Comprehensive School Wellness Program

1801 Grant Strategies  

ADE works along three strategies to provide 1801 grant activities: infrastructure development, professional development, and technical assistance.

Infrastructure Development works to create a health-aware infrastructure among all regions of Arizona to support, assess, and develop health-promoting best practices and strategies that improve physical activity, nutrition, and the management of chronic conditions in schools. This directly enhances a student's social, emotional, and physical well-being. To do this, the CSW Program encourages schools to utilize the School Health Index, to assess and create supportive school environments.  In addition, Local School Wellness Policy guides local education agencies and school districts to create supportive school nutrition and physical activity environments. 

Professional Development activities promote school health by offering continuing education on important health topics. ADE delivers and partners with state agencies and local organizations to implement strategies that promote a healthy learning environment. In addition, ADE spreads awareness of the opportunities available to out-of-school health staff and officials.  Through professional development activities, ADE utilizes the WSCC model to develop training that utilizes school health tools and resources, while highlighting the connections between school health and academic achievement.

Technical Assistance is provided to all schools, districts, and LEAs across the state, free of charge. Our team works with school leaders to support and provide guidance on the health and wellness needs of their staff, students, and community through the development of CSW activities.

Complete the online Technical Assistance Request form and our team will contact you!

Technical Assistance Request

 1801 Grant Cross-Collaboration 

To effectively work throughout the state, ADE works alongside internal state partners and external community partners to provide support.  

1. ADE’s Title IVA Safe and Healthy Students Program aims to provide support to schools and local education agencies (LEAs) so that every student can experience a safe, healthy, and supportive learning environment through a focus on physical and mental health, and safety. 
2. The 1801 grant works in conjunction with Arizona school nurses and health staff in efforts to manage the prevalence of chronic disease in schools. Please visit the School Nursing and Health Staff webpage for more information on supporting health office staff and students managing their own chronic conditions. 
3. ADE holds a collaborative partnership with the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) which provides nutrition and physical activity support through AZ Health Zone.  AZ Health Zone focuses on supporting communities across Arizona to make healthy changes in homes and neighborhoods, both within the school and the home.

 Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model  

This grant focuses its strategies and activities within the context of the WSCC model. The WSCC model has 10 student-centered components: health education; physical education and physical activity; nutrition environment and services; health services; counseling, psychological, and social services; social and emotional climate; physical environment; employee wellness; family engagement; and community involvement. Schools, health agencies, parents, and communities share a common goal of supporting the health and academic achievement of children and adolescents.  Through this model, districts and schools are encouraged to re-think and re-structure the way they approach learning and health by systematically focusing on the whole child. Through this model, there is a holistic emphasis placed on learning and health in the context of the local school and community.  

WSCC Model.png

Examples of real-world application of the WSCC Model incorporated into the school environment:

Integrating Physical Education and Physical Activity Across the WSCC Framework

Integrating Nutrition Across the WSCC Framework

Integrating School Health Services Across the WSCC Framework

Integrating Out of School Time Across the WSCC Framework

 CDC Healthy Schools 

CDC Healthy Schools works with states, school systems, communities, and national partners to prevent chronic disease and promote the health and well-being of children and adolescents in schools. CDC Healthy Schools supports state education agencies (SEAs) in the implementation and evaluation of evidence-based strategies to prevent and manage chronic health conditions prevalent in student populations.

cdc healthy schools.jpg

The CDC Healthy Schools website provides many resources that can be of use to schools across Arizona. 

Local Wellness Policy:  Local School Wellness Policy | Healthy Schools | CDC

School Health Guidelines: School Health Guidelines | Healthy Schools | CDC

School Health Index: School Health Index: A Self-Assessment and Planning Guide (cdc.gov)

School Nutrition: School Nutrition Environment | Healthy Schools | CDC

Video Training: Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs: A Guide for Schools (cdc.gov)

Recess Planning in Schools: Recess Planning in Schools: A Guide to Putting Strategies for Recess into Practice (cdc.gov)

Out of School Time: Out of School Time (cdc.gov)

Chronic Health Conditions: Chronic Health Conditions in School Settings (cdc.gov)

School Health Services: School Health Services | Healthy Schools | CDC

Parents for Healthy Schools:  Parents for Healthy Schools | Healthy Schools | CDC

CDC’s Virtual Healthy School (VHS) is an interactive tool that shows schools how to support the health and academic achievement of students through the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model.

The CDC Virtual School can provide examples within the school environment that allow for students to improve their dietary and physical activity behaviors and manage their chronic health conditions. Click the link below to navigate through a virtual healthy school! 

Virtual Healthy School

 Arizona School Health & Wellness Coalition

AZ SH&W Coalition web pic.jpg

The Arizona School Health and Wellness Coalition (ASHWC) is a collaboration of key school health stakeholders, state and local organizations, community members, parents and individuals whose primary goal is to assist schools in creating healthy school environments and communities. ASHWC serves as an organized platform that provides a voice to those who are passionate about school health. It promotes the multi-disciplinary approach to school health outlined by the WSCC model.

Contact:

Email: [email protected]    

Website: https://www.azschoolhealth.com/

Contact the AZ School Health and Wellness Coalition

 Funding Opportunities 

The WSCC Federal Funding Guide intends to bring awareness to the funding opportunities for implementation of WSCC activities and to open the door for further exploration using federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) funds and Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds. 

• Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Federal Funding Guide | Arizona Department of Education (azed.gov)

 School Spotlight 

The Comprehensive School Wellness (CSW) Program wants to highlight the amazing work that happens each day around our schools in Arizona. Positive school health environments include those incorporating implementation of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model into their health initiatives. We encourage you to nominate Arizona schools through the School Spotlight Nomination, As we continue through the year, the CSW Program is excited to share all of the dedication that goes into the work of our schools each day.

See what schools across Arizona are doing and gain inspiration for your own school health initiatives through a School Spotlight!

School Spotlight Form

April 12th, 2023: The Language of Health: Trauma-Informed Approaches to Messaging Part 2

The Comprehensive School Wellness Program, in collaboration with AZ Health Zone, is excited to host the four-part webinar series on Trauma-Informed Approaches. On April 12th, 2023, from 3:30 PM to 5:00 MST, join us for part four: The Language of Health: Trauma-Informed Approaches to Messaging Part 2. This session will be the second part of the Language of Health writing workshop. Participants will continue practicing skills using tips found in the remaining sections of the style guide including: physical activity and fitness, weight and body size, and disordered eating and diet culture. There will also be time for questions and discussion regarding the trauma informed approaches series as a whole, as this session completes the four part series.

Register Here!

Webinar Series Flyer

 Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Model Webinar

The Arizona Department of Education Comprehensive School Wellness Program hosted the University of Connecticut Collaboratory on School and Child Health for a discussion on the CDC's Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model. 

The WSCC model advocates for integration of child learning, health, and well-being efforts within schools and communities. In this presentation, we provided an overview of the WSCC model and its potential to support positive childhood development. We offered educators resources on how to implement this model because although the model advocates for integration across domains of child development, school efforts are often conducted in silos. Finally, shared a number of materials aimed to build educators’ knowledge of the WSCC model and to explore coordinated implementation of the WSCC model in their setting.

The webinar recording and slides can be viewed below. 

Webinar Recording

Webinar Slides

Webinar Recording Passcode:  F2X*Q?7y

Youth Substance Use in Arizona: Current Trends and Prevention Practices to Mitigate Risk

The ADE Comprehensive School Wellness Program hosted free virtual discussion on Youth Substance Use In Arizona on October 24, 2022 from 3:00-4:30 PM MST. 

Topic: Youth Substance Use in Arizona: Current Trends and Prevention Practices to Mitigate Risk

Objectives of the Webinar:

1. Learn more about substance use trends among Arizona youth.
2. Explain common risk factors for substance use and know what to look for when someone needs help.
3. Gain resources to help keep youth safe and/or obtain treatment when they need it. 
4. Gain resources on prevention practices that effectively mitigate risks associated with youth substance use.

Target Audience: K-12 school nurses and mental health professionals. Anyone interested in learning more about youth substance use is welcome!

Please see below for the webinar recording and slides. 

Webinar Recording

Webinar Slides

Webinar Recording Passcode:  GN#%?5qp

 School Health Resources Information Series 

Welcome to the Comprehensive School Wellness Program's three-part information series on school health resources that support improving and enhancing your school health environment. During each of these videos, you will have the opportunity to learn about forming a school health advisory council (SHAC), completing the school health index (SHI), and planning for improvement.

Building and Maintaining A School Health Advisory Council (SHAC)

In this video, we will discuss the involvement of the school health advisory council, or SHAC, and how they can best be sustained to further school health initiatives and enhance the school health environment.

Completing the School Health Index (SHI)

In this video, we will discuss completing the school health index, or SHI, and how the SHI can be used to facilitate a team-driven approach to assessing and improving school health policies and practices.

Planning for Improvement

In this video, you will learn about an improvement plan and how it allows your school to review recommendations, monitor progress, and identify low-cost to no-cost changes that enhance the school's health environment. 

 Trauma Informed Approaches Webinar Series 

Throughout the year, the Comprehensive School Wellness Program, in collaboration with AZ Health Zone, hosted a four-part webinar series on Trauma-Informed Approaches. Please see below to access each recorded session. 

Session 1: Nourishing the Whole Child: Trauma Informed Approaches to Nutrition and Health Promotion and Engagement

Session 2: Trauma Informed Approaches to Nutrition and Health Promotion and Engagement

Passcode: c=9bGm-#

Session 3: The Language of Health: Trauma Informed Approaches to Messaging Part 1

 Passcode: T%pFvD2%

Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs Webinar

On December 7th, from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM, the Arizona Department of Education invited teachers, health educators, and school administrators to a free discussion on the Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP). During this, we talked about CSPAP, which is a multi-component approach by which school districts and schools use all opportunities for students to be physically active, meet the nationally-recommended 60 minutes of physical activity each day, and develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to be physically active for a lifetime. A CSPAP reflects strong coordination and synergy across all of the components: physical education as the foundation; physical activity before, during, and after school; staff involvement; and family and community engagement. This session will provide an overview of the CSPAP, including implementation strategies that include social-emotional learning and possible funding sources.

Please see below to access the recording. 

Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs Webinar Recording

Passcode: K^zJWB5j

Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs Webinar Slides

 Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model: From Framework to Practical Application 

On January 24th, 2023, RMC Health hosted a free discussion on the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model: From Framework to Practical Application. In this professional development opportunity, participants worked collaboratively in small groups to address the issues of Food and Nutrition, Physical Education & Physical Activity, Policy, and Mental & Behavioral Health through practical application of the WSCC framework. This discussion showed how the WSCC model can support school communities to best promote health and wellness.

To learn more, please access the recording below. 

The WSCC Model: From Framework to Practical Application Recording

Passcode: #NMQ@0ww

 A Holistic Approach to Family-School Partnerships 

On March 9^th, 2023 from 3:30 to 4:45 PM, the Arizona Department of Education hosted a free disc