Health experts have long hailed the importance
of the mind-body connection, with ample evidence pointing to mental
health’s effect on physical health.
Now school administrators, including many in the Poudre School District (PSD),
are turning the mind-body principle on its head — promoting students’
physical health to boost academic achievement.
“If they’re healthy, they’ll show up for class,” says Mike Roberts,
principal at Centennial High School in Fort Collins.
Roberts funnels substantial resources toward a broad-based health and
wellness program for his students, including everything from physical
exams, to psychological counseling, to dental care.
District-wide, all PSD schools receive a standard set of health services,
complemented by wellness programs at a growing number of schools. Students
with special health requirements receive additional assistance through
personalized service plans.
“Every child with a significant health need that could affect their
schoolwork has a plan developed,” says Nancy Weber, coordinator of the
district-wide health program.
Some of the most exciting health-related activities are part of the
customized wellness programs at some schools, which address everything
from fitness and nutrition to school aesthetics and community involvement.
The health team at Tavelli Elementary in Fort Collins has gone so far as
to create a new school theme, “Tavelli: A School of Wellness, Fitness and
Good Nutrition.”
“We believe that, to achieve in school, students must be healthy, active
and regularly engaged in physical activity supported by good nutrition,”
says principal Dan Lawler.
At Tavelli, every school day starts with 10 minutes of physical activity.
Students also take recess before lunch, increasing their appetite for
healthier foods. The students enjoy tasty lunches with revamped menus
featuring minimal trans-fats, less sugar and salt, plenty of fruits and
veggies, and whole-grain breads and pasta. Tavelli students also
participate in an after-school walking and running club. Partnerships with
Colorado State University and Poudre Valley Hospital support the school’s
health achievements.
Many things go into creating a great school system, and PSD schools are
striving for the best.
In our community, healthy kids can make a difference. |
| Beyond the
basics Special funding from
grants is boosting health and wellness in local schools. Grants from
the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment have helped
Centennial High and Rocky Mountain High greatly expand on-site
services.
“Having a PSD school nurse here once a week wasn’t enough,” says
Centennial principal Mike Roberts, whose 150 students tend to have
more complicated health issues than their peers at other schools. So
Centennial put the state funds toward hiring a half-time physician
assistant, Kara DiTullio, and a half-time mental-health counselor,
Nick Baez.
DiTullio and Baez are available every school day, providing acute and
preventive health services, health education, mental-health
counseling, assessment of high-risk behaviors and a stop-smoking
program. Centennial students can also get dental screenings and free
follow-up care (financed through a special grant), provided by the
Health District of Northern Larimer County’s Family Dental Clinic.
Centennial’s extensive health services are supported by vigorous
fundraising (its annual “Steak Fry Dinner” is noon–2 p.m. Saturday,
April 25) and by community groups such as the Rotary Club, Fort
Collins Sertoma and the Kiwanis.
Rocky Mountain has used state funds to launch a new wellness plan for
its nearly 2,000 students. “We want to increase on-site services for
mental-health and substance-abuse issues,” says Kelly Rollins, a
counselor with the school’s Student Assistance Services. An additional
grant from the Coalition for Activity and Nutrition to Defeat Obesity
(CanDo) is being used to form a wellness team, and future grant money
will help hire a program coordinator and create new health- and
sports-related student clubs.
In December 2008, PSD received a $50,000 annual grant (renewable for
three years) from the Colorado Department of Education’s Comprehensive
School Health initiative. This will help expand the reach of wellness
programs within the district. |
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