School Health

Working with community partners and local schools we bring best practices in school nutrition and physical activity to students, staff, and families.  Children and adolescents educated in healthy practices can enter adulthood better prepared to make healthy choices and become productive adults, a cornerstone of public health.

The RCDOH is a founding and lead agency for the Rockland County School Health and Wellness Coalition which follows the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model to bring technical assistance to local schools.  Through a robust community-school collaboration, we support school districts in:

• creating and implementing strong Local Wellness Policies.
• keeping students physically active both in and out of the classroom.
• adhering to the Smart Snacks in School Standards.

As critical issues evolve such as mental health for students and staff following the COVID-19 pandemic, we fine tune our messaging and professional development offerings to meet the need.

 13th Annual March Forward
March 1 - March 15, 2025

Join the Physical Activity Movement that starts in the classroom! 

This is the time to put your classroom in motion! As a teacher, you already inspire learning in many awesome ways. During #MarchForwardRC, March 1 - March 15, 2025, you can highlight how you keep students energized and focused with physical activity by sharing with other educators!

Use hashtag #MarchForwardRC when posting videos and photos on your school's social media platform to show how you are using physical activity in the classroom. All grades and subject areas can participate. To share statewide, you may add #HealthySchoolsNY. Tag another school or colleague to encourage them to participate too.

How to Participate

• Follow the guidance your school or district provides about participation.
• Notify your district's communication specialist for social media coverage of your March Forward events.
• Keep physical activity appropriate for the space and students' ages and abilities. Physical activity should be fun and rewarding and not used as a punishment or a negative consequence.

March Forward Message for Students and Teachers

• Physical Activity helps to relieve stress.
• Physical activity helps us do better in school.
• Physical activity helps us feel our best.
• Being physically active is a great way to make friends.
• Be physically active for at least 60 minutes each day.

Physical Activity Videos

• Elementary School: Go Noodle
• Middle School: Jammin Minute
• High School (and Middle School): Pro Athlete Classroom Breaks
• More Ideas: Go to Alliance for a Healthier Generation and search for "physical activity breaks" (free login needed).
• Easy 1.5 minute videos filmed locally:
  • Kneesy, Earsy, Nosey*
  • 7 Stages of Laughter*
  • Crazy Arms*
  • Cross Crawl Part 1**
  • Cross Crawl Part 2**

*Contact information for Mr. Amazing: carlo@amazinggracecircus.org
**Contact information for Mariola Strahlberg: shiningmtnny@aol.com

Additional Resources

• 50 Educational Brain Breaks
• Active Schools
• Destress Monday
• Equity Considerations for Physical Activity in the In-Person or Virtual Classroom
• In-School Activity Breaks by Fuel Up to Play 60
• Physical Activity Cards for All Ages
• Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd Edition
• Spark - The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, by John J. Ratey, MD and Eric Hagerman
• The Kinesthetic Classroom Teaching and Learning Through Movement, by Traci Lengel and Mike Kuczala
• Teaching Through Movement Setting Up Your Kinesthetic Classroom, by Stacey Shoecraft

The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model acknowledges the link between child health and academic success. By keeping the WSCC model in the forefront during the planning process, schools can align their academic goals with the health and well-being of their students, families, and employees. Implementing wellness policies, practices, and environmental supports, ensures that students and school employees have access to the healthy choices necessary for learning readiness, and improved morale and productivity.

To achieve this, our mission is to educate and facilitate collaboration between schools, local agencies, and businesses to support, optimize, and sustain the health and productivity of our students, school staff, and community. 

The School Coalition works with educators and administrators, parents, and community-based organizations countywide as well as regional and statewide programs to raise awareness of best practices and available resources to support school health.

Activities and Resources

The School Coalition supports the education community by offering:

• Technical assistance in updating and implementing wellness policies and practices.
• Ongoing professional development programming.
• Collaboration with community organizations.
• A Health Fair Planning Guide containing step-by-step instructions on how to plan a successful health fair. The Guide also includes templates for letters, lists and forms.

Steering Committee

The Steering Committee plans School Coalition events and is comprised of several organizations.

For more information, contact steindoc@co.rockland.ny.us or call 845-364-2360.