Falcon School District 49 received a grant from RMC Health to expand its school health model to 17 district schools, excluding charter schools, said Rachel Duerr, the newly hired district health and wellness coordinator.The $175,000 grant, ìHealthy Schools, Successful Students,î is an expansion of an existing program model promoted by The Center for Disease Control and Prevention that has been on-going in five district schools for the last four years, Duerr said.ìThe model focuses on counseling, nutrition services, health services, health education, physical education, safe school environments, community involvement, staff health promotion and psychological and social services,î she said.Two leaders from each school manage a team of eight to 10 staff members – all volunteer their time to the program, Duerr saidìThis year, we are focusing on nutrition, physical education and activity and staff wellness,î Deurr said. The teams individually create their own health and wellness plan based on what the school needs, she said. There will be a complete assessment of each of the plans and the teams will meet to discuss what is working and what isnít, Duerr said.Duerr said there are four primary goals of the school health model: increase health knowledge, attitudes and skills; increase positive health behaviors and health outcomes; improve education outcomes since students who are healthy are more likely to learn than those who are unhealthy; and improve social outcomes, as school health programs can help students contribute in a positive way to their families, schools and communities.ìOne thing schools are focusing on right now is the importance of breakfast,î Duerr said. At breakfast once a month, the schools dress up their cafeterias to look like a picnic to entice students to have breakfast, she said.ìFalcon Middle School has also kicked off a walking program for both students and parents before school and after school to encourage more physical activity,î she said. ìOur primary mission as a school district is to educate our students, and we canít do that if our students and staff arenít healthy.îSince the grant only funds the program for one year, Duerr said the district and the schools are researching avenues for additional funding to keep the program going.
