Sumner County Schools - Coordinated School Health

Coordinated School Health (CSH) is an effective system designed to connect health with education. Students' health and their capacity to learn are enhanced through the support of families, communities, and schools who work together in a systematic, focused, and efficient manner. The CSH model focuses on six essential health behaviors identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that contribute to the leading causes of death among youth and young adults. The critical health behaviors are as follows:

Inadequate physical activity;
Unhealthy eating behaviors;
Tobacco use;
Behaviors that may result in HIV infection, other sexually transmitted diseases, and unintended pregnancies;
Alcohol and other drug use; and
Behaviors contributing to unintentional injuries and violence.

The purpose of the CSH initiative in Sumner County is to establish awareness in all of our schools that students are empowered to make choices regarding their personal health and wellbeing. The goal is to foster success academically as well as provide children with the tools to enjoy a lifetime of wellness. Simply put, a healthy child learns better, and a child that is ready to learn can perform at his or her optimal level.

"The CSH model is one of the best programs in the nation for providing an excellent health education for an entire community," says Education Commissioner Lana Seivers. "In order to provide a quality education to all students, educators must ensure that children have the resources available to address their overall health and ability to learn."