Colorado Connections for Healthy Schools

Pilot School Districts for Colorado Connections for Healthy Schools

Colorado funds five school districts through the Colorado Connections for Healthy Schools Initiative to pilot the coordinated school health model and create systems change to promote healthy schools over the next three years.  The intent of the pilot program is to strengthen coordination and support for healthy schools and build an infrastructure to sustain the program when the funding ends.

Requirements to be  a Colorado Connections for Healthy Schools Pilot School District:

1. Hire or identify a district Health Coordinator
2. Create a district/BOCES level "coordinated school health team" including all health and prevention related positions at the district level with emphasis on physical activity, nutrition and tobacco prevention areas
3. Create at least 3 building-level school health teams of 5 members each , with emphasis on physical activity, nutrition and tobacco prevention areas, train them in the Coordinated School Health Model, and conduct a School Health Index needs assessments for each building
4. All school team members and the health coordinator (16 people) attend four professional development opportunities on coordinated school health and leadership skills, and participate in three planning days within the district.  The health coordinator also attends bi-monthly coordinator meetings in Denver and participates in monthly conference calls with CDE.
5. Create a local health advisory council made up of school representatives, community resources such as local health departments and prevention initiatives, parents, and students representative of the norms and values of the community
6. Assure and oversee a preK-12^th grade health education program, in compliance with the Colorado Comprehensive Health Education Act of 1990
7. Participate in the state evaluation of the pilot program to correlate the health and educational outcomes of students

Congratulations to the following school districts in the pilot program!

Durango 9 School District
Contact: Jaynee Fontecchio-Spradling: 201 East 12th Street, Durango, CO 81301; (970) 247-5411 ext. 1417

East Grand School District, Granby
Contact: Kathy Kopp: P.O. Box 130, Granby, CO 80446; 970-887-2104

Summit County School District
Contact: Natalie Boyer: PO Box 7, Frisco, CO 80443; 970-668-3011

Weld County School District Re-7, Platte Valley
Contact:  Janice Lockman, P.O.  Box 485, Kersey, CO 80644; (970) 336-8500

West Grant School District, Kremmling
Contact: Dr. Jeff Perry, 304 12th Street, Kremmling, CO 80459; (970) 724-9373

For more information, please contact: Karen Connell, Supervisor (303) 866-6903.