The Whole Child Initiative: Healthy

These indicators may serve as a needs assessment, a set of strategic goals and outcomes, a framework for decision making, or the definition of what a whole child approach to education truly requires. In fact, these indicators are among those we consider in the selection process for Vision in Action: The ASCD Whole Child Award. However you choose to use them, please share them widely among your stakeholders and involve many voices in soliciting evidence related to their implementation. Although these are largely school-based, a whole child approach to education requires the engagement of the entire community to ensure that each child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged.

Each student enters school healthy and learns about and practices a healthy lifestyle.

1. Our school culture supports and reinforces the health and well-being of each student.

2. Our school health education curriculum and instruction support and reinforce the health and well-being of each student by addressing the physical, mental, emotional, and social dimensions of health.

3. Our school physical education schedule, curriculum, and instruction support and reinforce the health and well-being of each student by addressing lifetime fitness knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and skills.

4. Our school facility and environment support and reinforce the health and well-being of each student and staff member.

5. Our school addresses the health and well-being of each staff member.

6. Our school collaborates with parents and the local community to promote the health and well-being of each student.

7. Our school integrates health and well-being into the school’s ongoing activities, professional development, curriculum, and assessment practices.

8. Our school sets realistic goals for student and staff health that are built on accurate data and sound science.

9. Our school facilitates student and staff access to health, mental health, and dental services.

10. Our school supports, promotes, and reinforces healthy eating patterns and food safety in routine food services and special programming and events for students and staff.

Change the conversation about education in your school and community. Download the set of healthy indicators (PDF). Explore free, in-depth resources to help you move from a vision for educating the whole child to action that results in successful, well-rounded young people.