Healthy Schools Campaign

Case Study: Parents Unite for Health and Wellness

Today we're featuring a case study from Health in Mind, a new report from HSC and Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), which details immediate solutions that can help close the achievement gap and create a healthy future for all children. Here, we learned about how one school works with parent leaders to jumpstart new initiatives that improve student wellness.

By Kadesha Thomas

For school principals, every priority related to student achievement is the top priority. No factor that influences student learning can become an afterthought, especially not student health and wellness. Fortunately, Principal Michael Heidkamp, at Nathanael Greene Elementary School on Chicago’s Southwest side, can lean on the leadership of his school’s wellness team to integrate health and wellness into the school’s culture.

The Greene Elementary School wellness team is composed of people with a deeply personal and powerful influence over the students—the parents. “As the principal, sometimes you can get very myopic in the sense that you’re getting pressed for test scores and short-term gains and short-term results,” Heidkamp explained. But his students’ parents are constantly emphasizing that “their child’s experience is so much more than that.”

The parents on the Greene Elementary wellness team are members of Parents United for Healthy Schools/Padres Unidos para Escuelas Saludables. Parents United/Padres Unidos is a coalition of more than 40 parent and community groups dedicated to bringing healthy eating and physical activity to Chicago schools, particularly those in Latino and African-American communities facing significant health disparities. Parents United/Padres Unidos, led by the Healthy Schools Campaign, equips parents to advocate for policies and programs that promote healthy eating and active lifestyles in their schools by educating parents on best practices around nutrition and physical activity. Parents United/Padres Unidos also trains parents on strategies for organizing effective school wellness teams and provides ongoing support as parents lead these teams to transform schools.

The wellness team came together at Greene Elementary School after Karena Macedo, a parent on the team, led the school to become certified with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s HealthierUS School Challenge, an effort First Lady Michelle Obama is promoting to combat childhood obesity. Macedo even represented her school at a White House celebration the First Lady hosted to honor schools that achieved this certification.

Jovita Flores, Healthy Schools Campaign’s manager of Parents United/Padres Unidos, sat down with the wellness team at Greene Elementary in March 2012 to reflect on a recent initiative, the school’s first health and wellness resource fair. The event featured health education, food demonstrations, and physical activity—all focused on what Principal Heidkamp describes as the school’s goal of “creating a new normal” around healthy living.

Community agencies provided glucose, blood pressure, and vision testing at the fair, along with
instructions for follow-up services. The fair also incorporated nutrition education, demonstrating small steps parents could take to improve their family’s diet. Lunchroom manager Christina Hernandez and a parent/wellness team leader, who is also named Christina Hernandez, taught parents how to make smoothies with fruit and vegetables. “Nobody knew the vegetables were there and they were amazed,” Heidkamp said. “Kids were coming back for more!”

More than 300 people attended and plans are already underway for next year’s event. Heidkamp said parent leadership has been key to prioritizing health and wellness at the school. The wellness team connects parents and school administrators by creating structured activities to promote student health.

During the most recent school year, the wellness team helped revamp the afterschool program. It now includes yoga, several running clubs, folkloric dance, soccer and other seasonal sports. “A good twenty-five percent of our student body is engaged in some sort of exercise in addition to a strong physical education program,” Heidkamp said. Such opportunities did not exist during the previous school year. “Kids are making the choice to participate. Adults are making the choice to participate, and parents are making the choice to take on the leadership role in increasing the resources that are available and really challenging the culture.”

The wellness team is also preparing to tackle classroom celebrations that often lead to a frenzied sugar high, then an energy drop, when parents bring sweets like cupcakes and brownies. “It’s important that parents are speaking to other parents about that, not just administrators,” Heidkamp said.

Leveraging the influence of dedicated parents on the wellness team has been the school’s most effective strategy for posing healthy lifestyle changes to parents. “It’s a decision by the community for the community,” Heidkamp added. “It’s much more about ‘this is why,’ and ‘this is the change that I’m making with my child and that you can make with your child.’”

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As the year progresses, we'll share more about Health in Mind and the progress of this initiative! For more information or to view the full report, please visit www.healthinmind.org.

Case Study: Parents Go Back to School for Student Health

Today we're featuring a case study from Health in Mind, a new report from HSC and Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), which details immediate solutions that can help close the achievement gap and create a healthy future for all children. Here, we learned about how parents and schools are working together to make student health a priority in Santa Ana Unified School District.

In 2009, Santa Ana Unified School District started a six-week training program for parents to lead school recess breaks.

by Kadesha Thomas

In Santa Ana Unified School District, active parents and physically fit students go hand in hand. Since 2009, the district has partnered with Kid Healthy, a nonprofit that works with California’s Department of Education on school health and wellness, to develop a pilot program called Parents in Action/Padres en Acción. The program trains parents to engage students in recess activities throughout the district’s elementary schools. On any given day, about eight parents can be seen running laps, playing T-ball or hula hooping with students on the playground during recess.

The program began after school leaders and parents decided to do something about the rising obesity and diabetes incidence among students, said Jackie Teichmann, executive director at Kid Healthy. This was especially important for the district’s primarily Latino student population, who are at an especially high risk for health disparities. School leaders also noted that mothers in the district, many of whom are full-time homemakers, wanted to play a bigger role in their children’s
education.

“Giving parents ownership over the program instills a lot of pride,” Teichmann said. “And once the parents get that pride, they get very creative.”

For six weeks, parents are trained by other participating parents on school wellness policy requirements, how to play an active role in the school system, playground management and conflict resolution, and student motivation. Parents work with coordinators in the schools’ physical education departments to develop recess activities that will keep students engaged while working up a sweat. “They are not out there to be policemen,” Teichmann added. “They learn how to manage the kids. Pretty soon the kids aren’t fighting because they are playing so hard.” Parents set up activity zones on the playground to suit all students’ interests, such as basketball and soccer for sportsloving students or hula hoop and jump rope for those who prefer aerobic activities.

The program started in two schools with eight moms, then added three schools the following year. So far, more than 125 parents have been trained to be Parents in Action. In 2012, Kid Healthy expects to increase the total number of schools to nine. “Many of our elementary schools are enthusiastic about the Padres En Acción program on our sites,” said Roxanna S. Owings, Director of Special Projects at Santa Ana Unified School District. “Schools that don’t have the program asked about it, and it has done wonders for students in that their recess is structured and allows for physical activity to occur. Students are getting a workout and don’t even know it!”

Physical activity during the school day can actually boost academic performance, reduce stress and regulate mood swings, according to a January 2012 study in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. Not only does the program boast a 98 percent recess participation rate among students, but principals and teachers have also reported a drop in disciplinary action after the Parents in Action recess periods.

“There’s much less fighting on the campus and fewer kids going to the office,” Teichmann said. “Kids are much more engaged.” The program has also empowered parents. Teichmann explained that parents have lost weight, developed confidence and now have an open door of communication with principals and teachers. “Some of our moms had a stay-home-and-hide mentality 

This has drawn them out of their homes and given them a voice that some have never had. One mom was just in tears because she had never been comfortable talking to her child’s teacher, but now she can. Parents feel so important because the schools recognize their efforts,” Teichmann noted.

As Kid Healthy seeks to expand the program throughout the Santa Ana Unified School District, Teichmann said the biggest challenge has been securing funding to implement the program in all the schools that are demanding it. “Anyone who hears about the program wants it in their schools, especially principals. They are totally behind this,” Teichmann said. “They all talk about how much it means for the children’s health and classroom performance to have parents on the campus.”

 

 

Case Study: Teachers Mix Physical Fitness and Classroom Learning

Today we're featuring a case study from Health in Mind, a new report from HSC and Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), which details immediate solutions that can help close the achievement gap and create a healthy future for all children. Here, we learned about a teacher at McCutcheon Elementary School in Chicago who teaches her students about healthy choices through HSC's Fit to Learn program.

Kindergarten teacher Dolores Navarro leads students in a physical activity break.

by Kadesha Thomas

Karen Jasinski sees all the early warning signs in her students—the hot chips and donuts for breakfast, washed down with a jug of blue juice. She sees the childhood obesity that leads students to  develop type two diabetes by seventh or eighth grade, not to mention added complications from asthma and other chronic conditions.

Jasinski teaches health and fitness to more than 350 students, pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, at McCutcheon Elementary School on Chicago’s North Side. She gets two 45-minute classes with them each week, and the school does not have a gymnasium onsite.

Recognizing the need for more health education and fitness education, Jasinski enrolled in Fit to Learn. Healthy Schools Campaign created the Fit to Learn professional development program in October 2010. The program offers a series of full-day and half-day sessions to equip P.E. teachers, health teachers and core subject teachers with a roster of techniques and all necessary materials for incorporating health and fitness lessons into any subject and any school environment. “We can’t
change [the students’] chemical makeups, but we have to make changes if they’re not learning it at home,” said Jasinski, who completed Fit to Learn in May 2012.

Since launching, more than 130 Chicago public school teachers have participated in Fit to Learn. “With the limitations teachers face throughout the day and the specific curriculum guidelines they
have to follow, it’s hard to be flexible or incorporate fitness into the lessons,” explained Kristi Cox, training and program manager at Healthy Schools Campaign who leads Fit to Learn. “Our program is a simple way for teachers to introduce fitness to students and let them know it’s important, while still meeting guidelines and learning standards.”

The program trains teachers to make exercise and nutrition lessons a regular part of the classroom experience. It’s the difference between sitting at a desk to do a spelling lesson or playing the Nutritious Words game, one of Jasinski’s favorites. This exercise requires students to stand as the teacher tosses a multicolored beach ball around the classroom. The student who catches the ball has to name a fruit or vegetable that is the same color as the part of the ball where the student’s thumb lands. Then, the student spells that fruit or vegetable’s name while doing jumping jacks. There’s also the MyPlate Shuffle. In this activity, each food group is assigned a dance or exercise move. When the teacher flashes a picture of a certain food, students do the corresponding dance move to indicate its food group.

Jasinski has also learned how to incorporate yoga into her fitness lessons, and she has learned activities that allow the students to move around, even in a tight classroom space. Fit to Learn also includes sessions from medical experts on the latest pediatric research, including how the most prevalent childhood health issues can play out in the classroom and impact learning. The ultimate goal of the program, which is provided free of charge to teachers, is to empower teachers to change the culture of health and fitness at their schools.

Karen Pippen’s participation in Fit to Learn stemmed from her conviction that schools can no longer
afford to ignore how health issues are impacting students. “The best place to talk about health is at school, because some children are just not getting it at home,” said Pippen, a resource teacher who works with special education and gifted students at Lincoln Elementary School in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. She also teaches an after-school health class twice a week.

Since her first Fit to Learn session in July 2011, Pippen has been able to incorporate health messages and physical activity into her class time. Five-minute dance breaks have helped her students release energy, then refocus on class work. She has woven nutrition information into her lessons, encouraging students to choose water over sugary juice, pick healthy snacks and cut back on excessive portions.

“The kids love it,” she said. Pippen knew the lessons were working when, one day, a couple of students noticed an empty potato chip bag in the class trash can. “Were those your chips?” they teased. “Was that a healthy choice?"

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As the year progresses, we'll share more about Health in Mind and the progress of this initiative! For more information or to view the full report, please visit www.healthinmind.org.

Case Study: How Healthy, Active Teachers Create a School Culture of Wellness

Today we're featuring a case study from Health in Mind, a new report from HSC and Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), which details immediate solutions that can help close the achievement gap and create a healthy future for all children. Here, we learned about professional development at Namaste Charter School in Chicago.

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by Kadesha Thomas

Namaste students participate in an outdoor exercise break at a nearby park.

It starts with the interview process.

When a prospective new teacher sits down to interview with Allison Slade, founder and principal of Namaste Charter School in Chicago, one of Slade’s first questions is, “What attracts you to our mission?” And then she listens for clues to whether the candidate will integrate into the school’s unique culture.

Namaste’s mission aims for academic excellence, and health and wellness is their way of achieving it. The school was founded in 2004 to fill a void in public education, one Slade felt was setting students up for poor performance by not ensuring that they were physically or psychologically healthy enough to learn. She wanted a school environment in which health and wellness principles—like nutrition and physical activity—were a part of the school’s mission, as well as a personal mission for individual school staff.

“It’s about how they think of themselves as a model for students,” Slade said of prospective teachers. “If you’re always walking around with a pop in your hand, that’s a problem. For students, a teacher’s behavior has an impact on them.”

Namaste’s culture of health and wellness is a shock to many new teachers. The day starts with a 15-minute morning movement, usually a yoga routine to “get younger kids to calm down and get older kids to wake up,” Slade said. The school’s 450 students, kindergarten through eighth grade, have 25 minutes of recess and 60 minutes of physical education each day.

During lunch, students have access to healthy food and learn about why that food is healthy. All teachers teach a 30-minute wellness block every day, where students learn about a pre-selected theme such as the human body, eating a balanced diet, safety and the benefits of physical activity.

Though the health and wellness culture resonates with new teachers’ personal values, most don’t know how to incorporate it into the classroom when they come to Namaste. But the shared mission among the teachers makes it easy for them to learn during Namaste’s rigorous teacher preparation. That preparation starts with a three-day induction specifically for new teachers. Sessions focus on introducing the new teachers to Namaste’s six core pillars—Nutrition/ Health and Wellness, Movement, Peaceful School Culture, Balanced Learning, Language and Culture and Collaborative Practice.

The induction takes place before the school’s summer break begins so that new teachers can observe classes, witness, and, afterward, discuss, how health and wellness are incorporated into the core curricula. The induction Namaste students participate in an outdoor exercise break at a nearby park.30 / Health in Mind / Improving Education Through Wellness / healthinmind.org also includes a session at a nearby yoga studio, to help new teachers understand the foundation for Namaste’s focus on mental health.

Over the summer, new teachers are given core reading and additional training on how to incorporate health and wellness topics into their trimester lesson plans. A seven-day orientation with all teachers also includes additional presentations on infusing health into the classroom. This is also a time when teachers outline the topics for the daily 30-minute wellness blocks. Each Friday afternoon during the school year, teachers come together to review and critique each other’s lesson plans for the coming week.

Student academic performance has confirmed Slade’s conviction that emphasizing health in the classroom boosts learning: nearly 87 percent of Namaste students meet or exceed state academic standards, compared to 73.4 percent throughout the Chicago Public Schools district. Namaste’s daily student attendance rate is also five percentage points higher than the district average.

“Attendance is high because the kids are healthier, so they miss school less,” Slade explained.

Teachers are also demonstrating their commitment to health and wellness among themselves outside of the school day. In May 2012, the staff started an afternoon Zumba class and several teachers have joined local residents to train for the Chicago Half Marathon in September.

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As the year progresses, we'll share more about Health in Mind and the progress of this initiative! For more information or to view the full report, please visit www.healthinmind.org.

New Report from HSC and Trust for America's Health Calls for Federal Action to Close Achievement Gap by Addressing School Health

HSC is excited to announce the release of Health in Mind, a new report from HSC and Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), which details immediate solutions that can help close the achievement gap and create a healthy future for all children. Here, taken from a press release written in partnership with Trust for America's Health, is more information about the report and on why we believe it's vital.

American children are struggling academically, and the nation faces a growing achievement gap that is increasingly tied to health disparities — today’s children could become the first generation to live shorter and less-healthy lives than their parents, notes the report.

Health in Mind offers a strong framework for addressing the nation’s most urgent health and education challenges by outlining strategies within the current regulatory and budget framework of the Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services that the administration can utilize to better the conditions for health and learning in schools. The report also examines the research connecting health disparities with educational outcomes and presents case studies of innovative on-the-ground practices across the nation.

“We’ve never met a parent, teacher or school leader who didn’t recognize that healthy students are better prepared to learn,” said Rochelle Davis, President and CEO of HSC, a national advocacy organization that focuses much of its work on improving the food and fitness environment in Chicago schools. “But the truth is that vast health disparities exist in our nation and far too many children attend school in environments that do not support their health. Unless we address these challenges, our efforts to close the achievement gap will be compromised. The consequences are enormous for children’s learning and for their lifetime health.”

Health in Mind presents research, policy analysis and immediate recommendations focused on:

• Preparing teachers and principals to promote student health and wellness;
• Engaging parents in school health;
• Incorporating health and wellness into school metrics, accountability and recognition programs;
• Building the Department of Education’s capacity to address student health and wellness; and
• Placing a school nurse in every school.

“We are beginning to see an important shift in the way the nation addresses health and wellness,” said Jeffrey Levi, PhD, executive director of TFAH. “With Health in Mind and the National Prevention Strategy, we’ve begun to move toward integrating and thinking about health in all of the contexts —education, transportation, housing and other area s— that impact health. Specifically focusing on the connection between health and school will ensure students can do as well as possible academically and are healthier.”

“We know that health and education are inextricably linked; with that knowledge, we must shift how we approach both wellness and the school day,” said Dr. Gail Christopher, vice president for program strategy at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. “The Health in Mind report points us forward. Our communities truly can develop children who are healthy, smart and strong. Doing so will take creativity and commitment from leaders at all levels. I am confident we can rise to that challenge."

The report follows a May 2012 event at which HSC and TFAH, with the support of the nation’s largest education unions, presented a set of recommendations to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius. At the event, both Sec. Duncan and Sec. Sebelius publicly expressed their support for the goals that would form the basis for Health in Mind.

In December 2012, ten members of Congress signed on to a letter to Sec. Duncan and Sec. Sebelius expressing their support for the recommendations. More than 70 organizations representing the nation’s health and education advocates have signed on to the Health in Mind vision statement.

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As the year progresses, we'll share more about Health in Mind and the progress of this initiative! For more information or to view the full report, please visit www.healthinmind.org.

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on School Wellness: "If children aren’t healthy, they can’t fulfill their academic and social potential"

by Ashley Hofmann, HSC public policy intern

Ashley Hofmann is completing the final practicum to earn her Masters of Social Work from the University of Missouri. Her academic research and passion focuses on disparities in access to healthcare and how policy can act as a catalyst for social justice. As a summer intern at HSC, Ashley is researching best-practices for student health and wellness and advocating for support of healthy foods in the 2012 Farm Bill.  

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan was recently interviewed by NewPublicHealth, a blog at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, about why the Department of Education is interested in health. He responded with the clearest and most obvious answer, an answer that HSC also understands – that healthy children are successful students. Here is an excerpt from the interview and the Secretary’s candid response: 

NPH: The Department of Education is a member of the National Prevention Council. Why is health a priority for the Department?

Secretary Duncan: Very simply, if children aren’t healthy they can’t fulfill their academic and social potential. I always talk about the foundation of building blocks for great education, which includes good physical and emotional health. If children can’t see the blackboard they can’t do well. If children are hungry they can’t do well. If children are obese they are not going to do as well as they should. So we have to collectively make sure that children are physically and emotionally healthy so they can think about AP Chemistry and Biology and Physics and the rest of their learning.

Secretary Duncan’s observations are backed by research that shows there is a strong connection between health and learning –- healthy, active, and well-nourished children have higher attendance records and perform better on academic tests than their counterparts. In the interview, he touched on multiple facets affecting children’s health, including their learning environment, opportunities for physical activity, and access to nutritious food. He highlighted the Green Ribbon Schools program, which recognizes schools that make progress in energy efficiency, sustainability, and eco-friendly cleaning programs. He also stressed the necessity for children to have time reserved for recess and P.E. classes. These breaks are essential for students to be able to focus while in the classroom and also act as a preventative measure against childhood obesity rates, which are rising in the U.S. 

Secretary Duncan believes that the Department of Education’s role in promoting student health is to demonstrate what works –- sharing resources and ideas for improving student health, highlighting schools that have programs and policies in place to ensure its student population remains ready to learn, and being an accountable partner in supporting healthy, successful students. 

Earlier this year, Secretary Duncan spoke at HSC’s Health in Mind briefing in Washington, D.C. Through the Health in Mind recommendations presented at this briefing, HSC and Trust for America’s Health outlined practical steps to integrate health into our nation’s approach to education. The Department is in a unique position to provide leadership to states and schools districts on the importance of integrating health into school policy and practice. Many stakeholders have a role in improving student health and academic success, preventing childhood obesity, and enhancing our education system. The Department, under Secretary Duncan’s guidance, can act as a catalyst for innovation and best practices.

Health in Mind Spotlight: Applauding School Wellness Efforts with Colorado’s State-Wide Recognition Program

This week, HSC hosted a special event with Trust for America’s Health at the National Press Club to release our recommendations for improving education through wellness to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius. One of the most exciting parts of this event was the opportunity to hear first-hand from on-the-ground leaders who are putting some of these ideas into action in their schools and communitites. Now, we happy to share case studies spotlighting some of this exciting on-the-ground work!

Today's post features efforts in the state of Colorado, where education leaders are working to bring health and wellness into the school experience. At the briefing, Helayne Jones, President and CEO of the Colorado Legacy Foundation, shared her perspective and experience. This case study focuses specifically on a state-wide recognition program for school health and wellness. Stay posted for more case studies highlighting efforts to make wellness part of the school experience.

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by Kadesha Thomas, HSC writer and researcher

 One elementary school has its own garden and only serves meat from a local ranch. A middle school offers nearly an hour of physical education and 25 minutes of recess—every day. At a nearby high school, about 70 percent of students are involved in at least one of the school’s 14 athletic clubs, while another elementary school allows teachers and fifth grade students to square off in an annual softball competition.

This is just a snapshot of what is happening throughout the 178 school districts in the state of Colorado. Since 2010, schools have been invited each year to tout these and other health and wellness efforts during the state’s Healthy School Champions’ Recognition Program. The recognition program allows schools to submit a voluntary self-assessment, called the Healthy School Champions’ Score Card, detailing how they are supporting health and wellness for students, staff and the surrounding community.

Each year, nearly 200 schools submit information to the online assessment; in 2012, 32 were selected as Champions. The winning schools receive a banner to display in the school and a cash award between $500 and $5,000 in recognition of the good work. “When we look at which schools will be selected, we want to see that health and wellness is infused into the culture beyond just projects and one-time programs. We want to see that their philosophy has shifted to include health,” said Amy Dillon, Co-Director for Coordinated School Health at the Colorado Department of Education. “The school-level success stories from Champions demonstrate strong administrative support, robust health teams with linkages to the community and that the school prioritizes their efforts based on need.”

The program is a collaborative effort with partners, including the Colorado Department of Education, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Colorado Legacy Foundation, which serves as a critical friend and partner to the state Department of Education on education policy. Funding for the program comes from The Colorado Health Foundation, a local funder committed to making Colorado the healthiest state in the nation.  Though the recognition program attracts applicant schools from across the state’s diverse landscape—some schools are in districts with only 100 students total while others are in bustling urban centers—all schools need to demonstrate a commitment to the eight components of the coordinated school health model: health education, health services, school environment, nutrition services and education, physical education and activity, counseling and mental health services, staff wellness and involvement from the families and communities.

The larger goal is to address some of the state’s health challenges. About 20 percent of the state’s high school students reported being overweight or obese on the 2009 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey.

“This is an opportunity for schools to be incentivized, to see what their neighbors are doing and learn from policies and strategies on the ground that are highly  successful,” explained Stephanie Wasserman, MSPH, Director of Health and Wellness at the Colorado Legacy Foundation. “It serves as a promotional tool for schools to learn more about best practices. In the future, we hope that this becomes just a natural part of addressing school culture, students’ needs and improving academic outcomes.”

 

Advocates, National Leaders Gather for Presentation of Recommendations to Secretary Sebelius and Secretary Duncan

L-R: Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services; Rochelle Davis, President and CEO of Healthy Schools Campaign; Gail Christopher, Vice President of Program Strategy for the W.K. Kellogg Foundation; Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education; Jeff Levi, Executive Director, Trust for America’s Health

Yesterday, HSC hosted a special event with Trust for America’s Health at the National Press Club to release our recommendations for improving education through wellness to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius.

We were thrilled that such a remarkable group of national leaders came together for an event focused on the idea that healthy students are better prepared to learn. In addition to HSC’s Rochelle Davis and Jeff Levi of Trust for America’s Health, speakers included:

• Gail Christopher, Vice President for Programs, W.K. Kellogg Foundation
• Helayne Jones, President and CEO, Colorado Legacy Foundation
• Melinda Landau, Manager of Health and Family Support Programs, San Jose School District
• Allison Slade, Founder and Principal, Namaste Charter School
• Dennis Van Roekel, President, National Education Association
• Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers
• Stephanie Whyte, Chief Health Officer, Chicago Public Schools

The Health in Mind recommendations reflect a new approach to making health and wellness part of the school experience. We invite you to check out the executive summary and recommendations online. In the days ahead, we will share case studies illustrating these ideas in action.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan

Many thanks to the remarkable advocates and leaders who made the Health in Mind launch a success!

Plus: Check out press coverage of Health in Mind! Reuters, Education Week, NEA Today and AFT News published coverage and analysis of the recommendations and event.

Physical activity break at the Health in Mind recommendations release event

Health in Mind: Improving Education Through Wellness

This week, we’re excited to share more about our newest initiative, Health in Mind: Improving Education Through Wellness. Tomorrow, May 9, we will release policy recommendations from Health in Mind to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius at a special event in Washington, D.C.  Stay posted for updates!

Educators know that healthy students are better prepared to learn and succeed in school. Yet current health and education policy misses several simple, vital opportunities to boost academic success through health promotion and school wellness. The nation’s children are struggling academically and could become the first generation to live shorter and less healthy lives than their parents. At the same time, our nation faces a growing achievement gap that research increasingly connects to health disparities.

It is for this reason that HSC is partnering with Trust for America’s Health on this exciting new initiative. This effort focuses on policy recommendations for immediate, practical changes at the federal level to help close the achievement gap and create a healthy future for all children.

The Challenge

The link between health and learning is clear. Healthy, active and well-nourished children are more likely to attend school, be engaged, and be ready to learn. Often, however, the school setting does not support health. In today’s school environments, all too many students spend their days in buildings with unhealthy air, do not have the opportunity to be active, and do not have access to fresh water, nutritious food or a school nurse. Many students come to school with one or more health problems that compromise their ability to learn. The prevalence of chronic diseases — including asthma, obesity and diabetes — has doubled among children over the past several decades. This has implications not only for children’s long-term health but also for their opportunities to learn and succeed at school.

This challenge is especially critical in light of the vast health disparities that exist in our nation. Low-income minority students are at increased risk of health problems that hinder learning. These same students are more likely to attend schools that do not provide health-promoting environments; for example, they often attend school in buildings with unhealthy indoor air and lack opportunities such as recess to be physically active during the day. Research continues to link health disparities to the minority achievement gap and suggest that unless we address these health disparities, efforts to close the education achievement gap will be compromised.

The Obama administration has made addressing the achievement gap a top priority. In the past two years, the federal government has also demonstrated a strong commitment to disease prevention and health promotion with initiatives including the First Lady’s Let’s Move campaign and the release of the National Prevention Strategy.

The purpose of Health in Mind is to delineate strategies that federal agencies can deploy to create the conditions for health and learning in our nation’s schools. These immediate, practical strategies can serve as a starting point for broader change in the health and education sectors.

Creating the Conditions for Health and Learning

To truly support learning, schools must create the conditions for health. Given the strong connection between health and learning, this is central to schools’ core mission of student learning.

What does it mean for schools to support student health? A healthier school environment is one which supports students’ well-being and in which student health builds a foundation for learning. In this environment, good nutrition, physical activity, basic safety, clean air and water, access to care, and education about how to make healthy choices allow students to thrive. In a healthy school, students learn—through lessons and through example—to value their own health and wellness.

These recommendations reflect a new approach to making health and wellness part of the school experience. This means that wellness is not relegated to an occasional health lesson or physical education class—it is part of math, science, lunch and everything in between. It means providing teachers with professional development related to children’s physical and emotional development, and integrating health into every subject, reward system and classroom management strategy.

Achieving this ultimate vision will require leadership and commitment at many levels, from classrooms to Washington, D.C. The goal and challenge of Health in Mind is to make concrete recommendations that fall within the federal government’s role and can have a significant and sustainable impact on two national priorities: reducing the achievement gap and transforming our health care system.

Tomorrow, we will present these recommendations to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius. Stay posted for updates and the full recommendations!

Milestones and New Initiatives in the Weeks Ahead!

This week, HSC is kicking off one of our busiest and most exciting months yet! The weeks ahead are filled with dynamic events and new opportunities built on work for healthy food and fitness in schools. We are excited to share these milestones and new initiatives!

Health in Mind: Improving Education through Wellness · May 9
We believe that healthy students are better prepared to learn and that schools must address health and wellness in order for all kids to achieve. On May 9, we will bring this message to national leaders as we present policy recommendations to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius at a special event in Washington, D.C. Our nation is facing a dual crisis: a growing achievement gap and children who for the first time in history may live shorter, less healthy lives than their parents.These recommendations focus on simple, common-sense steps initiated at the federal level that can help schools leverage the power of health and wellness to boost student achievement. Learn more about Health in Mind here.
* If you are interested in learning more about the event, please contact Alex Schaible by email or at 312-419-1810.

Congressional Briefing on Serving Food Raised without Antibiotics in School Lunch · May 10
The high school culinary students who placed first in HSC’s Cooking up Change Chicago healthy cooking contest wowed judges with a lunch featuring freshly-baked chicken drumsticks. That chicken was raised without antibiotics on Amish farms in nearby Indiana, like much of the chicken now on the menu in Chicago Public Schools. On May 10, the students will take part in a Congressional briefing on serving food raised without antibiotics in school lunch. That day, the lunch they created will be served for lunch in the U.S. House of Representatives cafeteria! Learn more here.
* Send a letter inviting your senators and representative to attend the briefing and try the students’  award-winning school lunch!

Parents United for Healthy Schools Annual Summit · May 17
The parent leaders of HSC’s Parents United for Healthy Schools/Padres Unidos para Escuelas Saludables will have much to celebrate and much work ahead as they gather for the sixth annual Parent Summit for Healthy Schools. This coalition, which brings together parents from Chicago’s Latino and African-American communities to speak up for school wellness as a way to address health disparities, has achieved new victories for children’s health. Parent-led wellness teams have initiated school-level changes across the city and successfully advocated for important district policies, including bringing recess and Breakfast in the Classroom to the city’s elementary schools. Parents are now looking ahead to supporting schools in making wellness a priority as the city transitions to a longer school day. Learn more about Parents United here.
* For live updates from the parent summit, follow HSC on Twitter and keep an eye out for #ParentsUnited on May 17.

Fit to Learn Graduation · May 18
Teachers who have completed HSC’s year-long Fit to Learn professional development program will celebrate their graduation at a special event bringing together principals and district leaders to share ideas and strategies for boosting wellness in schools. Fit to Learn focuses on practical approaches to making health and wellness a regular part of the classroom experience. Teachers gain the skills to fit healthy habits into daily learning—integrating nutrition education and fitness into classroom lessons that meet learning standards in math, reading, science, social studies, art and music. Learn more here.
* Bring healthy new ideas to your classroom! Check out activities and stories from Fit to Learn teachers on HSC’s blog.

Cooking up Change National Finals · May 21
Across the country, student chefs are cooking up change! These teams of high school culinary students have impressed judges and guests at local competitions and are now getting ready to compete in the national finals in Washington, D.C. Teams are challenged to create a healthy school meal that meets high nutrition standards on a tight budget and with limited ingredients. Teams from Chicago, Denver, Jacksonville, Santa Ana, St. Louis and Winston-Salem have secured their spots in the national finals. Which team will take home the trophy? Learn more here.
* Send your compliments to the chefs! Cheer on the teams with a tweet using #CookingupChange or a message on HSC’s Facebook page.

Cooking up Change Congressional Briefing · May 22
The day after the cooking contest, the student chefs will bring their healthy school meals to Congress! A student-designed lunch will be served in the U.S. House of Representatives cafeteria and at a Congressional briefing on the future of school food. At this briefing, the student chefs will share their experience and speak about why healthy school food matters. Learn more here.
* Send a letter inviting your senators and representative to attend the briefing and try the students’  award-winning school lunches!

Go for the Gold in Food and Fitness Celebration · May 30
At this celebration, we’ll recognize the second cadre of schools to meet the rigorous standards of the HealthierUS School Challenge through Go for the Gold, HSC’s partnership with Chicago Public Schools to support schools in meeting the high challenge’s high standards for healthy school food, physical activity and nutrition education. Through Go for the Gold, Chicago is answering First Lady Michelle Obama’s call to action! To date, 45 CPS schools have been recognized as HealthierUS Schools, an additional 30+ schools have submitted their applications, and dozens more are making changes. Learn more here.
* Check out the practical resources and tip sheets focused on physical activity, nutrition education and more from Go for the Gold!

We’re thrilled to share these exciting events! For updates throughout the month, check out HSC’s blog, Twitter and Facebook page!