Join (or build) your school health team.

School health programs are most successful when implemented as a team effort. Enter school health teams! Anyone — parents, teachers, administrators, school staff, students, board members and community members — can serve on a school health team. Together, they work to identify health concerns, lead projects that promote health, raise funds, promote and celebrate successful health initiatives and develop resources to help others replicate their efforts.

School health teams may work at the school level, district level or both, and they go by a variety of names. Some are called school health councils, improvement teams or advisory committees. Others go by wellness committee, wellness team or something else entirely. These teams may work on a broad range of health issues or focus their efforts on a particular program, framework or initiative.

As a parent you are a valuable asset on a school health team, bringing ideas and extra hands to lead and implement programs, and serving as a bridge to other parents and the community — just to name a few awesome things parents can do.

Get Started

Find out if any school health teams already exist in your school. If so, join their efforts. If your school does not have a health team, consider starting one and enlist other parents to help.

1. Develop an “elevator pitch.” In two minutes or less, be able to describe why you want to create a health team, what types of activities the team will undertake and what kind of time commitment will be necessary.
2. Get the principal’s approval. A supportive principal is essential to your efforts. A principal who participates on the team is ideal.
3. Identify school staff, other parents, community members and other champions to invite to the team. Inspire them to participate by creating a sense of urgency about the state of children’s health and its link to student achievement. Make sure your team members are creative, committed, passionate communicators and determined to face challenges head on. Try to have a diverse team that represents your entire school community.

Learn more about starting a school health team in Game On.