Healthy Schools

Healthy Schools Initiative 

The Report on the Education of the Whole Child by the Association for the Supervision and Curriculum on the Whole Child advances five major recommendations for ensuring that all children are healthy, safe, engaged, supported and challenged. The report describes how the focus on the one-size-fits-all education has marginalized the uniqueness of our children and eroded their capacity to learn in whole, healthy, creative and connected ways. The report recommends that each student:

(1) Enters school healthy and learns about and practices a healthy lifestyle;

(2) Learns in an environment that is physically and emotionally safe for students and adults;

(3) Is actively engaged in learning and is connected to the school and broader community;

(4) Has access to personalized learning and to qualified, caring adults;

(5) After graduation is prepared for success in college or further study and for employment in a global   environment. 

The Alliance For Education advocates for school district policymakers and administrators to embrace the Healthy Schools Initiative (HSI) in northwest Louisiana as the manner in which the five recommendations can be achieved.  The HSI promotes use of the Coordinated School Health (CSH) model developed by the Center for Disease Control, which provides for innovation in schools that engages healthcare professionals and other stakeholders throughout the community to become involved with schools through service on Community Health Advisory Councils (CHAC). The ten-component model of CSH adopted for Louisiana schools allows community involvement in a myriad of ways, including implementation costs that can be supplemented with Department of Health & Hospitals dollars through leadership of the Human Service District (HSD) to provide the appropriate mental health/counseling/psychological services to students. 

The Alliance For Education has organized implementation of the ten components of CSH into three areas of coordination:

AREA             IMPACTS        CSH COMPONENT

Curriculum   Academics      1. Health Instruction

                                                   2. Physical Education

                                                   3. Early Start

Operations   Physical           4. Food & Nutrition Services

                                                   5. School Environment/Safety

                                                   6. Administration/Organizations

People           Social               7. Health Services

                                                   8. Counseling Services 

                                                   9.  Parent/Community  

                                                  10. Staff Wellness