What's Your District's School Health Policy?

By John Henry Ledwith | November 17, 2016

I love school health advocates! Earlier this month I got to spend time with a whole bunch of them at the School Health Education and Services Section (SHES) of the APHA annual meetings. As usual, joining up with that crowd was an illuminating and inspiring process.

Here we all are, in one room. We’re from all over the country. We’re talking about the best ways to promote school health and health education. Making connections to strengthen our community. Talking about the best ways to train the school health educators of tomorrow.

Right there in the room, we probably had more wisdom about school policy, school boards, and health education than you could find anywhere else in the world.

Which is why I was surprised when almost no one could answer the following question.

Popping the Question

Here’s what I asked. “How many of us know the policies of our local school boards concerning school health education—or if local boards even know what school health education is?” People looked at each other, shrugged shoulders, shook their heads, looked surprised.

These amazing professionals know all about state and national policies on school health. Some of them are literally writing the book on this material. But policies in their local districts? In the places they live, where their own kids go to school? Far and away, the majority had no idea.

Now, I claim no special virtue in this realm myself. I’ve raised two sons in my local school district. Almost the entire time they were in their K-12 experience, I was working in the school health education field in one manner or another. And, like most of my SHES colleagues, I never thought to query our local board about the district’s policies and practices for school health education.

But we know so much about these matters. We are people who can actually share with local boards the ways well-planned policies can influence positive behavioral outcomes for the children in our communities. We can offer to help them become more versed in the research. We can guide them towards tools that help them put the research into practice.

The Challenge

I made a commitment at that meeting, first to myself, and then to the whole group. I’m going to follow up and find out what my local school board is doing about school health education and what policies and guidelines they’ve used to create their programs.

I saw some other heads nodding in agreement at the meeting. I know I’ll have some partners checking in with their local boards as well.

What about you? Whatever your role in school health might be, I’m betting you’ve got wisdom and information to share. Your school board will probably appreciate the interest and support. Are you ready to join the challenge?

I’d love to have a conversation about what people find out. I’ll certainly be reporting back on what I discover. Let’s start a dialogue right now—you can post your thoughts and comments below.

After all, in these times of transition and change, what could be more important than advocacy and action for the people and communities we love?

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John Henry Ledwith is ETR’s Senior Sales Manager.