Health Education Best Practices

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A comprehensive approach to health education includes physical, social-emotional and personal wellness as well as high-risk behavior prevention.

How does your district measure up?

• Our sequential health education curriculum is consistent with state standards, which school boards must adopt by December 2011.
• Schools in our district teach health education in all grades for the recommended minimum of 50 hours of health instruction annually.
• All health curriculum topic units or modules are research-based or consistent with recognized best practices criteria.
• Our health education staff is well-trained and receives ongoing, current professional development.

Districts & Schools

Some districts and schools in Colorado are leading the way to ensure students receive a comprehensive health education.

• Durango School District, Durango, Colorado
  Coordinating a Comprehensive Approach to Healthier Schools
• Rural spotlight: Center School District, Center, Colorado
  Encouraging Healthy Lifestyles

Action Steps

Administrators

• Review the district’s current health education program. What areas of the program are strong? Deficient?
• Develop a plan for updating and strengthening the health education program districtwide. Be sure to reach out to the community for input.
• Make health education a priority across all grade levels.

School board members

• Engage the community to gain deeper insights into its priorities regarding health education.
• Develop a board policy to provide a comprehensive learning environment districtwide that teaches and practices lifelong wellness behaviors for the entire school community — students, teachers and administrators.
• Build awareness among constituents about what health education is and why it’s relevant to today’s students.

Parents

• Advocate for a minimum of 50 hours of health instruction annually.
• Develop partnerships with community organizations and health specialists who can complement the district’s approach to health education with additional resources, programs and events.
• Support student involvement in health-related activities.

Community members

• Become a leader or a supporter of health education in your school district.
• Participate in conversations led by administrators and school board members about health education. Help identify community issues, priorities and values.
• Develop partnerships with districts to provide additional resources, programs and events focused on health education.

Resources

There’s a wealth of resources available to get you started. Among the most relevant to health education:

Colorado Department of Education — Colorado Connections for Healthy Schools
Find out more about comprehensive health education grants, guidelines and model policies.

Colorado Department of Education — Comprehensive Health and Physical Education Standards
See state content standards that provide intentional opportunities to integrate and differentiate health concepts and skills.

EdNews Parent Colorado
Access news, tip sheets and background information on the most talked about issues affecting students, including healthy schools.

National Association of State Boards of Education — Preventing Childhood Obesity
Learn about new approaches to health education policies in this easy-to-read publication.

“We have very little funding for our coordinated health efforts now that our grant has ended, but we are supporting them regardless because we know it works with kids. My advice to other districts would be to persevere. It’s a long-term process and the results are well worth it!”

~ Jaynee Fontecchio-Spradling, former health coordinator, Durango School District

The Colorado Legacy Foundation believes that increased student achievement for all Colorado students requires effective leaders in every school, effective educators in every classroom, and healthy and engaged students who come to school ready to learn.