School  Nurse

Nakeisha Cornett



Establishing healthy behaviors during childhood is easier and more effective than trying to change unhealthy behaviors during adulthood.

Schools play a critical role in promoting the health and safety of young people and helping establish lifelong healthy behavior patterns.

School health is said to be one of the most effective strategies that a nation might use to prevent major health and social problems. Next to the family, schools are one of the major sources for providing the instruction and experiences that prepare young people for their roles as healthy, productive adults. Schools can – and invariably do play a powerful role in influencing student’s health-related behaviors.

Appropriate school intervention can foster effective education, prevent destructive behavior, and promote health practices. For many young people in their formative years, school may in fact, be the only nurturing and supportive place where they learn health information and have positive reinforcement.

In addition, health and success in school are intertwined. Good health facilitates children’s growth, development, and optimal learning, while education contributes to children’s knowledge both academically and about being healthy. Studies of young people have found that health-RISK behaviors NEGATIVELY affect:  (1) Education outcomes, including dropout rates, behavioral problems, classes grades, and performance on standardized tests,  (2) Education behaviors such as school  attendance, homework and extracurricular pursuits and (3) student attitudes about themselves, their families and school in general.  

Children who are sick, hungry, abused, use drug or alcohol, involved in gangs, who feel no one cares or who are distracted by other situations are less likely to learn. One child’s lack of progress can impede the learning of other children in the classroom .

Research has shown that students who feel connected to their families, their school and themselves are less likely to engage in many risk behaviors . Students who are healthy, and connected to their family and schools are more likely to have better academic achievement, such as, higher grades and test scores, better school attendance ,stay in school longer, and less social issues .

Individuals with less education and limited understanding of basic health information maybe more likely to experience a number of health problems.

Schools cannot achieve their primary mission of education if students and staff are not healthy and fit physically, mentally and socially, therefore prevention is the key to maintaining good health.

Prevention is done through education, nutrition, access to health care and promotion of health enhanced behavior . Achieving optimum health is a life time goal.


Additional Information: 

Scoliosis Fact Sheet