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Promoting Health and Well-being in the Classroom: An Implementation Guide

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Promoting Health and Well-being in the Classroom: An Implementation Guide

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Quarterly Focus Points

Fall (End of October): Personal Hygiene and Healthy Eating We'll start with basics: personal hygiene and healthy eating. Through fun activities, students will learn about brushing teeth, showering, and understanding nutrition labels. They'll share their healthy snacks and hygiene checklists on Instagram.

Winter (Mid-January): Sleep and Exercise Next, we'll focus on sleep and exercise. Students will track their sleep patterns and participate in group exercises. They’ll document their experiences with sleep diaries and exercise videos on YouTube.

Spring (Late March): Online Safety and Personal Care Costs In spring, we’ll teach online safety and the costs of personal care. Students will create safety rules and practice scenarios, sharing tips on Twitter.

Summer (Early June): Community Service Finally, students will apply their skills to community service projects. They’ll plan and participate in activities like park clean-ups, reflecting on their experiences and sharing them on TikTok.

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Which healthy habit do you prioritize the most in your daily routine?

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Morning Routine

1. Hydrate: Start your day with a glass of water to kickstart your metabolism and hydrate your body.

2. Stretch: Spend 5-10 minutes stretching to wake up your muscles and improve flexibility.

3. Healthy Breakfast: A nutritious breakfast with a balance of protein, whole grains, and fruits or vegetables.

4. Mindfulness: Take a few minutes for meditation or deep breathing to set a positive tone for the day.

Daily Physical Activity

1. Walk More: Aim to take at least 10,000 steps a day. Use stairs instead of elevators and take short walks during breaks.

2. Exercise Routine: Incorporate at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise, such as jogging, cycling, or a workout class.

3. Stretch Breaks: Take short breaks throughout the day to stretch and move, especially if you have a sedentary job.

Healthy Eating Habits

1. Balanced Meals: Ensure each meal includes a variety of nutrients – lean proteins, healthy fats, and plenty of fruits and vegetables.

2. Portion Control: Be mindful of portion sizes to avoid overeating. Using smaller plates can help.

3. Healthy Snacks: Choose nutritious snacks like nuts, yogurt, fruits, and vegetables instead of processed foods.

4. Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Aim for at least 8 glasses.

Evening Routine

1. Unplug: Reduce screen time at least an hour before bed to improve sleep quality.

2. Light Dinner: Have a light, balanced dinner a few hours before bedtime.

3. Reflect and Relax: Spend time reflecting on your day, practicing gratitude, or reading a book to unwind.

4. Consistent Sleep Schedule: Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep and try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.

Mental Health and Well-being

1. Daily Gratitude: Write down three things you’re grateful for each day to foster a positive mindset.

2. Connect with Others: Spend time with family and friends, and engage in activities that make you happy.

3. Stress Management: Practice stress-relief techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, or spending time in nature.

Personal Hygiene

1. Regular Handwashing: Wash your hands frequently, especially before meals and after using the restroom.

2. Oral Hygiene: Brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily to maintain oral health.

3. Skincare: Follow a simple skincare routine that includes cleansing, moisturizing, and applying sunscreen.

Continuous Learning and Growth

1. Read Regularly: Dedicate time each day to reading and expanding your knowledge.

2. Set Goals: Establish personal and work towards them consistently.

3. Learn New Skills: Take up a new hobby or learn a new skill to keep your mind engaged and challenged.

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health class for students with disabilities 

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Teaching Health and Wellness to Students with Disabilities

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Teaching Health and Wellness to Students with Disabilities

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Teaching health and wellness to students with disabilities is crucial for their overall development and well-being. This blog is dedicated to providing educators, parents, and caregivers with the tools and insights needed to effectively support these students. Here’s how it makes a difference:

Raising Awareness

Highlighting Resources: Sharing information about accessible clinics and services ensures families know where to find the support they need.

Promoting Education

Empowering Students and Families: Providing tips on understanding healthcare rights and self-advocacy empowers students to take charge of their health.

Supporting Educators: Offering best practices and strategies helps teachers effectively incorporate health and wellness education into their classrooms.

Encouraging Advocacy

Inspiring Stories: Sharing real-life success stories motivates and inspires others.

Providing Tools: Offering resources and tools helps families and educators advocate effectively for the health and wellness needs of students.

Emphasizing Personal Hygiene

Personal hygiene is a vital aspect of health and wellness education for students with disabilities:

Teaching Routines: Developing visual schedules and step-by-step guides helps students learn and follow hygiene routines, such as brushing teeth, washing hands, and bathing.

Sensory Considerations: Selecting products that accommodate sensory sensitivities can make hygiene routines more comfortable and manageable for students.

Building Community

Fostering Connections: Encouraging readers to share experiences and challenges builds a supportive network.

Inspiring Collaboration: Bringing together educators, families, healthcare providers, and advocates fosters a collaborative approach to improving health and wellness education.

#GoodHealthGoodDeeds #HealthAndCommunity #AccessibleHealth

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Accessing Teen Annex Clinic: A Resource for Students with Disabilities

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Accessing Teen Annex Clinic: A Resource for Students with Disabilities

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Navigating healthcare as a teenager can be challenging, and for students with disabilities, finding a supportive and understanding environment is crucial. The Teen Annex Clinic in Minneapolis emerges as a beacon of accessible healthcare, offering tailored services designed to meet the unique needs of teenagers, including those with disabilities.

Understanding the Teen Annex Clinic

Located in Minneapolis, the Teen Annex Clinic specializes in providing confidential and comprehensive healthcare services specifically for teenagers. Here’s how it can benefit students with disabilities:

The clinic offers a range of services essential for teenagers’ health, including:

Reproductive Health Care: Providing contraception counseling, STD testing and treatment, and pregnancy testing.

Mental Health Support: Offering counseling and education on mental health issues, which can be particularly important for teenagers with disabilities like ASD or ADHD.

General Medical Services: Conducting health check-ups and addressing general medical concerns in a teen-friendly environment.

Accessibility and Support

For students with disabilities, accessibility is key. The Teen Annex Clinic is committed to creating a welcoming space where all teenagers, regardless of their abilities, feel comfortable seeking healthcare. Here’s how they achieve this:

Confidentiality and Respect: Ensuring all services are provided in a confidential and respectful manner, respecting each teen’s privacy and autonomy.

Accommodating Different Needs: Being prepared to accommodate various needs, such as sensory sensitivities or communication challenges, to ensure every teenager can access and understand the care they receive.

Collaboration with Educators and Families

Educators and families play a vital role in supporting teenagers’ healthcare needs. Here’s how they can collaborate with the Teen Annex Clinic:

Educational Support: Educators can inform students and families about the clinic’s services, ensuring they are aware of this valuable resource.

Transition Planning: Facilitating smooth transitions for students with disabilities from school-based services to the clinic, ensuring continuity of care.

Empowering Teens

Accessing healthcare independently is empowering for teenagers, including those with disabilities. By utilizing the services of the Teen Annex Clinic, students can:

Learn Self-Advocacy: Gain confidence in navigating healthcare systems and advocating for their own health needs.

Promote Independence: Develop essential life skills related to healthcare management, contributing to their overall independence and well-being.

Conclusion

The Teen Annex Clinic is a supportive ally for teenagers, offering inclusive healthcare services that cater to the diverse needs of students, including those with disabilities. By promoting accessibility, respect, and collaboration, the clinic not only meets healthcare needs but also empowers teenagers to take charge of their health and futures.

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The Annex Teen Clinic helps young people take charge of their sexual health by providing confidential health services and education.

Your right to access these services without anyone's permission or knowledge after the fact is protected by law. Confidentiality is important to us because we know it's important to you.

No one is turned away for their inability to pay, and you will be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect as an individual.

You will not be subject to discrimination for any reason, including for reasons of race, ethnicity, culture, language, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression, disability, religion, or socioeconomic status.

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We provide sexual health education and clinic services to young people in North Minneapolis and Northwest Hennepin County.

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Health Education Resources: Enhancing Your Teacher’s Toolbox with SHAPE America

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Health Education Resources: Enhancing Your Teacher’s Toolbox with SHAPE America

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SHAPE America stands as a cornerstone in providing educators with invaluable resources and tools to enhance health education in classrooms across the nation. Whether you’re a seasoned teacher or new to the field, integrating these resources into your toolbox can elevate your teaching and support student well-being.

By using SHAPE America’s resources, educators can enrich their health education programs, empower students to make informed health decisions, and cultivate a school environment that supports the overall well-being of every student. Explore SHAPE America’s offerings today and discover how you can enhance your teacher’s toolbox to inspire healthier futures for your students.

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Thank you for your interest in the skills-based learning activities for health education! Before you access the resources, please take a moment to review this document.

Purpose: The Skills-Based Learning Activities Task Force was designed in order to address a need for quality, classroom ready skills-based learning activities in health education. Over the course of several months, the task force worked on developing and reviewing activities that would be ready to use in the health education classroom but that would also be supporting best practice. We hope to be able to grow the available resources in the coming years.

Helpful Information: Here is some information that might be useful to you as you review the activities:

The activities are designed to be used with any health topic area. You might notice that there is no content specifically included in any of the activities. The task force thought that the resources would be most helpful to the most amount of people if the focus was on the skill not the content. This allows you the opportunity to insert any topics that work with your curriculum into the activity. You may choose to use your state standards, Standard 1 from the National Health Education Standards or other resources to determine the content that meets the needs of your students.

Many activities include suggested topic areas that might be especially good fits with the skill and activity but you are not limited to these suggestions.

As you are looking at the activities, be sure to look at which step of the skill development model is being addressed through the activities. Activities that focus on skill introduction, steps of the skill and modeling should be included in the curriculum prior to any practice or reinforcement activities.

You want to also make note of the level of skill performance of the activity. If your students have not yet developed competence in a skill, you would not want to include an activity that addresses skill proficiency. Make sure the level matches the needs of your students.

All activities include any additional resources that would be required to run the activities as written. You are welcome to use any or all of the worksheets and other deliverables that are included.

Please note that some of the resources listed in the activity templates link to independently owned web sites. By clicking on these links you may leave the SHAPE America website.

If you have any questions or feedback regarding the Skills-based Learning Activities Resource, please email [email protected].

Skills-Based Learning Activities Task Force
Sarah Benes, Chair -- Merrimack College
Mary Connolly - Cambridge College
Maureen Grizio - Anne Arundel County, MD
Cristy Jefson - University of Wisconsin Whitewater
Donna McAllister - Vermont Agency of Education
Kim Razzano - East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
Lisa Rakoz - Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, WA
Jacqui Williams - Harford County Public Schools, MD
Brian Griffith - SHAPE America Health Education Council Liaison
Joe Halowich - SHAPE America

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Thank you for your interest in the skills-based learning activities for health education! Before you access the resources, please take a moment to review this document. Purpose: The Skills-Based Learning Activities Task Force was designed in order to address a need for quality, classroom ready skills-based learning activities in health education.

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Nurturing Personal Hygiene: A Guide for Students with Disabilities

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Nurturing Personal Hygiene: A Guide for Students with Disabilities

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Good personal hygiene is vital for everyone, yet for students with disabilities, it can present unique challenges. As educators in Minneapolis and caregivers elsewhere, our role in teaching and supporting proper hygiene habits goes beyond physical health—it profoundly impacts social interactions and self-esteem.

Understanding the Challenges

Students with disabilities often encounter specific hurdles:

1. Sensory Sensitivities: Textures, smells, and sensations can overwhelm students with ASD or other sensory issues, making tasks like brushing teeth or showering uncomfortable.

2. Executive Functioning Difficulties: Students with ADHD may struggle with organization and time management, affecting their ability to prioritize hygiene.

3. Social and Communication Skills: Hygiene routines involve social interactions and norms, which can be challenging for students with disabilities who face difficulties in these areas.

Practical Strategies for Support

As educators, here are effective ways to help students with disabilities develop good hygiene habits:

1. Visual Supports: Simplify routines with visual schedules, checklists, and step-by-step guides to clarify expectations and task sequences.

2. Sensitive Product Selection: Respect sensory sensitivities by introducing hygiene products gradually and allowing students to choose what feels comfortable.

3. Role-Playing and Social Stories: Use stories and role-playing to teach hygiene skills in a structured, predictable manner, boosting confidence through practice.

4. Positive Reinforcement: Encourage and motivate with praise and rewards, celebrating even small successes to build confidence.

5. Establish Consistent Routines: Create predictable routines both at school and home to foster security and routine adherence.

6. Collaborate with Families: Partner with families to reinforce hygiene routines and share strategies for consistency across environments.

Tailoring Support to Individual Needs

Recognize each student's unique strengths, challenges, and preferences. Adapt hygiene strategies accordingly, offering personalized support where needed to promote independence.

Fostering Independence and Confidence

Our goal is to empower students with disabilities to master self-care routines independently. By teaching and supporting good hygiene habits with patience and creativity, we nurture essential life skills that enhance their well-being and social competence.

In conclusion, while teaching hygiene skills requires understanding and flexibility, the benefits are profound. By cultivating independence and confidence through effective hygiene education, we empower our students to thrive academically and socially, enriching their daily lives in Minneapolis and beyond.

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Health and Wellness for People with Disabilities

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Health and Wellness for People with Disabilities

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People with disabilities need health care and wellness programs just like everyone else to stay active and engaged in their communities. Health for individuals with disabilities means having the right tools and information to make healthy choices and address health issues related to their disabilities, known as secondary conditions. It's crucial that healthcare services cater to their comprehensive needs. By promoting healthy lifestyles, physical activity, proper nutrition, and regular medical care, people with disabilities can lead full, active lives and prevent illness.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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People with disabilities need health care and health programs for the same reasons anyone else does-to stay well, active, and a part of the community.

Having a disability does not mean a person is not healthy or that he or she cannot be healthy. Being healthy means the same thing for all of us-getting and staying well so we can lead full, active lives. That means having the tools and information to make healthy choices and knowing how to prevent illness.

For people with disabilities, it also means knowing that health problems related to a disability can be treated. These problems, also called secondary conditions, can include pain, depression, and a greater risk for certain illnesses.

To be healthy, people with disabilities require health care that meets their needs as a whole person, not just as a person with a disability. Most people with or without disabilities can stay healthy by learning about and living healthy lifestyles.

Leading a Long and Healthy Life

Although people with disabilities sometimes have a harder time getting and staying healthy than people without disabilities, there are things we can all do to get and stay healthy.

Tips for leading a long and healthy life:

For more information:

Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults - United States, 2005-2014: According to the report, smoking prevalence higher among those reporting having a disability compared with those who reported no disability.
The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Improve the Health and Wellness of Persons with Disabilities pdf icon [737 KB, 9 pages]
Getting the Best Possible Health Care

People with disabilities must get the care and services they need to help them be healthy.

If you have a disability, there are many things you can do to make sure you are getting the best possible health care:

Know your body, how you feel when you are well and when you're not.

Talk openly with your health care professional about your concerns.

Find health care professionals that you are comfortable with in your area.

Check to be sure you can physically get into your health care professional's office, such as having access to ramps or elevators if you use an assistive device like a wheelchair or scooter.

Check to see if your health care professional's office has the equipment you need, such as an accessible scale or examining table.

Ask for help from your health care professional's office staff if you need it.

Think about your questions and health concerns before you visit your health care professional so that you're prepared.

Bring your health records with you.

Take a friend with you if you are concerned you might not remember all your questions or what is said by the health care professional.

Get it in writing. Write down, or have someone write down for you, what is said by the health care professional.

Physical Activity

Adults of all shapes, sizes, and abilities can benefit from being physically active, including those with disabilities. For important health benefits, all adults should do both aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activities. Regular aerobic physical activity increases heart and lung functions; improves daily living activities and independence; decreases chances of developing chronic diseases; and improves mental health.

Adults with disabilities should try to get at least 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity (i.e., brisk walking; wheeling oneself in a wheelchair) or at least 1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity (i.e., jogging, wheelchair basketball) or a mix of both moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activities each week. A rule of thumb is that 1 minute of vigorous-intensity activity is about the same as 2 minutes of moderate-intensity activity. They should avoid inactivity as some physical activity is better than none.

Muscle-strengthening activities should include moderate and high intensity, and involve all major muscle groups on two or more days a week (i.e., working with resistance-band, adapted yoga) as these activities provide additional health benefits. All children and adolescents should do 1 hour (60 minutes) or more of physical activity each day.

If a person with a disability is not able to meet the physical activity guidelines, they should engage in regular physical activity based on their abilities and should avoid inactivity. Adults with disabilities should talk to their healthcare provider about the amounts and types of physical activity that are appropriate for their abilities.

Tips for getting fit:

Talk to your doctor about how much and what kind of physical activity is right for you.

Find opportunities to increase physical activity regularly in ways that meet your needs and abilities.

Start slowly, based on your abilities and fitness level (e.g. be active for at least 10 minutes at a time, slowly increase activity over several weeks, if necessary).

Avoid inactivity. Some activity is better than none!

To learn more on physical activity among adults with disabilities:
CDC Vital Signs CDC Disability and Physical Activity Healthy Weight & Obesity Briefs CDC Physical Activity
Abuse and Violence of People with Disabilities

People with disabilities are at greater risk for abuse, violence, and harm than people without disabilities. This is called victimization. Victimization is harm caused on purpose. It is not an "accident" and can happen anywhere. The two most common places where victimization occurs are in hospitals and homes.

Victimization includes:

Physical violence with or without a weapon.

Sexual violence of any kind, including rape.

Emotional abuse, including verbal attacks or being humiliated.

Neglect of personal needs for daily life, including medical care or equipment.

In the United States, people with disabilities are 4 to 10 times more likely to be victimized than people without disabilities. Children with disabilities are more than twice as likely to be victimized as children without disabilities. Researchers found that 11.5% of adults with a disability were victims of sexual assault vs. 3.9% of adults without disabilities. In addition, 13.0% of people with disabilities were victims of attempted sexual assault compared to 5.7% without disabilities.

Victims usually know the person who harms them. They can be health care workers, intimate partners, or family members. More men than women cause harm to people with disabilities. If you or someone you love is being victimized, there is help available.

For more information:
CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control List of organizations working to prevent victimization Victimization of Persons with Traumatic Brain Injury or Other Disabilities: A Fact Sheet for Friends and Familiespdf icon Victimization of Persons with Traumatic Brain Injury or Other Disabilities: A Fact Sheet for Professionalspdf icon
Sexual Health and Sexuality

Health care professionals and people with disabilities should feel comfortable talking to each other about sexual health and sexuality. People with disabilities can ask their doctor questions about sexuality, sexual functioning, contraceptives, and reproductive concerns.

For more information:
Sexually Transmitted Diseases Healthy Pregnancy Sexual Violence Tips for Communicating with Female Patients with Intellectual Disabilities (ID)
Mental Health and Well-Being

For everyone, overall mental health and well-being is very important. Mental health is how we think, feel and act as we cope with life. People need to feel good about their life and value themselves.

All people, including those with disabilities might feel isolated from others, or have low self-esteem. They may be depressed. There are different ways to treat depression. Exercise may be effective for some people. Counseling, medication, or both might also be needed.

Everyone feels worried, anxious, sad or stressed sometimes. If these feelings do not go away and they interfere with your daily life, you should talk with other people about your feelings, such as a family member or health care professional.

For more information:
Teen Mental Healthexternal icon Adult Mental Healthexternal icon Depression in the Workplace Leading a Long and Healthy Life pdf icon [737 KB, 9 pages]
References

1. Petersilia JR. Crime victims with developmental disabilities: a review essay. Criminal Justice & Behavior 2001;28(6):655-94.

2. Sobsey D, Mansell S. An international perspective on patterns of sexual assault and abuse of people with disabilities. International Journal of Adolescent Medicine & Health 1994;7(2):153-78.

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey Data. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006.

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Disability and Health Healthy Living | CDC

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People with disabilities need health care and health programs for the same reasons anyone else does-to stay well, active, and a part of the community. Having a disability does not mean a person is not healthy or that he or she cannot be healthy.

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The Critical Role of Student Support Staff in Schools

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The Critical Role of Student Support Staff in Schools

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Student support staff, such as school psychologists, counselors, nurses, and social workers, are essential for the success of K-12 students with disabilities. They work closely with teachers, students, and families to enhance academic, social, and emotional well-being. As education evolves, there is a push for these staff members to play a broader role in improving school climates and integrating community resources. This holistic approach addresses barriers to learning and creates a supportive, inclusive environment for all students.

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Among the wide range of personnel and programs that provide support to K-12 students with disabilities in our schools are student support staff. Known by a variety of titles - school psychologists, counselors, nurses, social workers, therapeutic recreation specialists, dropout prevention specialists, and others - they are key to the success of students with disabilities. When planning and implementing IEPs, student support staff partner with teachers, students, and students' families to increase the academic, social, and emotional functioning and well-being of students with disabilities. Such personnel can also play an important role in improving the school climate and enabling all students to have an equal opportunity for belonging and success.

As Congress considers the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, there are calls for an expanded role for student support staff and a fundamental transformation of how student and learning supports are conceived (Adelman & Taylor, 2006a, 2006b, 2010; Skalski, 2011). The transformation would ensure that student support staff continue to provide a degree of targeted direct assistance and support to specific students, while expanding their participation and role in bringing about reform and improvement of schools and our educational system. This would include their involvement in carrying out an increasingly wide array of activities to promote academic achievement and healthy development for all students, address barriers to learning and teaching for all students, and re-engage disconnected students. New directions emphasize more attention to accomplishing desired outcomes through flexible and expanded roles and functions, and staff teaming together to develop a comprehensive system of student and learning supports for schools throughout a district. And the call is for redeploying existing school resources and reaching out to community resources with the aim of strategically weaving them into the school's agenda in ways that fill critical gaps and enhance a caring environment.

Increasing the Role of Support Staff in Creating a Caring School Climate

Lessons learned from efforts to improve schools underscore that high quality teaching, enhanced instruction aligned with assessment, collaborative staff development, and home involvement are necessary, but insufficient. Moreover, provision of specialized and clinically-oriented services are only one facet of any effort to develop a comprehensive system of student and learning supports. The unfortunate fact is that services alone cannot address the range of factors that cause poor academic performance, dropouts, gang violence, teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, racial conflict, and so forth, and they are too limited a response for the many students manifesting learning, behavior, and emotional problems.

The reality is that direct services for the discrete problems of a small number of students are only a small part of what a school and district need from student support staff. From a school improvement perspective, support staff must help develop a full continuum of student/learning supports that can effectively counter behavior problems, close the achievement gap, reduce dropouts (students and teachers), and promote personal and social well-being for the many. And they must do so in ways that create a caring school climate (Cohen & Geier, 2010).

In a caring school climate, learners care about learning; teachers care about teaching; and students, their families, and school staff all care about, and are engaged with, each other in support of a positive learning environment. Caring is maintained on an ongoing basis through use of a range of instructional strategies to support student growth and success, as well other types of strategies to sustain a caring and supportive environment in which staff can do their best work and families can be active participants in their child's education (Center for Mental Health in Schools, n.d.; School Mental Health Project, 1998). In addition:

A caring school culture pays special attention to those who have difficulty making friends. Some students need just a bit of support to overcome the problem (e.g., a few suggestions, a couple of special opportunities). Some, however, need more help. They may be very shy, lacking in social skills, or may even act in negative ways that lead to their rejection. Whatever the reason, it is clear they need help if they and the school are to reap the benefits produced when individuals feel positively connected to each other (School Mental Health Project, 1998, p. 1).

Analyses of practice and research suggest that a proactive agenda for developing positive school and classroom climates requires careful attention to the following (Adelman & Taylor, 2010; Cohen & Geier, 2010):

Enhancing the quality of life at school and especially in the classroom for students and staff (e.g., welcoming and social support mechanisms for students, families, and staff).

Pursuing a curriculum that promotes not only academic, but also social-emotional learning (e.g., fostering intrinsic motivation for learning through personalized programs, enhanced options, and meaningful participation in decision making).

Enabling teachers and other staff to be effective with a wide range of students (e.g., addressing barriers to learning and teaching, re-engaging disconnected students).

As will be clear in the next section, student support personnel are essential to accomplishing such a broad agenda.

Challenges and Opportunities

Each day there is another story in the news about how the troubled economy is hurting education. As has always been the case when education budgets tighten, the tendency is to trim student support efforts more severely than other budget items. This reflects the long-standing marginalization in policy and practice of efforts to address barriers to learning and teaching. Laying-off support staff increases the caseload for those still in place. It also has increased a policy trend to "contract out" to community providers for specific support services. And, it has exacerbated the counterproductive competition for sparse resources.

Given dwindling budgets, the necessity is to meet high priority intervention needs in new and more cost-effective ways. At the same time, the long-term aim must remain to move toward a comprehensive system to provide student and learning supports. Indeed, available evidence suggests that a caring school climate depends on the creation of a comprehensive system of supports that embraces not only students with disabilities, but all students, to ensure equity of opportunity and enhance the well-being of all involved (Adelman & Taylor, 2010; Cohen & Geier, 2010). Thus, at this critical juncture in the history of public education, schools must adopt and keep the following set of support staff roles and functions in balance (Adelman & Taylor, 2010):

Planning, implementing, and evaluating direct interventions for students and families. For students this includes programs and services that equitably address barriers to learning, re-engage disconnected students, and promote healthy development (e.g., developmental and motivational assessments, including response-to-intervention strategies; regular and specialized assistance in and outside the classroom; universal and targeted group interventions; safe and caring school interventions; academic and personal counseling; support for transitions). For families this includes providing information, referrals, and support for referral follow-through; instruction; counseling; and home involvement.

Planning, implementing, and evaluating ways to enhance systems within schools. This includes coordination and integration of programs/services/systems, establishing mechanisms for collaborating with colleagues to ensure activities are carried out in the most equitable and cost-effective manner consistent with legal and ethical standards for practice (examples of mechanisms include case-oriented and resource-oriented teams; consultation, coaching, and mentoring mechanisms; triage, referral, and care monitoring systems; crisis teams). It also includes development of a comprehensive, multifaceted, and integrated system of student and learning supports. For example, collaborating to improve existing interventions and develop ways to fill gaps related to needed prevention programs, early-after-onset interventions, and assistance for students with severe and/or chronic problems; and incorporating an understanding of legal and ethical standards for practice.

Planning, implementing, and evaluating ways to enhance school-community linkages and partnerships. This includes establishing mechanisms for collaborating with community entities to coordinate, integrate, and weave together school and community resources and systems to enhance both current activity and development of a comprehensive approach for systemically and equitably addressing barriers to learning and promoting healthy development.

With a view to ensuring an appropriate balance, school planners must recognize underlying commonalities among a variety of school concerns and intervention strategies and foster increased interest in cross-disciplinary training and interprofessional education. And, given the pressing need for learning supports to ensure all students have an equal opportunity to succeed at school, it is time for everyone to recognize that current cutbacks are so unbalanced that essential efforts to address factors that interfere with learning at school will be subverted. While all cuts are harmful, the extreme cuts related to student and learning supports will undermine the hope of ensuring equity of opportunity. The focus in balancing budget cuts and redeploying resources should be on ensuring there is a critical mass of school resources allocated for student and learning supports to enable schools to redeploy, and then outreach to leverage and braid with a wide range of community resources.

How does all this enhance the social-emotional well-being of students with disabilities? A school climate that includes and comprehensively supports success for all provides the nurturing context and enhanced range of natural opportunities for social-emotional development and learning.

From our perspective, caring schools that support the participation, valuing, and success of students with and without disabilities are not something that can be created in the absence of comprehensive, multifaceted, and cohesive efforts to address barriers to learning and teaching and promote healthy development. Currently, support staff mainly focus on developing good relationships with the relatively few students, families, and staff with whom they work directly. As such personnel expand their focus to enhance school improvement policy and practice, they are well positioned to help to create a caring schoolwide climate that is fundamental to social and emotional development, as well as academic success and future well-being, of students with and without disabilities.

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Impact | Volume 24, Number 1 | Social-Emotional Well-Being of Students with Disabilities: The Importance of Student Support Staff

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Among the wide range of personnel and programs that provide support to K-12 students with disabilities in our schools are student support staff. Known by a variety of titles - school psychologists, counselors, nurses, social workers, therapeutic recreation specialists, dropout prevention specialists, and others - they are key to the success of students with disabilities.

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The Importance of Health Class for Students with Disabilities: Achevia Webinar 

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The Importance of Health Class for Students with Disabilities: Achevia Webinar 

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Navigating the education system as a parent is always challenging, but those challenges multiply when your child has a disability. This webinar brings light to the gaps that persist in sex and health education for students with disabilities. We examine the impact of these gaps, from the inadequate instruction in K-12 to the implications of having non-specialists lead sensitive lessons. We also dig into the policies - or lack thereof - that shape these educational experiences, with an eye toward instigating change and ensuring that comprehensive, inclusive education is not just a luxury, but a standard for all students. We wrap up with a discussion on the barriers that prevent students with disabilities from receiving the health education they deserve and the proactive steps needed to dismantle them.

Our discussion is not just an overview; it's a blueprint for empowering disabled students and an invitation for you to be part of this transformative dialogue. Visit this webinar on our website at http://www.achieva.info/resources/the... to access the slides for this presentation.

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The Importance of Health Class for Students with Disabilities

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Empowering All Students: The Importance of Teaching Health and Wellness to Students with Disabilities

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Empowering All Students: The Importance of Teaching Health and Wellness to Students with Disabilities

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This blog is dedicated to the essential topic of teaching health and wellness to students with disabilities. Every student deserves the knowledge and tools to lead a healthy, fulfilling life. Here’s why this matters and how we can make it happen.

Why Health and Wellness Education Matters

Health and wellness education is crucial, especially for students with disabilities who face unique health challenges. Incorporating health education helps them gain the skills and confidence to manage their health effectively.

Addressing Unique Needs

Students with disabilities require tailored health education. Whether it’s managing a chronic condition, understanding nutrition, or developing personal hygiene routines, personalized approaches make a significant difference. We’ll share practical tips for creating inclusive and effective programs.

Promoting Independence and Self-Advocacy

Health education fosters independence and self-advocacy. When students understand their health needs, they can make informed decisions and advocate for themselves. We’ll share success stories and tips to encourage these skills.

Creating a Supportive Environment

A supportive environment is important for successful health education. Involving teachers, families, healthcare providers, and the community ensures consistent support. We’ll discuss ways to extend a culture of wellness beyond the classroom.

Sharing Resources and Strategies

This blog will be a hub of valuable resources like lesson plans, activity ideas, and community program information. By sharing practical tools and evidence-based strategies, we aim to empower educators, parents, and advocates.

Join Us on This Journey

Join us in promoting health and wellness education for students with disabilities. Together, we can make a difference, one student at a time.

#GoodHealthGoodDeeds #HealthAndCommunity #AccessibleHealth

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Environmental Factors and Health: A PBS Learning Media Resource

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Environmental Factors and Health: A PBS Learning Media Resource

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PBS Learning Media offers a self-paced lesson on how environmental factors affect health. Students explore environmental health hazards, exposure routes, and ways to reduce risks through videos, interactive activities, and writing prompts. This resource aligns with standards on tobacco, alcohol, and natural processes affecting human systems. It is suitable for cross-curricular lessons, pre-teaching, or as an extension activity. The lesson supports a global project aimed at increasing student involvement in health education by connecting their environment to their health and daily lives.

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Promoting Health and Wellness for Students with Disabilities

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Promoting Health and Wellness for Students with Disabilities

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Grace Needham's project, "Wellness," aims to enhance the health and well-being of students with disabilities through visual aids, clear instructions, and community service. The initiative fosters independence and confidence while engaging students in activities such as handwashing, eating healthy, physical activity, and personal care. Collaboration with partners like the school nurse, occupational therapists, and local organizations, such as the Annex Teen Clinic, enriches the program. Students also participate in community drives, promoting social good and connecting with resources. #GoodHealthGoodDeeds #HealthAndCommunity #AccessibleHealth.