Coordinated School Health program at Middle/High School

Coordinated School Health Program
Names
Institution Affiliation
Coordinated school health program in the United States was established to promote a healthy and safe learning environment for academic success of the children. The program does not control the schools but offers health administration, support and advice to the learning institutions. It is composed of stakeholders from the school teaching staff, school nurses, district wellness committee members and the community who work together to promote a conducive and healthy learning environment for the students.
Components of coordinated school program
For coordinated school program to be effected, eight crucial key components are considered. These include health education, physical activity, health services, nutrition services, health school environment, staff health promotion, community involvement, and counseling, psychological and social services. The school curricula should be designed to tackle the physical, emotional, mental and social aspects of health. It should therefore educate the students on health promotion, disease prevention and avoidance of high risk behaviors (Westrich, Sanchez, &Strobel, 2015).
Furthermore, physical education teaches students on the need for maintaining physical body fitness through physical exercises. The students should participate in games and sports to avoid inactivity-related health conditions such as obesity. Moreover, District Wellness Policy requires teachers to be trained and provided with the necessary gaming equipment to ensure proper implementation of the program (Westrich, Sanchez, &Strobel, 2015).
Provision of health services in the middle schools is another component of the program that ensures students access primary health care services and referrals. The healthcare providers in schools provide services such as vaccination and regular medical check-ups to prevent transmission of communicable diseases (Westrich, Sanchez, &Strobel, 2015).
In addition, schools should develop nutrition programs that address the dietary needs of the children. The United States dietary guidelines require schools to adhere to the food and beverage standards. All the school meals should be prepared by a trained professional who meet the public health requirements and understand the set dietary standards (Westrich, Sanchez, &Strobel, 2015).
The counseling, psychological and social services provided by the professional health care providers in the school also promote student health. The certified counselors and psychologists assess, treat and refer students (Westrich, Sanche...