Administrators and Healthy Champions
Monthly Survey
Administrator support
Administrator support is one of the most significant factors in the success of the Building Healthy Communities program. Schools’ leaders play a key role in transforming the climate of their buildings and impacting the health of their students. In fact, our research suggests that Administrator support (observing, encouraging, discussing, or participating in physical activity with students) has more of an impact on increasing students’ in-school physical activity than any other factor, including support provided by parents! When school leaders champion issues related to healthy eating and physical activity, students are more likely to adopt healthy behaviors. Promoting healthy choices shouldn’t stop with your students – encouraging your staff to emphasize overall wellness personally and in their classrooms will also have benefits for your school community. During this year administrators will
- Participate with the healthy champion in a virtual orientation session and assist with BHC program guide planning.
- Introduce the BHC program to parents and students. There is a parent letter included in the below resources
Championing the cause
The Healthy School Champion role (HSC) essentially serves as a liaison between our Building Healthy Communities staff and your school stakeholders – teachers, administration, students, and families. You’ll work alongside your BHC Coordinator this year to support your schools’ wellness efforts. This page will house a monthly checklist along with the monthly survey for you to complete. The job of the HSC changes a bit as we progress throughout the year, but your main responsibilities are to:
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- Promote the BHC program in your building and assist your school staff with implementing the program,
- Navigate challenges that may arise in your building (along with the help of your BHC School Coordinator), and
- Report on your school’s success.
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March Monthly Goals
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Focus: This month’s focus is on the Healthy Schoolwide Initiatives available through the BHC supplemental opportunities. While participation is completely optional, these offerings can provide valuable support for launching or strengthening health initiatives you may have been considering starting in your school. If you are interested in participating or have any questions, please contact your school coordinator.
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Complete your monthly healthy champion survey (DUE MARCH 13) reporting on the program progress made in February.
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March’s primary lesson is Healthy Snacks. Please ensure students watch the video and talk through the discussion questions. The Go, Slow, Whoa Foods lesson is a great companion lesson for classrooms interested in more.
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This March School Staff Script can assist you with school staff communication. Feel free to copy, paste, edit, and share with your school’s staff however works best.
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Schedule your monthly check-in with me anytime before the end of March-ScheduletoMeetWithMeredith
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Email your school coordinator 7 photos of healthy habits happening in your school before the April due date above. For fun photo suggestions, check out the BHC Photo Challenge.
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In a couple of paragraphs, briefly describe any healthy changes you’ve observed in your school. Check out School Success Stories for more information.
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Primary nutrition lesson: Healthy Snacks
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Optional companion lesson: Go, Slow, Whoa Foods
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Included are the Healthy@Home-PNG versions in case you want to share these resources on your school’s social media accounts.
The Building Healthy Communities Program is undergoing an exciting transition within our broader school health initiative. We will not be accepting new applications for the elementary school program at this time; instead, we are expanding our impact through Building Healthy Communities: Step Up for School Wellness, a comprehensive K–12 program designed to support school-wide wellness initiatives across all grade levels.
The Building Healthy Communities: Step Up For School Wellness program builds on the success of our elementary model while offering:
- Expanded grade-level inclusion (K–12)
- Many additional healthy resources available for schools to select
- Greater opportunities for school-wide engagement and impact
While we are no longer accepting new applications for the Elementary School Program, we are proud of the many schools and communities that have participated and will continue to support our alumni schools through ongoing access to program resources and materials on this site.
This transition reflects our continued commitment to supporting healthier school communities through innovative, scalable, and inclusive programming. We are grateful for the impact of the Elementary School Program and excited for what lies ahead with Step Up for School Wellness.
For New Schools:
If your school is interested in launching or strengthening a wellness initiative, we encourage you to apply for Step Up for School Wellness resources. This program is now the primary pathway for schools looking to join the Building Healthy Communities network.
For BHC Alumni Schools:
We remain committed to our alumni schools and invite you to continue utilizing the resources available on this website to sustain the healthy school environment you built during your year of BHC programing.
BHC alumni schools are also eligible to apply for additional support! Consider applying for Step Up for School Wellness resources related to mental health and social-emotional learning to expand or deepen your school wellness efforts.
Click on the image above to view the full program description.
