Essential Functions of Coordinated School Health 

HEALTHY SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT (Module 1)

• Essential functions of a healthy school environment:
  • Minimize distractions
  • Minimize physical, psychological and social hazards
  • Create a climate in which students and school staff do their best work
  • Expect that all students can succeed
  • Implement supportive policies

COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL HEALTH EDUCATION (Module 2)

• Essential functions of comprehensive school health education:
  • Curriculum selection and development
  • The use of standards-based health curriculum
  • Attention to curriculum scope and sequence
  • Assess students’ level of achievement
  • Implement curriculum in classrooms
  • Provide for support from school board, administrators and families
  • Incorporate within the overall school curriculum
  • Provide professional development opportunities

SCHOOL NUTRITION SERVICES (Module 3)

• Essential components of school nutrition services are to provide:
  • Access to a variety of nutritious, culturally appropriate foods that promote growth and development, pleasure in healthy eating, and long-term health
  • Nutrition education that empowers students to select and enjoy healthy food and physical activity
  • Screening, assessment, counseling and referral for nutrition problems and the provision of modified meals for students with special needs

PHYSICAL EDUCATION (Module 4)

• According to the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, physical education should produce students who can:
  • Demonstrate competency in many movement forms and proficiency in a few
  • Apply movement concepts and principles to the learning and development of motor skills
  • Exhibit a physically active lifestyle
  • Achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical fitness
  • Demonstrate responsible personal and social behavior in physical activity settings
  • Demonstrate understanding and respect for differences among people in physical activity settings
  • Understand that participation in physical activity provides opportunities for enjoyment, challenge, self-expression and social interaction

SCHOOL HEALTH SERVICES (Module 5)

• Essential elements of school health services:
  • Screening, diagnostic, treatment and health counseling services
  • Urgent and emergency care
  • Timely identification of and appropriate interventions for health problems
  • Mandated and necessary screenings for all students
  • Assistance with medication during the school day
  • Health services for children with special health needs
  • Health counseling
  • Health promotion, prevention education and preventive services
  • Referrals to and linkages with other community providers

SCHOOL COUNSELING, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES (Module 6)

• Essential functions of school counseling, psychological and social services are:
  • Direct services and instruction
  • Developing systems, programs, services and resources
  • Connecting school and community resources

SCHOOL SITE HEALTH PROMOTION FOR STAFF (Module 7)

• Staff wellness programs typically involve one or more of the following activities:
  • Screening
  • Education and supportive activities to reduce risk factors
  • Organizational policies that promote a healthful and psychologically supportive work environment
  • An integrated employee assistance program
  • Employee health care, including health insurance, managed care organizations and access to school health services

FAMILY AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN SCHOOL HEALTH EDUCATION (Module 8)

• Essential functions of family and community involvement in school health:
  • Provide time, experience and resources
  • Support student involvement in activities that support health
  • Ensure that students and their families receive needed health services
  • Plan jointly to develop relevant and appropriate messages and services
  • Deliver clear, consistent messages that support health, include high but attainable expectations and offer appropriate role modeling
  • Share facilities and encourage participation by all relevant individuals and groups