Departments and communities can be encouraged to sponsor immunization campaigns for students and teachers.
  • help manage symptoms and reduce time lost from school.
  • Alaska Department of Health and Social Services
  • Denali KidsCare
  • LAWS

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Counseling, Psychological and Mental Health Services

In addition to a student’s physical well-being, his or her mental health can be effectively addressed through a coordinated approach to school health. Today, many students have the added stress of coping with emotional challenges stemming from problems such as parental divorce, alcoholism, abuse, and drug addiction. By offering counseling and other mental health services to students, as well as referrals to community mental health professionals, schools can help parents take a big step toward making an even greater difference in a student’s total performance, healthy development, and well-being. Consider the following:

  • School counselors, social workers, psychologists, and other professionals help develop positive learning environments and positive behaviors by consulting and problem solving with students, families and teachers.
  • Schools can provide counseling, other mental health services and referrals to community professionals to support students and their families. Students will get much needed help, and parents and teachers will benefit because students can focus on learning.
  • Staff can offer parents the opportunity to attend counseling sessions and support groups along with their children and can develop a local community network so that referral services can be made as soon as a problem is identified.
  • National Education Association - School Employee Health

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Staff Wellness

Students are not the only ones who need to stay in good health. Educators and school staff are important role models for students. Successful schools have healthy, highly motivated staff with low rates of employee absenteeism. Schools can consider enacting a number of activities to make sure that teachers and staff feel their best and perform at peak levels. Such efforts can include:

  • Seminars, established by the administration and health department staff, on topics such as stress reduction, smoking cessation, physical fitness, and more.
  • Simple health screenings, such as blood pressure, so that staff can identify early symptoms of disease.
  • Staff can institute a "walking club" or workout group that meets on a regular basis to exercise and offer encouragement to one another.

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Parent and Community Partnerships

One of the biggest benefits to a coordinated approach to school health can be a closer working relationship between parents and schools. Working with parents, businesses, local health officials, and other community groups, schools can form powerful coalitions to address the health needs of students. For example:

  • School facilities can be used as satellite clinics and social service offices during non-school hours in order to address some of the community needs as well. Successful programs include job training, ESL classes, computer classes, and health assessments for family members, etc. Community needs assessments can assist districts in identifying the needs in their community.
  • Community members with special skills can be asked to teach certain health units – such as dietitians, police and safety officers, counselors, etc. Administration should use discretion and preview materials for appropriateness prior to the delivery of the information.
  • School facilities can be opened to the public during non-school hours for physical activities, fitness sessions, as well as family health seminars and social and recreational functions.
  • Alaska State Parent Teacher Association
  • Building Bridges Between Families, Schools, and the Communities

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