News
News from the School Health Coordinator
By Connye Rowland, School Health Coordinator
Sep 25, 2007 - 9:13:43 AM

TENNESSEE COORDINATED SCHOOL HEALTH

     Coordinated School Health (CSH) is an effective system designed to connect health (physical, emotional and social) with education. This coordinated approach improves students' health and their capacity to learn through the support of families, communities and schools working together. The CSH approach consists of eight major components. .  Although these components are listed separately, it is their composite that allows CSH to have significant impact. The eight components include: health education, physical education/physical activity, health services, nutrition services, health promotion for staff, counseling and psychological services, healthy school environment and student/parent/community involvement.

Based on the past five year’s success of the ten Coordinated School Health pilots sites, the CSH initiative has been expanded to provide all Tennessee students with the opportunity to develop life skills that promote their health as well as increase their academic achievements.   Meigs County now has a full time school health coordinator, Connye Rowland.   She is a former Physical Education Teacher at Meigs North Elementary.   Mrs. Rowland has coached and taught in the Meigs County System for 18 years.

CSH initiatives provide school administrators and teachers with the support they need to educate students to their fullest potential. We know that a healthy student is a student capable of taking the best advantage of academic opportunities.

With approximately 43 percent of all Tennessee children being at risk for overweight or overweight, a new school emphasis on improving student health status through implementation of the CSH approach, is essential to stem the development of chronic diseases such as diabetes, strokes and heart disease.

The programs that we have started for the 2007-2008 school year include:  

• Staff walking program for all employees of the school system.
• Walking works for schools program for all K-5 students.
• Walking program for high school students.
• Drug Prevention programs for K-12
• Prom Promise activities.

During the next few years you will see more programs for students that deal with the eight components of Coordinated School Health.

Connye Rowland can be contacted at 334-4467, or connyerowland@meigscounty.net