WSCC Component Resources

Below and to the right you will find links to resources from the Colorado Department of Education, National Resources, and Policies to support the Whole School, Whole Child, Whole Community component areas.

Jump to Page Section:

Health Education
Physical Education and Physical Activity
Nutrition Environment and Services
Health Services
Counseling, Psychological, and Social Services
Social and Emotional Climate
Physical Environment
Employee Wellness
Family Engagement
Community Involvement

Health Education

Formal, structured health education consists of any combination of planned learning experiences that provide the opportunity to acquire the information, and skills students need to make quality health decisions. Health education curricula and instruction should address essential health skills and incorporate the characteristics of an effective health education curriculum, and be taught by qualified, trained teachers.

Implement the 2020 Colorado Academic Standards

During the Spring of 2018, the State Board of Education approved revisions to the Colorado Academic Standards (CAS), as required by statute. This approval completed the first four phases of the standards review and revision timeline, moving Colorado into the final two phases ending in full implementation of the CAS. CDE's Office of Standards and Instructional Support is committed to supporting districts to take full advantage of the two-year transition period to the revised CAS, with appropriate and meaningful attention given to curriculum, instruction, assessment, professional learning, communications, and alignment of local policies and practices. CDE's support will include both online and in-person components with materials designed specifically for local school and district leaders to use with their teachers and staff.

Colorado Department of Education Resources

Colorado Comprehensive Health Education Standards: Current Standards Comprehensive Health Education Instructional Unit Samples These (k-12th grade) instructional units are based on the Colorado Academic Standards in Health Education, and were authored by teams of Colorado educators, including general education, special education, ELL, and other school professionals.
Comprehensive Health Education Resource Page: Resources for Implementing Health Education
Comprehensive Health Education Grants: Resources for Comprehensive Health Education Grants
Drug Prevention Instructional Sample Units: These units were created by a team of Colorado Educators to support provide examples of standards aligned units for drug prevention.

Coordination and Practices:

Health Education SMART Guides: RMC Health, Coordination of health education across WSCC component areas.
RMC Health Skill Models: RMC Health and a team of educators have created skill models for seven key health skills aligned with the National Health Education Standards and their indicators. Models for grade spans PK-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12 focusing on the skills of analyzing influences (INF), accessing information (AI), interpersonal communication (IC), decision making (DM), goal setting (GS), self management (SM) and advocacy (AV) are available.
Characteristics of Effective Health Education Curricula: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, identifies the characteristics of effective health education curriculum according to reviews of effective programs and curricula and experts in the field of health education
Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT): (PDF Version) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT) can help school districts, schools, and others conduct a clear, complete, and consistent analysis of health education

Supporting Policies

Colorado Comprehensive Health and Physical Education Policies

Physical Education and Physical Activity

A comprehensive school physical activity program supports physical education and youth physical activity. It reflects strong coordination across five components: physical education, physical activity during school, physical activity before and after school, staff involvement, and family and community engagement. Physical education is the foundation of a comprehensive program, and is an academic subject for grades PK-12. Curriculum should be based on the Colorado physical education standards, and classes should be taught by certified or licensed teachers endorsed.

Implement the 2020 Colorado Academic Standards

Colorado Department of Education Resources

Colorado Comprehensive Physical Education Standards: Current Standards
Comprehensive Physical Education Instructional Unit Samples: These (k-12th grade) instructional units are based on the Colorado Academic Standards in Physical Education, and were authored by teams of Colorado educators, including general education, special education, ELL, and other school professionals.
Comprehensive Physical Education Resource:
Curriculum Support Physical Education
Integration of Comprehensive Health: This prezi discusses the importance of the integration of Comprehensive Health concepts and skills into other content areas in order to support the development of the "Whole Child".

Coordination and Practices:

Standards for Health and Physical Education in the U.S.: Revised SHAPE American Physical Education Standards.
Physical Education SMART Guides: RMC Health, Coordination of health education across WSCC component areas.
Physical Activity Best Practices: Rocky Mountain Center for Prevention Research, physical activity best practices
Healthy School Framework for Activity and Physical Education: The Alliance for a Healthier Generation: has a Healthy School Framework that allows schools to track progress and be recognized for outstanding accomplishments in school health.
SHAPE America Every Student Succeeds Act Resources: Access a free e-guide from the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE)- What you need to know about the Every Student Succeeds Act and its impact on your health and physical education program.
Wellness Training Specialists (Welltrain): The Colorado Physical Education Cadre provides state of the art, standards-based in-service training and technical assistance for physical education teachers, classroom teachers and school staff. All workshops are based on academic standards, best practices and tailored to meet the unique needs of each audience.
Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT): A CDC tool to analyze and choose physical education curriculum.
CDC School Health Guidelines CDC synthesized research and best practices related to promoting healthy eating and physical activity in schools, culminating in nine guidelines
Active Schools: Active school provides resources to support comprehensive active schools' programs with "How To" Resources | Active Schools
CDC Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP): CDC has created a CSPAP a multi-component approach that reflects strong coordination and synergy across all of the components: quality physical education as the foundation, physical activity before, during, and after school, staff involvement, and family and community engagement.

Supporting Policies

Colorado Comprehensive Health and Physical Education Policies

Nutrition Environment and Services

The school nutrition environment provides students with opportunities to learn about and practice healthy eating through nutrition education, messages about food in the cafeteria and throughout the school campus, and available food and beverages, including in vending machines, “grab and go” kiosks, school stores, concession stands, food carts, classroom rewards and parties, school celebrations, and fundraisers. School nutrition services provide meals and snacks that meet federal nutrition standards. All individuals in the school community can support a healthy school nutrition environment.

Colorado Department of Education Resources

Office of School Nutrition: The Office of School Nutrition is committed to ensuring all school-aged children have equal access to healthy meals by supporting, training, and connecting Colorado’s child nutrition community.
Office of School Nutrition Resources: School Nutrition Resources
Standards and Instruction Resources for teaching nutrition education: the standards and instruction unit has identified a variety of resources for teaching nutrition education.

Coordination and Practices:

Nutrition Environment and Services SMART Guides: RMC Health, coordination of nutrition across WSCC component areas.
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation Healthy Eating: Healthy School Framework that allows schools to track progress and be recognized for outstanding accomplishments in school health.
CDC School Health Guidelines: CDC synthesized research and best practices related to promoting healthy eating and physical activity in schools, culminating in nine guidelines.

Supporting Policies

Wellness Policies: CDE Office of School Nutrition Wellness policy supports
Sample Local Wellness Policies

Health Services

School health services intervene with actual and potential health problems, including providing first aid, emergency care and assessment and planning for the management of chronic conditions (such as asthma, food allergies or diabetes). Health services also facilitates access to and/or referrals to providers, collaborates with community support services, and works with families to promote the health care of students anda healthy and safe school environment.

Colorado Department of Education Resources

The Health and Wellness Units School Nursing and Health Services program supports and promotes the connection between health and academic achievement. The have a wide variety of resources and tools to support school
The Health and Wellness Units Medicaid program: Colorado districts can claim for Medicaid covered services that are provided in schools. The Colorado Department of Education provides training for developing the local services plans required for participation in this program. This site provides guidance and resources.

Coordination and Practices:

Nursing Services SMART Guides: RMC Health, Coordination of nursing services across WSCC component areas
School Health Services: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, School Health Services resources
Youth Healthcare Alliance formerly Colorado Association for School-Based Health Care

Supporting Policies

For general school health services polices

For more information contact

Sarah Blumenthal, MSN, RN

Director of School Health Services Office
Cell: 303-947-6946

Counseling, Psychological, and Social Services

These prevention and intervention services support the mental, behavioral, and social-emotional health of students, and promote success in the learning process. Services include psychological, psychoeducational, and psychosocial assessments; direct and indirect interventions to address psychological, academic, and social barriers to learning, such as individual or group counseling and consultation; and referrals to school and community support services as needed.

Colorado Department of Education Resources

School Social Work (SSW) Services School social workers (SSW) are one of the few resources in schools for addressing personal and social problems that potentially inhibit a student’s ability to learn.
Enhanced Counseling and Mentoring resources: Dropout Prevention and Student Re-Engagement
School Psychology Services Purpose: School psychologists are the mental health professionals who help children and youth overcome barriers to success in school, at home, and in life. They use many different strategies to address individual needs, as well as enhance systems that support students on school and district-wide levels.
The Health and Wellness Units Medicaid program: Colorado districts can claim for Medicaid covered services that are provided in schools. The Colorado Department of Education provides training for developing the local services plans required for participation in this program. This site provides guidance and resources.
Project AWARE: Seeking to provide all Colorado students with integrated behavioral health, happiness and the tools to achieve maximum health and well-being.
Youth Mental Health First Aid: Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis.

Coordination and Practices:

Counseling, Psychological, and Social Services SMART Guides: RMC Health Coordination of Counseling Psychological, and Social Services across WSCC component areas
Landscape of Wellbeing and Belonging | CDE
CDC Mental Health

Supporting Policies

Bully Prevention House Bill 11-1254

Social Emotional Climate

Social and Emotional Climate refers to the psychosocial aspects of students’ educational experience that influence their social and emotional development. The social and emotional climate of a school can impact student engagement in school activities; relationships with other students, staff, family and community; and academic performance.

Colorado Department of Education (CDE) Resources

CDE Office of Learning Supports The office of learning supports provides technical support assistance and guidance related to effective implementation of a Multi-tiered System of Supports (MTSS), Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and Bully Prevention Education.
Landscape of Wellbeing and Belonging | CDE
CDE Youth Mental Health First Aid Mental Health First Aid is a program that teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders in your community. CDE offers training to schools, and other youth serving organizations. For more program information Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA)
Bully Prevention Education: Bully prevention resources from the office of learning supports
Comprehensive Health Education Grants: Resources for Comprehensive Health Education Grants
CDE: Culturally Responsive Practice:

Coordination and Practices:

RMC Health Social and Emotional Climate Smart Guide (2016 PDF) RMC Health, Coordination of social emotional climate across WSCC component areas.
Safe to Tell - This program is supported by the Colorado Department of Law, Office of the Attorney General. It provides schools, districts, and communities with resources for the free safe to tell program.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF): Provides resources to supports helping kids grow up at a healthy weight, teaching kids social skills, creating schools where education and health are linked.
Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL): Their mission is to make evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) an integral part of education from preschool through high school. CASEL and our broad network of collaborators are working together to turn momentum for SEL into a national movement.
988 in Colorado | Behavioral Health Administration: The 988 Colorado Mental Health Line (988) is the easy-to-remember number that allows anyone with emotional, mental health, or substance use concerns to be immediately connected with a trained specialist. 988 offers free, immediate, confidential human support 24/7. If you or someone you know is struggling, with an emotional, mental health or substance use concern, call or text 988 or visit 988Colorado.com to live chat.
Colorado School Safety Resource Center: Their mission is to assist educators, emergency responders, community organizations, school mental health professionals, parents and students to create safe, positive and successful school environments for Colorado students in all pre K-12 and higher education schools.
Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA): Mental Health First Aid is a program that teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders in your community.

Supporting Policies

With the passing of the Concerning Measures to Reduce the Frequency of Bullying in Schools Act (HB 11-1254 PDF) in 2011, a state-funded grant program to prevent bullying in Colorado schools was created. In 2015, with the passing of Proposition BB, the School Bullying Prevention and Education Grant Program (BPEG) was funded through the Marijuana Tax Cash Fund. Each year, the BPEG distributes nearly $2 million to grantee schools to help reduce bullying across the state.

Physical Environment

A healthy and safe physical school environment promotes learning by ensuring the health and safety of students and staff. A healthy school environment will address a school’s physical condition during normal operation as well as during renovation, protecting occupants from physical threats, biological and chemical agents in the air, water, or soil, as well as those purposefully brought into the school.

Colorado Department of Education Resources

Coordination and Practices:

RMC Physical Environment Smart Guide RMC Health, Coordination of physical environment across WSCC component areas.
Colorado Department of Transportation
Colorado School Safety Resource Center
National Center for Safe Routes to School
American Clearinghouse on Educational Facilities | National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE)
US Environmental Protection Agency

Supporting Policies

Established in 2008 with the signing of C.R.S.22-43.7, BEST provides an annual amount of funding in the form of competitive grants to school districts, charter schools, institute charter schools, boards of cooperative educational services, and the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind. BEST funds can be used for the construction of new schools as well as general construction and renovation of existing school facility systems and structures.

Employee Wellness

Fostering school employees’ physical and mental health protects school staff, and by doing so, helps support students’ health and academic success. A comprehensive school employee wellness approach is a coordinated set of programs, policies, benefits, and environmental supports designed to address multiple risk factors (e.g., lack of physical activity, tobacco use) and health conditions (e.g., diabetes, depression) to meet the health and safety needs of all employees.

Family Engagement

Families and school staff work together to support and improve the learning, development, and health of students. School staff are committed to making families feel welcomed, engaging families in a variety of meaningful ways, and sustaining family engagement. Families are committed to actively supporting their child’s learning and development.

Colorado Department of Education Resources

Parent and Family Engagement Resources Achievement of At-Risk Students (Title I) Unit
Parent, Family & Student Communication and Engagement, Gifted and talented Education Unit
Family School Community Partnerships, The office of Family-School Partnerships sits within the Improvement Planning Unit at CDE, and was created in response to Senate Bill 13-193 Increasing Parent Involvement in Public Schools.

Coordination and Practices:

Family Engagement SMART Guides: RMC Health, Coordination of family engagement across WSCC component areas.

Supporting Policies

Senate Bill 13-193 Family-School Community Partnership Proclamation 2017 (English), Proclamation 2017 (Spanish)

Community Involvement

Community groups, organizations, local businesses, social service agencies, faith-based organizations, health clinics, and colleges and universities create partnerships with schools, share resources, and volunteer to support student learning, development, and health-related activities.

Colorado Department of Education (CDE) Resources

Family, School, and Community Partnerships | CDE The toolkit is designed to support each Colorado school system in partnering with families and community resources.

Coordination and Practices:

RMC Health Community Involvement Smart Guide: RMC Health, Coordination of community involvement across WSCC component areas.
Safe to Tell: This program is supported by the Colorado Department of Law, Office of the Attorney General. It provides schools, districts, and communities with resources for the free safe to tell program.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF): Provides resources to supports helping kids grow up at a healthy weight, teaching kids social skills, creating schools where education and health are linked.