Schools play a critical role in addressing the physical, emotional, social, and environmental factors related to health and well-being that can affect learning. Schools that adopt a coordinated approach to planning and problem-solving to meet students' needs are more likely to position them for success in school and throughout their lifetimes.…

Schools are often viewed as the primary change agent for any new health crisis that gains national or local attention. Schools should play a role in creating a healthy learning environment because many of these health problems can impact student learning. But is it reasonable to hold schools and school leaders responsible for fixing the health…

Teens with disabilities need information about risk topics such as addiction, abuse, sex, and delinquency to make healthy choices as they participate in mainstream society. This article presents questionnaire-based information provided by special educators in secondary schools about their efforts, limitations, and needs in providing risk reduction…

In September 2000, the Physical Education Kindergarten to Grade 12 Program of Studies was approved for implementation in Alberta, Canada. This program helps enable individuals to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to lead an active, healthy lifestyle. The four general outcomes are the ABCDs (Activity, Benefits Health,…

This guide presents a five-step approach to planning, conducting, and evaluating a community-school health advisory council. The five steps are: (1) convening an advisory council (learning about community-school health advisory councils, obtaining support from the school district, identifying potential members, organizing and conducting the first…

Promoting healthy and safe behaviors among students is an important part of the fundamental mission of schools, which is to provide young people with the knowledge and skills they need to become healthy and productive adults. Improving student health and safety can: increase students? capacity to learn; reduce absenteeism; and improve physical…

This guide, designed for principals, on-site leaders or administrators, describes the implementation of the "Actions for Health" series, a comprehensive elementary school (Grades K-6) instructional program for health education. The guide is organized into four sections. The first section, "The Principal's Role," describes the steps a principal is…

This resource supports a comprehensive school health approach to preventing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, addressing various aspects of the health and life skills and the career and life management programs of study through an approach that focuses on the development of a healthy self-concept and healthy relationships as fundamental to…

The "Missouri Framework for Curriculum Development" is designed to provide school districts with a "frame" for building curricula based on the "Show Me Standards." The 73 "Show Me Standards" define what students should know and be able to do by the time they graduate from Missouri's public high schools. This…

This reference book provides 20 real-life examples of how to implement the "Guidelines for School and Community Programs to Promote Lifelong Physical Activity among Young People," developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The book also summarizes the CDC guidelines. Based on the recommendations from national…

This document provides basic information to help school districts, health personnel serving schools, and community partners work together to design and provide safe, effective school health systems. The 12 chapters include: (1) "School Nursing and Today's Community"; (2) "School Nursing: Profession and Practice"; (3)…

This document is one of a series of guides to self-evaluation that builds on the advice given in the publications "How good is our school?" and "The Child at the Centre." It also shows how the relevant "National Care Standards" can be applied when evaluating the effectiveness of your establishment as a health…

Primary schools can play a significant preventative role in addressing drug-related harm in young people's lives. "One and All" is a programme aimed at assisting schools to plan and implement drug prevention in the middle primary years through developing students' social and emotional competence and nurturing their resilience. It is part…

The Wisconsin Framework for Comprehensive School Health Programs is a multistrategy approach to address the entire range of youth risk behaviors and promote the health, well-being and positive development of students and other members of the school-community as an integral part of a school's overall mission. The framework is a collection of…

This book presents a collection of papers that define comprehensive school health programs and their components and provide action steps for their implementation at the local, state, and national levels: (1) "Linking Health and Learning: An Overview of Coordinated School Health Programs" (Floretta Dukes McKenzie and Julius B. Richmond); (2)…