The Cairn Guidance team is proud to introduce the annual School Health Leadership Award. This prestigious award honors education leaders across the nation, including Superintendents, Deputy Superintendents, Directors of Instruction, State and School Board Members, and Principals, who prioritize the health and well-being of students to help them reach their full potential. These visionary leaders recognize the vital connection between health and education. They are the change-makers who create equitable and healthier systems through policies, programs, curriculum, practices, hiring techniques, and evaluations, benefiting the entire school community, including staff, students, and families.
This year, the Cairn Guidance team has internally selected Leslie Nichols, Superintendent of Gunnison Watershed School District in Colorado, as the inaugural recipient of the School Health Leadership Award. Leslie’s passion, guidance, and leadership in health education and support of the whole child have been evident in our work with the district over the past two years.
Our collaboration with the Gunnison Watershed School District (GWSD) began in 2022 when Katie Gallagher, the Technology Integration Specialist for the district (and former Health Education Teacher), reached out for support in health education. In September 2022, I facilitated a Skills-Based Health Education Standards and Assessment Training for their middle and high school teachers. Leslie Nichols, the Superintendent, made an impactful appearance at the training, emphasizing the importance of health education and her vision for support in this area, which greatly motivated the teachers.
Since the 2022 training, Katie has secured four grants to support health education and whole child efforts, with ongoing support and technical assistance from our team. By the end of 2023, we worked with Katie, Leslie, and Board Member Tyler Martineau to review and create a Comprehensive K-12 Health Education Policy.
In early 2024, I had the opportunity to work with Gunnison’s School Board, attending two meetings during the winter months. The first meeting in January focused on the paradigm shift in health education, describing skills-based health education, reviewing health data, and explaining how it contributes to the whole student. We engaged Board Members in activities and discussions to deepen their understanding of skills-based health education.
Between the two meetings, we spent numerous hours refining the Comprehensive Health Education Policy to ensure it was current, relevant, and inclusive. The second meeting in February was a deep dive into the policy, exploring its importance, reviewing current policies, comparing other districts’ policies, and gathering valuable feedback from Board Members.
The Board approved the Comprehensive Health Education Policy on April 8, 2024, after months of awareness building, work, and discussion. Leslie Nichols’ genuine support for the health and well-being of students in the Gunnison Watershed School District has provided students with opportunities to become proficient in health education, ultimately helping them become health literate for life. Her dedication to the Comprehensive Health Education Policy and support for Katie’s grant efforts have not gone unnoticed. The Cairn Guidance team sees Leslie as a leader whose counterparts across the country can learn from.
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