NORTH CAROLINA HEALTHY SCHOOLS

SECTION CHIEF ::David Gardner, NC Department of Public Instruction

SENIOR ADVISOR ::Rebecca Reeve, NC Department of Health and Human Services/
 Division of Public Health

DIVISION MISSION :: The goal of North Carolina Healthy Schools is to create a working infrastructure between education and health to enable schools and communities to create a Coordinated School Health Program. A model school health program includes all eight components:

• Comprehensive School Health Education
• School Health Services
• A Safe Physical Environment
• School Counseling, Psychological and Social Services
• Physical Education
• Nutrition Services
• School-Site Health Promotion for Staff
• Family and Community Involvement in Schools

NC Healthy Schools focuses on improving the health of students and staff by providing coordination and resources in eight component areas of school health. With all of these components in place and working together, students will be healthier in school, in class, and ready to learn. In healthy schools, children are more alert, more focused on learning, and miss less school. They not only learn better, but also learn lifelong healthy behaviors to prevent the leading causes of death in North Carolina: heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Healthier schools lead to healthier students which lead to healthier communities. It just makes sense.