Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Healthy Learning

Elk Grove Unified takes a comprehensive approach to overall health recognizing that healthy bodies and healthy minds contribute to increased academic performance, improved attendance and positive behavior for healthy learning. In recognizing the link between student health and learning, the district promotes healthy eating and physical activity, as well as opportunities for students to further develop their social, emotional and psychological well-being. To assist in developing, implementing, monitoring, reviewing, and, as necessary, revising school nutrition, physical activity and social, emotional and psychological well-being policies the Wellness Collaborative was formed.

The Wellness Collaborative consists of a group of individuals representing the school and community, and includes district administrators, health professionals, school nurses, health educators, physical education teachers, counselors, and/or others interested in school health issues. The following eight components contribute to the health and well-being of students and comprise the areas of responsibility for the Wellness Collaborative.

Health Education: A planned, sequential K-12 curriculum that addresses the physical, mental, emotional, and social dimensions of health. The curriculum is designed to motivate and assist students to maintain and improve their health, prevent disease, and reduce health-related risk behaviors.
Physical Education: A planned, sequential K-12 curriculum that provides cognitive content and learning experiences in a variety of activity areas such as basic movement skills; physical fitness; rhythms and dance; games; team, dual, and individual sports; and gymnastics.
Health Services: Services provided to students to appraise, protect, and promote health. These services are designed to ensure access or referral to primary health care services or both, foster appropriate use of primary health care services, prevent and control communicable disease and other health problems, provide emergency care for illness or injury, promote and provide optimum sanitary conditions for safe school facility and environment, and provide educational and counseling opportunities for promoting and maintaining individual, family, and community health.
Nutrition Services: Access to a variety of nutritious and appealing meals that accommodate the health and nutrition of all students.
Mental Health and Social services: Services provided to improve students’ mental, emotional, and social health. These services include individual and group assessments, interventions, and referrals.
Healthy and Safe School Environment: The physical and aesthetic surroundings and the psychosocial climate and culture of the school. Factors that influence the physical environment include the school building and the area surrounding it, any biological or chemical agents that are detrimental to health, and physical conditions such as temperature, noise, and lighting. The psychological environment includes the physical, emotional, and social conditions that affect the well-being of students and staff.
Health Promotion for Staff: Opportunities for school staff to improve their health status through activities such as health assessments, health education, and health-related activities.
Family and Community Involvement: An integrated school, parent, and community approach for enhancing the health and well-being of students. Schools actively solicit parent involvement and engage community resources and services to respond more effectively to the health-related needs of students.

If you are Interested in attending a Wellness Collaborative Meeting, please email Michelle Drake - Director, Food and Nutrition Services