Five Best Practices
These five best practices are a roadmap to improving student and staff health, nutrition and wellness in every district across Colorado. Healthy schools provide nutritious meals, snacks and beverages, and require that students are physically active every day. They teach students what it means to be healthy, offer access to health care services and have effective workplace wellness programs. These best practices can help districts develop a comprehensive and coordinated approach to healthy schools.
- Policies. School board members adopt policies that foster healthy schools and that are consistent with best practices identified by state and federal agencies as well as professional education and health organizations. View policies.
- Staff qualifications. District leaders ensure that all staff who are focused on nutrition, school health services, health education and physical education are properly credentialed and well-qualified.
- Assessment. The district provides tools for schools to inventory their policies, activities and programs such as the School Health Index or a similar self-assessment tool.
- District leadership. District leaders provide strategic direction and opportunities for enhanced nutrition, physical activity, health education, school health services and workplace wellness.
- Getting it done. The district promotes parent, community and student engagement, advocacy and partnerships in its schools (including through district wellness committees) to achieve high-quality nutrition, physical activity, health education, school health services and workplace wellness.