Childhood Obesity
Engaging School Leaders: Partnering for Healthier Communities
This AASA initiative focused on local school districts taking an active role in improving the health of their schools and community through partnerships and collaboration.
Project Details
This project on childhood obesity:
- Brought school leaders together with local governments to brainstorm challenges, opportunities and strategies to creating healthier communities through the Healthy Communities Network;
- Collaborated with the National Alliance of Black School Educators and the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents to determine how to address childhood obesity within African-American and Latino communities;
- Funded AASA state affiliates to address this issue in their states; and
- Provided technical assistance to six teams of city, school district and community stakeholders to develop and implement local wellness policies within their communities.
What's New?
Summer 2010 Healthy Learning News -- Follow the Leader: Superintendents' Thinking and Actions on Physical Activity. The following School Districts are implementing innovative programs, policies that are creating healthier school environments for students and staff: The School District of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, Pa), Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools (Williamsburg, Va) and Fayette County Public Schools (Lexington, Ky).
Spring 2010 Healthy Learning News. Featuring Beaufort County School District (Beaufort, S.C.), Jasper County School District (Jasper, S.C.), and Jackson-Madison County School System (Jackson, Tenn.)
The CDC recently released a strategy document, School-Based Obesity Prevention Strategies for State Policymakers, designed to inform and engage state boards of education among others on how they can help address childhood obesity. (PDF)
Watch a free webcast featuring Howell Wechsler of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Adolescent and School Health on "Healthier Students Are Better Learners: A Missing Link in Efforts to Close the Achievement Gap." Or, read the article (PDF) about the research.
Take the Healthier US Schools Challenge from the USDA and get recognized for your schools' excellence in nutrition and physical activity. Let AASA know if you want technical assistance when applying for the distinction.
Read AASA's press release about the First Lady's initiative, Let's Move.
Contact us:
children@aasa.org