Healthy School Communities helps schools and communities work together to create safe, supportive, and healthy school environments where all students can meet challenging academic standards.
Explore topic resources that include instructional materials, general school and community public health information, and guidelines for school health programs.
American Council for Drug Education (ACDE) is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to the elimination of drug abuse through the shaping of societal and individual attitudes and the reinforcement or development of appropriate behaviors. ACDE provides print and audiovisual materials upon request and responds to specific questions about drugs, drug prevention programming, and intervention by telephone or mail. For more information, contact executive director William F. Current.
The National Association for Children of Alcoholics (NACoA) provides information about the effects of addiction on the children of parents who are addicted to alcohol or other substances. NACoA offers a kit for teachers and school counselors to help children cope with these effects. The site also includes helpful articles.
The National Institutes of Health middle school curriculum supplement, Understanding Alcohol: Investigations into Biology and Behavior, helps educators teach students about the science underlying the effects of alcohol on human biology and behavior.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration site focuses on research-to-practice, information for parents, and provides access to Prevention Online (PREVLINE), which includes the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information.
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The American Lung Association offers information on asthma, including Asthma Alert for Teachers, which lists common signs and symptoms, as well as more serious symptoms and first aid tips for assisting students who are having an asthma attack.
The National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute offers documents geared toward schools, including
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services houses the Take a Stand. Lend a Hand. Stop Bullying Now! Campaign. The Web site offers resources for elementary and middle school students including "Webisodes" that illustrate bullying and its effects. The resource kit includes information on what some states (PDF, 386KB) are doing about bullying.
The Committee for Children offers a variety of programs on bullying and school violence. Its multifaceted bullying prevention program for elementary schools is designed to create safe, caring, and respectful classrooms. The violence prevention curriculum, designed for preschool through 9th grade, teaches social and emotional skills for violence prevention.
In The Know Zone serves as a resource for youth on a variety of social issues. Its bullying page offers in-depth information about the myths and realities of bullying and why it occurs, and an interactive knowledge quiz that helps build student awareness.
The Surgeon General's report on Youth Violence, published in 2001, reviews evaluated approaches to school-based programs and includes strategies that work and those that don't. The report qualifies its findings by stating that because youth violence prevention is a relatively young field with limited evaluation data, the absence of a particular strategy or program from the report does not imply that it is ineffective.
The Anti-Bullying Network, sponsored by Moray House Institute of Education in Scotland, contains advice and information for students, parents and families, and educators about bullying in schools, as well as fact sheets on a variety of topics, including homophobic bullying.
Bullying.org aims to increase awareness of the issue of bullying and help build capacity for nonviolent solutions. The site contains resources, information on support services, and a place for sharing stories.
The No Name-Calling Week Coalition aims to create safer schools by making bullying, harassment, and name-calling unacceptable through public education campaigns that motivate youth to change their behavior and mobilize students and educators to take school-based action around the problem of name-calling and verbal harassment.
Bang, Bang, You're Dead, a drama for and about students written by award-winning playwright William Mastrosimone, can be downloaded from the play's Web site and performed for free. The 40-minute play uses elements of school shootings as a jumping-off point for Mastrosimone's cautionary tale about school violence. A discussion guide for the play is available from the Ribbon of Promise campaign, which was organized after the May 1998 shootings at Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon.
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The Association of Schools of Public Health provides information about public health and public health careers, and includes links to higher education programs that offer public health degrees and continuing education.
The American Public Health Association (APHA) provides information about job opportunities, public health careers, and the role of public health. APHA's caucuses and special interest groups focus on information specific to subspecialties and interests within the public health field.
The Society for Public Health Education offers professional development and support for public health educators. The Web site includes a guidebook for planning and conducting community campaigns about public health issues.
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The Surgeon General's report on oral health provides a public health perspective on an under-recognized national health issue and includes recommendations for action.
The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) provides links to NIDCR programs and to research and information on dental, oral, and craniofacial genetic disorders and diseases.
The American Dental Association Web site includes a dentistry quiz and information about oral health topics including access to dental care, gum disease, and oral cancer. Information on the use of mouthpieces in athletics is also available on the site.
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The Initiative to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health contains information about the initiative, as well as news updates on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' efforts to expand health care access. The site includes report findings regarding racial and ethnic disparities in health and also lists the six goals of the initiative: to eliminate disparities in
Healthy People 2010 and the Surgeon General's reports also contain information about health disparities and access to care.
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The SunWise Program, provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, contains environmental and health education materials that teach students how to protect themselves from overexposure to the sun. The site includes free classroom materials such as a tool kit that contains classroom lessons and background information for K–8; access to an interactive Web site; and a video designed for teachers, school nurses, parents, and administrators.
The National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities provides information for those concerned with how school buildings and grounds can help ensure the physical security of school occupants during natural disasters, accidents, and criminal acts and other threats created by people. This information is coordinated with the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools of the U.S. Department of Education.
The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health offers lesson plans and activities for middle school students, teachers, and parents.
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Web site includes support for K–12 teachers, including curriculum materials and grant information. The site contains links to the
The National Center for Environmental Health provides a description of the agency's work and information on a variety of environmental health topics including
asthma
cruise ship inspection
refugee health
laboratory programs
The site also includes activities for children and links to pages for children.
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The National Eye Institute Web site contains information for educators including research and a list of publications. The site also includes lesson plans for VISION—a science program for grades 4–8.
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The Gateway to Government Food Safety Information, sponsored by the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, provides
Links to news stories and food safety alerts.
Information on food-borne diseases.
Links to information for educators and students.
Information on national food safety programs.
Fight BAC!, the Partnership for Food Safety Education Web site, provides
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The National Human Genome Research Institute, (NHGRI) one of the National Institutes of Health, offers information about the NHGRI and the Human Genome Project on its Web site. The site also includes
The site also has a section devoted to Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) Research Program, which explores the ethical, social, and legal implications of genetics research.
The National Institutes of Health Office of Science Education offers free curriculum supplements and instructional materials for K-12 teachers. The site includes information on current science and health issues, including
genetic mapping
stem cell research
AIDS vaccine development
global health concerns
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Decision: Donation—A School Program That Gives the Gift of Life is a national initiative aimed at high school students to increase organ, tissue, marrow, and blood donation. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has developed program materials that can be integrated into multiple curriculum areas.
The Child Trends DataBank offers the latest national trends and research on more than 80 key indicators of child and youth well-being. The site is regularly updated and includes comprehensive resources, such as What Works: Programs and Interventions That May Influence Outcomes for Youth and Young Children.
HealthTeacher offers K–12 health education lesson guides for a comprehensive health education curriculum that conforms to National Health Education Standards. There are some free printable materials for teachers and students. Lesson plans on a range of health education topics are available for a fee.
The PBS TeacherSource: Health and Fitness includes articles and activities for preK–12 teachers on a variety of topics.
Sandrine's Gift of Life is a free, four-module program that emphasizes good health practices and introduces students to organ and tissue transplantation and donation. Its resources can be integrated into normal classroom activities across a variety of subject areas.
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The National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities provides information for those concerned with how school buildings and grounds can help ensure the physical security of school occupants during natural disasters, accidents, and criminal acts and other threats created by people. This information is coordinated with the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools of the U.S. Department of Education.
The American Academy of Pediatrics provides a policy statement and makes recommendations on planning for school medical emergencies.
The Council of Chief State School Officers School Health Project Web site contains information about the School Health Project, information about the School Health Starter Kit, and links to State Education Agency Programs and other school health sites.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Adolescent and School Health (CDC-DASH) provides information on national school health strategies, risk behaviors, and other health topics such as nutrition, alcohol and drug use, and sexual behaviors. This Web site has links to HIV prevention and tobacco use prevention curricula that are part of the Programs That Work program, through which CDC-DASH identifies effective school health curricula.
The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools' Caring for Kids initiative offers two brochures that highlight dental and mental health services offered through school-based health centers.
The National School Boards Association Web site offers resources on HIV/AIDS, coordinated school health programs, and other school health topics. The site includes resources for policymakers.
The National Association of State Boards of Education Healthy Schools Web site provides a policy database, research, and resource links.
The American School Health Association is a multidisciplinary organization of professionals concerned with the health of school-age children. This Web site contains information about the association and publications for professionals working in the field of school health.
The Making Health Academic Web site offers assistance and links for those involved in school health initiatives and provides information for those exploring the connections between health and learning.
Health and Health Care in Schools offers an electronic newsletter that includes synopses of policy issues that have an effect on student health. Publications available on this Web site include resources for school-based health clinics.
The National Coordinating Committee on School Health and Safety Web site offers links to resources that can help schools deal with a variety of school health related issues.
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Teachers' Tools, located on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Infectious Diseases Web site, offers K–12 teachers a variety of programs and resources for teaching about infectious diseases. This site includes
curricula
instructional materials
references
resources for students
Excellence in Curriculum Integration through Teaching Epidemiology (EXCITE), on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site, features resources for middle and high school teachers. This site includes links to Web sites related to science, statistics, and health and to articles on epidemiology and community health problems. It also includes a bibliography of resources and tools for teaching the basic principles and practices of epidemiology, including
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The National Mental Health Association: Children and Families offers a variety of information regarding mental health among children and adolescents, including a list of programs that meet the association's criteria for effectiveness in promoting mental wellness.
The American School Counselor Association Web site includes
Extensive resources for parents.
Links to K–12 counseling centers.
Links to safe schools resources.
The Center for School Mental Health Analysis and Action offers technical assistance to school-based mental health programs. Information available at the Center's Web site includes documents that can help schools develop and evaluate school-based mental health programs.
The UCLA School Mental Health Project (SMHP) addresses barriers to learning and promotes healthy development. It operates the Center for Mental Health in Schools, one of two national centers funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The SMHP offers a quarterly newsletter and a wide range of resources that schools can access as they plan and implement mental health services and programs.
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The FUEL video series, developed by the Comprehensive Health Education Foundation, helps youth ages 10–18 explore the issue of obesity through four videos:
Making It Happen! School Nutrition Success Stories offers evidence on how 32 schools and districts implemented innovative nutrition approaches that improved the quality of foods and beverages offered outside of school meals.
Making It Happen! is a joint project of Team Nutrition of the Food and Nutrition Service, United States Department of Agriculture; the Division of Adolescent and School Health of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services; and is supported by the United States Department of Education.
The National Conference of State Legislatures Web site offers tracking of state legislative activity on vending machines. Some states have
Introduced and enacted legislation to replace existing food and drinks of minimal nutritional value with healthier options
Introduced and enacted legislation to restrict student access to vending machines
The PE Central Web site provides up-to-date information and developmentally appropriate physical education programs for K–12 students. The site contains resources for physical educators, classroom teachers, students, and parents including
Methods for sharing and recognizing innovative programs
Health, physical education, and integrated lessons
Assessments
The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: Nutrition and Physical Activity Web site contains
Links to public health programs that pertain to physical activity and nutrition.
Information and recommendations for public health educators and the general public.
Software tools and training on nutrition and physical activity.
Action for Healthy Kids works to create health-promoting schools that support sound nutrition and physical activity as part of a total learning environment. This Web site includes
Information on more than 150 books, pamphlets, toolkits, CD-ROMs and Web sites that help you take action for children's nutrition and physical activity.
Tools for action, including a searchable database of success stories.
Reports from state teams on actions to improve the physical activity and nutrition status of students.
The VERB campaign encourages tweens—young people ages 9–13—to be physically active every day. This Web site includes resources and information that will help parents and educators make regular physical activity "cool" for tweens and a fun thing to do. The Web site contains
Campaign materials, pamphlets, brochures, articles, posters, and stickers to be downloaded.
Research reports and other campaign resources, including tips and successful community efforts.
A calendar of upcoming physical activity and VERB campaign events.
The VERB newsletter.
Communications in the VERB Press Room written for a variety of audiences.
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The Foundation Center, a comprehensive resource for grant-seekers, offers an online proposal writing course on its Web site. This site also includes information about searching for grant funds, a user's guide to grant writing resources and research, and information about trends in philanthropic giving.
The Healthy Youth Funding Database provides information about funding opportunities for school health programs. The database is organized by the school health component and can be searched by keyword. The site includes federal, foundation, and state funding sources.
The National Conference of State Legislatures has gathered information from states on the funding sources for school health programs. This site includes information about the coordinated school health model and block grant and state revenue survey data.
The SchoolGrants Web site contains information about K-12 school grant opportunities. This site includes
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The American Public Health Association Web site offers links to the association's positions and statements on public policy, its publications, and to state public health associations.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has developed guidelines and suggestions for school officials regarding students exposed to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Adolescent and School Health serves as the national focus for developing and applying disease prevention and control as it relates to the health of young people.
Although the 2002-03 flu season was mild, many children experienced severe influenza-related illnesses, and even death, according to a CDC report in the September 5, 2003 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is an international public health agency that works to improve health and living standards of the countries of the Americas. It serves as the specialized organization for health of the Inter-American System and as the Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization. The PAHO Web site includes policy documents and health promotion plans and materials.
World Health News (WHN) is an online news digest from the Center for Health Communication at the Harvard School of Public Health. WHN offers a combination of original reporting and a digest of news stories and commentaries from newspapers and magazines worldwide on pressing issues in public health.
The World Health Organization (WHO), an organization of the United Nations, provides information about public health issues and documents about health-promoting schools on its Web site. WHO's definition of health and strategies for promoting health in communities are also available on this site.
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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently released a new publication called the Primer to Design Safe School Projects in Case of Terrorist Attacks (FEMA 428), which is geared toward the design community and school administrators. The publication addresses the basic principles and techniques necessary to create a school that is safe from terrorist attacks. It includes information on how to conduct a threat/risk assessment, prepare site layout and building design, and create school safety plans.
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The School Health Education Clearinghouse provides a self-guided training module entitled Culturally Competent HIV Prevention and Sexuality Education that health and education professionals can use for exploring issues related to young people, HIV prevention, and sexuality education. The module was created as part of a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—Division of Adolescent and School Health.
The Advocates for Youth Web site contains information about the organization as well as links to other resources, fact sheets, and publications. This site also includes lesson plans for educators about topics such as gender roles, diversity, and sexuality and values.
ReCAPP provides practical tools and information to effectively reduce sexual risk-taking behaviors. The site includes up-to-date, evaluated program materials for teachers and health educators.
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The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Tobacco Information and Prevention Source (TIPS) contains
Reports from the Surgeon General.
Research and data on tobacco use and its effects.
Educational materials for teachers, parents, children, youth group leaders, health professionals, and employers.
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The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control contains information on
The Children's Safety Network is a resource for agencies working to reduce injuries. This site includes fact sheets on
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Bang, Bang You're Dead, a drama for and about students written by award-winning playwright William Mastrosimone, can be downloaded from the play's Web site and performed for free. The 40-minute play uses elements of school shootings as a jumping-off point for Mastrosimone's cautionary tale about school violence. A discussion guide for the play is available from the Ribbon of Promise campaign, which was organized after the May 1998 shootings at Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon.
National Alliance for Safe Schools provides information about NASS, which conducts school safety assessments as well as workshops on how to reduce school violence around the country.
Youth Violence: A Report of the Surgeon General identifies effective evidence-based prevention strategies that have met rigorous scientific standards. The report, published in January 2001, examines myths about youth violence, discusses factors that lead young people to gravitate toward violence, and reviews the factors that protect youth from perpetrating violence.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers a sourcebook of the best-known strategies for reducing youth violence. Best Practices of Youth Violence Prevention: A Sourcebook for Community Action reviews the general principles of intervention planning, implementation, and evaluation, and details the four key strategies to preventing youth violence:
- working with parents and families
- home visiting
- social and conflict resolution skills
- mentoring
The Federal Working Group on Youth Violence deals with violence on school property, on the way to or from school, or at school-associated events. Activities also address school violence indirectly by focusing on precursors of violence, factors associated with violence, and mechanisms for preventing violent behavior.
The federal government's primary vehicle for using education and prevention activities to reduce drug, alcohol, and tobacco use and violence in U.S. schools is the Office of Safe and Drug/Free Schools. Publications available on this Web site include Action Guide: Creating Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Preventing Youth Hate Crime. This site also includes information about funding available to state education agencies, governors' offices, and community-based organizations.
The Department of Justice and the Department of Education have issued a guide to help schools and communities prevent school violence. Safeguarding Our Children: An Action Guide emphasizes early intervention and prevention and teamwork among educators, mental health professionals, parents, and students. Parents, educators, and others may find Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools helpful in identifying early signs of troubling and potentially dangerous behavior.
Keep Schools Safe is a joint project of the National Association of Attorneys General and the National School Boards Association (NSBA). This Web site contains a collection of resources including
- effective prevention strategies
- model approaches to school safety
- discipline codes that work
- ways to handle crisis situations
SafeUSA is an alliance of organizations dedicated to eliminating unintentional and violent injury and death in America. The alliance's Web site provides information about specific safety-related topics and links to related sites.
The National Youth Gang Center provides technical assistance for the federal government's Gang-Free Schools and Communities Initiative. The center's Web site offers links to reports, statistics, and resources.
Safetyzone, a national resource center for safe schools operated by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, works with schools, communities, state and local education agencies, and others to create safe learning environments and prevent school violence. This Web site includes the latest research on violence prevention and resources for schools.
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