The link between Health & Student Achievement was explored at a session at our recent Grad Nation Action Forum that featured Steve Tarver, YMCA of Greater Louisville; Kitty Kelly Epstein, Office of the Mayor, Oakland; Judy Springer, Harris County Precinct One, Houston; April Holloway, Community HealthCorps, National Association of Community Health Centers; and John Cosgriff, AmeriChoice by United Healthcare.
Here are some ideas, promising practices and strategies that were discussed at that session:
- The City of Oakland is employing 41 task forces to shape and drive city revitalization projects, including student health-related task forces. (Contact: Kitty Kelly Epstein, Director of Education, Office of the Mayor, Oakland)
- Oakland runs school-based health centers to provide wraparound services in schools, which the city believes to be the “center of community life.” Strategic partnerships have been formed to institute, fund, and sustain their existence. (Contact: Kitty Kelly Epstein, Oakland)
- Nutrition should be institutionalized in schools:
Should be integrated into the core curriculum
Policy and cost factors should be considered when institutionalizing strategies/programs
Remember that money is a big influencer (e.g., vending machine controversies)
Opportunities around nutrition should be extended to families
- Good habits are more easily reinforced when children start early, so start programs as early as possible (pre-K)
- Nutrition, behavior, and mental health go hand in hand – message this to schools. Make the case to invest in mental health services in order to reduce court volume.
- Teach teachers and administrators how to recognize mental health issues in students.
- Consider integrating activity across the curriculum instead of solely in physical education class, to make it part of the school’s culture. Only 15 minutes of exercise per day can make a difference.
- Don’t use exercise as punishment
- Message good health’s advantages to kids
- Schools should track more than just academic data for students; should track other indicators that influence how well a student is doing (i.e., the whole child), such as health data, behaviors, involvement, and attention).
Do you have an idea you'd like to share?
What organizations in your area are working to improve the health of students as a means of enhancing their achievement?