There is a must-read post on ASCD‘s Whole Child Blog today, “What’s Next for Coordinated School Health? Moving from Rhetoric to Sustainable Action.” Based on an Oct. 16 session from the American School Health Association’s annual conference, the post summarizes how health and wellness are inextricably linked to students’ academic achievement. Here’s an excerpt:
So what has held educators back from wholeheartedly embracing health and well-being across their schools and systems? The answer is somewhat twofold—on the one hand there are schools that hold a belief that they are there only to educate the child academically—however the overwhelming evidence that shows that a students’ physical, mental, social, and emotional health plays a significant role in determining what students can learn cognitively dispels this notion. On the other hand there are schools that appreciate the effects of student health on student growth and learning—so why haven’t these schools done a more comprehensive job in aligning health and education? Ultimately it may be the existence of CSH itself. The fact that there has been a section of the system that has been designed to cater to the health needs of students has in fact allowed education to ignore or push health aside. It has perpetuated the siloing of health and education.
We are excited that Dr. Susan Wooley, president of the American School Health Association, will be speaking about the critical role of health and wellness in optimized student support at our upcoming conference on Nov. 5.
For more information:
- Register for the City Connects conference, “Optimized Student Support: Best Practices for Schools & Community Agencies“
- Follow ASCD’s Whole Child initiative on Twitter @WholeChildAdv
City Connects Blog 