Missouri Healthy Schools - School-Based Interventions to Promote Equity and Improve Health, Academic Achievement, and Well-Being of Students - === PROJECT ABSTRACT: MISSOURI HEALTHY SCHOOLS === Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) proposes the next phase of the successful Missouri Healthy Schools (MHS) program to improve student health and academic achievement through nutrition, physical activity and management of chronic conditions. Over the past five years, the long-standing partnership between DESE and the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has been strengthened by MHS and its partnerships across the state. Innovation in intervention implementation, evaluation, and communications have positioned MHS to expand programming that supports health improvement at more school districts. Missouri citizens of all ages are suffering from increasing levels of obesity and chronic diseases at an alarming rate. The most recent Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) revealed 17 percent of Missouri high school students were obese, only 48 percent of Missouri high schoolers met daily physical activity recommendations (≥ 60 minutes daily on five or more days), and a sizeable percentage of students reported not eating a fruit or vegetable in the past week (16 percent fruit, 10 percent vegetable). Furthermore, 74 percent of students reported that their mental health was not good at least once during the past 30 days. Guided by a mission to reduce health disparities and improve health equity, MHS bolsters health promotion infrastructure, knowledge, and behaviors in schools by providing targeted training to school professionals; promoting and implementing school-wide policies that reduce access to unhealthy foods; encouraging increased physical activity; and providing targeted health education for the management of chronic health conditions. MHS benefits from a well established leadership team with a track record of successful collaboration and effective digital communications. The Missouri Coordinated School Health Coalition serves as MHS’s primary channel for developing partners and engaging school districts in professional development and technical assistance. The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model will serve as the framework for all proposed activities. Activities in Strategy 1 will begin in Year 1 with the partnership of the Coalition, statewide partners, a well-qualified training cadre, and a newly formed Peer Leadership Council comprised of high-performing LEAs to share best practices, promote success stories, and provide TA. The first seven members of the Peer Leadership Council were the LEAs supported by DP18-1801 who benefited from steady support from MHS. Activities in Strategy 2 will also begin in Year 1 within one Priority Local Education Agency (Pattonville R-III School District of North St. Louis County), selected for its high chronic disease prevalence, health disparities, diverse student population, and negative factors that influence health behaviors and high rates of students at-risk for poor academic performance. CDC’s investment in Missouri will allow MHS to advance its mission of providing Missouri students with lifelong advantages built upon early, positive health behaviors that improve conditions for academic achievement. The program evaluation and performance measurement plan will enable continuous assessment and feedback on program implementation and outcomes, allowing for adjustment to activities and improved professional development, training, and technical assistance that maximize the impact and reach of the program.
