Yesterday I posted a list of resources specific to the field of K-12 school health education. Today, I’m going to share a list of resources within the larger field of school health that I refer to regularly. I know there are many more out there. I’ll attempt to categorize for ease of finding information! If you have others to share, email me and I’ll add them to this post!
Partnerships
Partnering for Success: How Health Departments Work and How to Work with Health Departments– This is a great resource especially useful for schools to understand how to partner with their local health departments to work together to create a culture of health within the school environment.
How Schools Work & How to Work with Schools– Great tool for individuals or organizations that want to work with schools, but scratch their head because they function so differently! This tool is worth the $5!
Research to Support School Health
Healthier Students are Better Learners– A fabulous ‘essay’ written by Charles E. Basch used widely that addresses how health-related problems among youth are affecting our students’ ability to achieve. Make the case to your administrator or leadership using this document!
Research Review:
School-based Health Interventions and Academic Achievement – Fabulous report by Julia Dilley. From document, “Research Review: School-based Health Interventions and Academic Achievement provides important new evidence that links students’ health and academic performance. It identifies proven health interventions and practical resources that can positively affect both student health and academic achievement.”
Implementing a Coordinated School Health Program (CSHP)
Tools That Work! – This is a toolkit developed by the MIssissippi Department of Education and provides a CSH guide to building a healthy school.
Aligning Health and Education Accountability Measures
I have an article from CCSSO called Incorporating Health into Education Accountability Systems, however I can’t find it online. Contact me if you want more information!
Safe Routes to School
Sexual Health
Oregon Youth Sexual Health Plan– this document is a part of a larger state-wide approach to increasing the sexual health of adolescents in Oregon. However, objective #5 is on Providing Education and skill building for youth and families and includes comprehensive sex education language and goals.
Return on Investment
Investment in School Health Capacity; Payoffs in Health, Achievement and Stronger Communities – Fantastic document (yes, I helped review!) put together by Oregon Health Authority, the Public Health Division and good colleagues/friends of mine that not only defines core capacity as “(1) having a school health coordinator; (2) conducting a health focused self-assessment1; (3) having a health-related School Improvement Plan goal and objective; and (4) having a school health advisory group that includes an administrator and a community member. Together these components represent the staffing, data, leadership, accountability, and broad support that is needed to effectively support health and achievement in school settings” but discusses the dollar return on investment when schools or districts implement school health programs. A must-read document. I hope it drives further studies and is used as a tool to advocate for the fiscal reason we should be working on school health.
Policy
State School Health Policy Matrix– From the website: “The National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD), along with the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) and American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) have worked together to develop this guide to state-level school health policies for the following topics: competitive foods and beverages, physical education and physical activity, and administration of medication in the school environment. The State School Health Policy Matrix outlines relevant state-level policies for each of these areas, including a direct link to the policy. It also it indicates which political entity or agency adopted the policy or issued guidance, helping to answer the question – Who has historically had the authority to make policy changes in the areas of competitive foods and beverages, physical education and physical activity, and administration of medication in each state?”
Administrative Support
School Health Advisory Councils (SHACs)
Promoting Healthy Youth, Schools, and Communities- A Guide to Community-School Health Councils – I still refer to this guide that helps support a school or district in developing what we know, is one of the most important aspects of creating a sustainable school health program.
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