A healthy school environment gives students clear and consistent messages, accurate health information, and ample opportunity to apply it. The Healthy School Action Tools (HSAT) website provides access to online tools to help your school create a healthier school environment.  Visit the online HSAT training presentations on MI Streamnet:
Facilitator Training
HSAT Overview Training

  Healthy School Toolkit - Your Guide to Action
This toolkit provides the information, resources and tools needed to assist schools in providing an environment that supports healthly eating and physical activity habits of students, their families, school staff members and the community.

 Be a Part of the Healthy School Environment Recognition Program HSERP!  The HSERP is designed to applaud Michigan schools that have taken significant steps to make their environments healthier. All Michigan schools are invited to apply for a recognition award each year.  The program was established by the Michigan Surgeon General, Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom.  Learn more about the HSERP at http://mihealthtools.org/greatschools/ .

  Michigan Tools for Healthy Schools
Is a local-level needs assessment tools to support Coordinated School Health.

  Michigan Healthy School Success Stories  
This website encourages schools to share their successes, be recognized for their efforts, and inspire other Michigan schools.  The website includes an easy online form for submitting success stories, and enables schools to review published success stories by topic for proven ideas.  Visit the website at  http://mihealthtools.org/schoolsuccess/  to learn more about this program. 
    
  Monetary Resources-Grant Opportunities
Michigan and national organizations have opportunities for healthy school environments posted here.

  Other Key Resources for Healthy School Environments:
This website provides links to key policy and environmental resources for schools.  http://mihealthtools.org/schools/Default.asp?tab= Resources

  School Based Health Centers
School Based Health Centers: Resources for identifying & assisting individual students who could benefit from help with weight.

  SPLASH (Shaping Positive Lifestyles & Attitudes through School Health) is a project funded by the USDA which focuses on a set of behavioral outcomes to improve the dietary quality for those with a limited budget and resources. With the funding, SPLASH is able to provide low income schools that have a 50% or higher free and reduced lunch population with a comprehensive health curriculum (Michigan Model), a physical education curriculum (Exemplary Physical Education Curriculum), teacher training, and monies for nutrition education and outreach events.  If you are a qualifying low income school and would like to join the SPLASH project, contact your Regional School Health Coordinator or click below to reach the SPLASH website. 

  Summer Food Service Program- Youth Nutrition Education 
Through this pilot project, MPHI will partner with the Department of Education Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) to provide nutrition education to youth at participating sites in the Detroit area. The Summer Food Service Program was created to ensure that children in low-income communities could continue to receive nutritious meals during long school vacations, when they do not have access to school lunch or breakfast. SFSP sites include schools, community centers and churches and serve as safe places with structured, supervised activities for children to go to be with other children and supportive adults. Due to limited funds and lack of resources, the SFSP has thus far been unable to add nutrition education to an already successful program. MPHI will fill this gap by providing funding for materials and personnel to provide nutrition education to 10 of the 200 SFSP sites in the city of Detroit. 

The project will use We Can! Materials offered by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. We Can!™ stands for Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition. It is a national education program designed for parents and caregivers to help children 8-13 years old stay at a healthy weight. Parents and caregivers are the primary influencers for this age group. We Can! offers parents and families tips and fun activities to encourage healthy eating, increase physical activity and reduce sedentary or screen time. It also offers community groups and health professionals resources to implement programs and fun activities for parents and youth in communities around the country.  You can find more information about the We Can!  Program at this site.    

Fact Sheets  

  Healthier Environments that Support Physical Activity and Healthy Eating in Michigan Schools
Tip Sheet: Michigan Schools Making Healthy Changes with Coordinated Health Teams and the Healthy School Action Tool

Congratulations to 103 Schools for Promoting Healthy Environments  
The Healthy School Recognition Program is designed to applaud Michigan schools that have taken significant steps to make their environments healthier.  The 2008 Award School Recipients  were given 1st, 2nd, 3rd place, and Honorable Mention.  Visit their website to learn more about this program and learn how your school can be recognized in 2009  http://mihealthtools.org/greatschools/ .

 Congratulations to the 2007 Award Winning Schools
Fifty-seven schools were awarded recognition at a program established by Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom, Michigan's Surgeon General, on May 2, 2007.   The 2007 Award School Recipients  are making significant improvements in their school environment related to healthy eating, physical activty, and tobacco-free lifestyles.  Learn more about the Healthy School Environment Recognition Program by visiting http://mihealthtools.org/greatschools/ .

  Healthy Michigan School Environment Recognition Program, 2006
The recognition program acknowledges Michigan schools that have taken significant steps to make their environments healthier.  The program acknowledged  The 2006 Award School Recipients .  Visit the website www.mihealthtools.org  for more information.

  Michigan Schools Making Healthy Changes :
Coordinated Health Teams and the Healthy School Action Tool.

  The School News: Coordinated School Health Teams Make a Difference!
Thirteen initiatives in nine school districts are highlighted, October 2006.

  The School News: Summary of MDCH/MDE-Funded Schools
Schools direct their funds in a variety of ways, October 2006.

Reports

  Bridges and Barriers to Working in K-8 Low-Income Schools School Needs Assessment: Focused on Nutrition and Physical Activity. (2007)
The School Needs Assessment (SNA) project was developed to determine the barriers and bridges to working in low-income schools and methods to make these efforts more successful and sustainable in educating students and their parents/guardians resulting in healthy eating and physically active lifestyles.

  The Role of Michigan Schools in Promoting Healthy Weight :
This consensus paper provides practical guidelines and policy recommendations for schools to promote healthy weight for students of all shapes and sizes. The Michigan Department of Education, Michigan Department of Community Health, Governor's Council on Physical Fitness, Health & Sports, and the Michigan Fitness Foundation, in collaboration with the expertise of child health professionals from more than 30 organizations, have addressed the weight concerns facing Michigan's children. This paper provides an innovative road map for schools and communities to use when addressing healthy weight and healthy school environments. Many of Michigan's childhood overweight prevention and school health projects target the implementation of the recommendations outlined in the consensus paper.(2001)

Success Stories

  Michigan Healthy School Success Story
This website encourages schools to share their successes, be recognized for their efforts and inspire other Michigan schools. The website includes an easy online form for submitting success stories and enables schools to review published success stories by topic area for proven ideas. Visit their webiste at http://mihealthtools.org/schoolsuccess/  to learn more about this program.