School Health Council, Committee, Liaisons
School Health Coordinating Council
Vermont needs a coordinated response to issues of school health.
Schools are faced with a number of challenges in maintaining the health and well being of its students and staff. For each challenge there are dozens of options to consider. No school can consider, much less implement, all of the possibilities in a systematic way.
Currently, individuals and organizations with a specific interest will promote one or more strategies to improve conditions of school health. The number of these proposals can be daunting and addressing them all can reduce the effectiveness of schools to deliver their primary purpose: education of our children.
The School Health Coordinating Council includes representatives from the Vermont Department of Health and VT Department of Education and the Directors of the Vermont Principals Association, the Vermont Superintendents Association and the Vermont School Board Association; organizations that communicate regularly with the individual schools. Members of the Council represent a range of experiences and yet each is also deeply committed to school health.
The School Health Coordinating Council, through a collaborative decision-making process empowered by the Commissioners of Education and Health, is responsible for assessing school health initiatives and informing the determination of priorities based upon available information, resources and capacities.
Each decision of the Council reflects a thorough analysis of the issues and a common agreement on both the value of specific actions to affect school health and the practical nature of implementation.
School Health Action Committee
A School Health Action Committee and a school health coordinator bolster the implementation of the nine school health components, and are vital to this model. The role of the School Health Action Committee is to identify, prioritize, plan for and implement action steps toward coordinating school health education, programs and services. The school health coordinator is committed to motivating, facilitating and coordinating group planning with regular meeting times.
The committee’s responsibilities may include but are not limited to:
- assessing the health concerns of students
- program planning and implementation
- fiscal planning
- evaluating existing and new programs and services
- ensuring accountability and quality control
- establishing and enhancing linkages with parents, families, community, local and state agencies
The committee’s membership includes representation from all of the nine component areas and represent a diverse cross-section of the school community. Representation for the committee may include the school nurse and other school staff, community health professionals, clergy, local business owners, parents, students, and community agencies working with youth, law enforcement, and others interested in the well being and success of their young people.
School Nurse Liaison
School Nurse Liaisons are located in each of the department’s twelve district offices to provide information, consultation, technical assistance, training and coordination of programs and services to schools, parents and the community at large regarding school health programs and services. Please direct inquiries to the School liaison in your area.