Transforming School Health: How to Mobilize Superintendents for Change across a Large County

As an educator for over 26 years, a former Regional Manager for the Colorado Department of Education, and currently the Superintendent of Sheridan School District in the Tri-County, CO Area, this presenter serves as an active member of the Leadership Team of the CDC-supported Tri-County, CO Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) Program. In that role, he has accepted the challenge to represent his peers and translate the goals of CPPW into the school environment so they result in students who are fit to face the world, both academically and physically. One of Tri-County's major initiatives involved getting all 15 school districts in the jurisdiction to agree on what needed to be changed or improved about school wellness policies to enhance wellness while still meeting academic standards. To make this policy change across all school districts a reality, public health couldn't do without the support of those who govern school policies - Superintendents. This speaker and another local Superintendent presented to the other 13 Superintendents, addressing the need to create a healthy school environment. After much negotiation and discussion, the Superintendents agreed to focus on the implementation of wellness and other policies that result in: increased access to healthy food/drink, and/or limit availability of unhealthy food/drink; increased non-food or healthy food-related parties or rewards in the classroom; and, increased weekly physical activity. This talk will describe how public health can engage Superintendent and school-based personnel audiences and guide them through policy change while being responsive to their constituency groups.