Transcription of Promoting Healthy Youth, Schools, and Communities
1 Promoting Healthy Youth, Schools, and CommunitiesA Guide to Community- school health CouncilsNo. 1/03 Promoting Healthy Youth, Schools, and CommunitiesA Guide to Community- school health CouncilsKaren Shirer, PhDPrincipal AuthorPatricia P. MillerEditor AcknowledgmentsThe American Cancer Society would like to acknowledge the original team ofauthors and health professionals who inspired and created Promoting HealthyYouth, Schools, and Communities : A Guide to Community- school HealthAdvisory guide was originally published in partnership with the: Iowa Department of Public health Iowa State University Extension to Families American Cancer Society, Iowa Division Blank Children s Hospital Pioneer Hi-Bred International, author, Karen Shirer, PhD, would like to acknowledge the influence ofEdward L.
2 Schor, MD, formerly with the Iowa Department of Public health , andCarol Hinton, RN, MS, NCSN, also with the Department of Public health , onmaking this manual a reality. Ed s vision and insight into the need for this man-ual for educational practitioners and citizens guided the process of developing itand securing the funding to produce it. Without his contribution and attention tothe vision, this manual would not have been possible. Carol painstakingly builtthe necessary relationships with school nurses and other key stakeholders toobtain their support for the addition, she thanks the funders who made this guide possible. The IowaDepartment of Public health , Iowa State University Extension, and the IowaDivision of the American Cancer Society (currently Midwest Division) providedin-kind support such as staffing, secretarial, and other indirect support.
3 BlankChildren s Hospital and Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., contributed American Cancer Society is pleased to collaborate in publishing this newlyedited version of the manual with the original Iowa partners as well as the: American school health Association American Academy of Pediatrics National Center for health EducationTable of ContentsIntroductioniStep 1. Convening a school health Council1-1 Learn About school health CouncilsObtain Support from the school DistrictIdentify Potential Members for the CouncilOrganize and Conduct the First Meeting Follow Up After the First MeetingStep 2. Creating a Vision and Building Ownership2-1 Plan the Next Meeting on Creating a VisionEstablish Ground Rules for Operating the CouncilDevelop a Vision for Your school health CouncilStep 3.
4 Developing an Action Plan3-1 Plan the Next Meeting on Writing an Action PlanConfirm the Vision of the CouncilDescribe the Relationship of Change and PlanningWrite an Action Plan for Your school health CouncilStep 4. Taking Action and Getting Results4-1 Design a Structure for the Council sWorkCreate a Plan for Marketing Your Council s EffortsDeal with ConflictStep 5. Maintaining Momentum5-1 Evaluate Your Council s EffortsHold an Annual Renewal Meeting of the CouncilRevitalize the Council s MembershipExpand school health Improvement EffortsConsider Conducting a Needs AssessmentReferencesAppendicesA. school health Elements of ExcellenceB. Meeting PlannerC. Script and TransparenciesD.
5 school health Programs: An Investment in Our Nation s FutureE. Next Meeting s AgendaF. Conducting a Needs AssessmentCD-ROM ContentsCD-ROM is located on inside back 1. Convening a school health CouncilWorksheet: Community- school Partners to Invite( )Sample: Letter of Invitation( )Sample: Response Form( )Information Sheet: Benefits of a school health Council( )Sample: News Release( )Worksheet: Agenda Planning Guide for the Organizational Meeting( )Sample: Meeting Agenda for the Organizational Meeting( )Step 2. Creating a Vision and Building OwnershipSample: Meeting Agenda for the Vision Meeting ( )Sample: Letter of Invitation( )Transparency Master: Where We Want to Be( )Transparency Master: A Vision( )Worksheet: Creating a Vision for Our Community and Schools( )Worksheet: Our Vision of the Future( )Step 3.
6 Developing an Action PlanSample: Meeting Agenda for the Action Planning Meeting( )Sample: Letter of Invitation( )Transparency Master: AProcess for Change( )Transparency Master: What s Needed for Change to Occur?( )Information Sheet: Tips for Brainstorming( )Information Sheet: What Can We Do? Suggested Action Steps( )Worksheet: Evaluating Priorities( )Worksheet: Action Planning Guide( )Step 4. Taking Action and Getting ResultsWorksheet: Creating a Structure for Your school health Council( )Worksheet: Building Social Marketing into Your school health Council( )Information Sheet: Meeting Resistance to Change( )Information Sheet: Creating a Process for Resolving Conflicts( )Information Sheet: Possible Sources of Conflict within school health Councils( )Step 5.
7 Maintaining MomentumWorksheet: Planning an Outcome Evaluation for a school health Council( )Worksheet: Agenda Planning Guide( )Sample: Meeting Agenda( )Worksheet: Evaluating Your Council s Membership( )Information Sheet: Moving to the Next Level of school health Improvement( )AppendicesB. Meeting Planner( )C. Script and Transparencies( )E. Next Meeting sAgenda( )iPromoting Healthy youth , Schools, and Communities : A Guide to Community- school health CouncilsBackgroundSchools play a central role in Promoting children s health in our Communities . In the past, school health may have been defined by schools and Communities asclinical services provided by a school nurse, physical education classes, andclassroom instruction about health issues or concerns.
8 Today, the definition ofschool health has broadened to include school nutrition services, studentguidance and counseling, the physical and emotional school environment, staffwellness, and how schools reach out to parents and Communities for is a growing recognition that children s health status directly affects theircapacity to learn and achieve academic success. Therefore, schools and commu-nities are seeking ways to bridge the gap between health and parents become more aware of and concerned about the health problems ofchildren and youth , they naturally turn to community partners, including Schools, for solutions. Schools can play an important role in maintaining and improvingthe health of the children and youth they serve.
9 Experience has shown that whenschools involve parents and other partners from the community, the responsibil-ity for student health and success can be successfully effective way to promote this partnership is through a school health councilmade up of a broad cross-section of parents, students, business and communityleaders, and school staff. The title of this guide identifies the council as a Community- school health Council to emphasize the partnership that mustexist between school administration personnel and the community at large. Thecouncil can engage in communication and problem solving and make recom-mendations related to school health policies, programs, and practices within theschool district that reflect community concerns, values, and of the GuideThis guide will assist school districts in developing new school health councils,strengthening existing school health councils, and maintaining them as effectiveentities that can support and guide school health practices, programs, andpolicies.
10 It is tailored to the planning needs of school district staff responsiblefor school health . The guide can also be useful to parents and other communitypartners interested in Promoting the development of a school health you are new to the school health arena, the appendix contains a publicationfrom the American Cancer Society titled school health : Elements ofExcellence for Programs that Help Children Learn and Stay Healthy . Thisdocument provides an overview of the school health program, its eight definingcomponents, as well as key elements that are needed to create an exemplaryschool health program. Other excellent readings are listed under the References of the GuideThe guide provides a practical, five-step approach to planning, developing,maintaining, and evaluating school health councils.
