Dear HSC friend:

I am pleased to announce Health in Mind: Improving Education Through Wellness, a new report from Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) and Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) that details immediate solutions to help close the achievement gap and create a healthy future for all children.

American children are struggling academically and the nation faces a growing achievement gap that is increasingly tied to health disparities: today’s children could become the first generation to live shorter and less healthy lives than their parents.

Health in Mind presents research, policy analysis and immediate recommendations focused on:

• Preparing teachers and principals to promote student health and wellness;
• Engaging parents in school health;
• Incorporating health and wellness into school metrics, accountability and recognition programs;
• Building the Department of Education’s capacity to address student health and wellness; and
• Placing a school nurse in every school.

We invite you to learn more and join the dialogue around these important issues.

On March 21, HSC will present a webinar focused on Health in Mind. Webinar speakers include Professor Charles Basch of Columbia Teachers College, whose research on the educational impact of health disparities provided a strong basis for this effort.

We’ve never met a parent, teacher or school leader who didn’t recognize that healthy students are better prepared to learn. But the truth is that vast health disparities exist in our nation and far too many children attend school in environments that do not support their health. Unless we address these challenges, our efforts to close the achievement gap will be compromised. The consequences are enormous for children’s learning and for their lifetime health.

Please join us as part of the discussion around these important issues.

Sincerely,

Rochelle Davis
President and CEO