FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 10, 2022
ARLINGTON, VA—ASCD and its members celebrated the introduction of a House resolution expressing support for a whole child approach to education. H. Res. 1162 was introduced on Thursday, June 9 by Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA).
ASCD Interim CEO Sandy Husk said: "We are grateful to Rep. Bonamici and Rep. Fitzpatrick for their leadership in elevating these important conversations about educating the whole child. We know that children thrive most when schools, families, and community-serving agencies come together to ensure continuity of resources both in and outside of school time."
The whole child approach emphasizes meeting the comprehensive needs of students to help them succeed through access to a continuum of resources that address issues like food insecurity, physical safety, health, and wellness in addition to academic and social emotional supports.
"Students thrive when they have a well-rounded education that includes arts education, physical activity, mental health support, and more," said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. "Providing a truly comprehensive education engages students who might struggle otherwise and puts them on a path to long-term success in their personal and professional lives regardless of what path they take. I'm grateful to the village of educators and school support staff who are dedicated to providing children with a quality education, and I will continue doing all I can to support them."
"Our children are our future, and they deserve a well-rounded education that prioritizes not only reading, writing, and mathematics, but also their physical health, mental well-being, and critical thinking skills," said Rep. Fitzpatrick. "The necessity of educating the whole child, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, has never been more critical. We must holistically challenge and support our students in their learning environments. I look forward to continuing to pursue bipartisan initiatives that will live up to the goals set by this resolution and ensuring that our children are able to thrive in all aspects of their lives."
The resolution calls on federal agencies to coordinate education, health, and social services supporting youth. ASCD leaders believe the resolution will call greater attention to the holistic needs of school children and will encourage policymakers, businesses, and communities to join educators and school systems in aligning resources and programs to best serve students.
Husk said: "Each student brings the totality of their life experiences to school on a daily basis. Educators work to provide a supportive and personalized learning environment so that each student will succeed. The whole child approach supports these efforts by providing a clear commitment and multi-pronged strategy for brighter, healthier futures for every child."
About ASCD
ASCD is where educators come to learn about new instructional strategies, grow as individuals and thrive as professionals. We are the preeminent global leader of professional learning resources for all classroom teachers, instructional leaders, principals, and superintendents.
For over 80 years, educators and instructional leaders have used ASCD’s educator-generated, evidence-based resources, digital tools, and solutions to build teaching and learning environments to elevate education and boost student achievement. Learn more at www.ascd.org.
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