Connecticut

Connecticut is seeking to increase the percentage of schools that provide parents and families health information to increase parent and family knowledge of HIV prevention, STD prevention, and teen pregnancy prevention.

Activities

• Expand the capacity of the cadre of trainers programs to provide research-based and medically accurate professional development in HIV and STD prevention education to local school districts and other organizations serving youth of color and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning (LGBQ) youth.
• Develop a marketing strategy to engage a network of advocates that will expand support and interest in HIV, STD, and pregnancy prevention within a coordinated school health approach.
• Attend local conferences and forums addressing HIV, STD, pregnancy prevention, health disparities, and school improvement efforts.
• Maintain a Web page that addresses HIV, STD, and pregnancy prevention issues.

Status

Percentage of secondary schools that provide parents and families health information to increase parent and family knowledge of HIV prevention, STD prevention, or teen pregnancy prevention Table [pdf 4.2M] | Map† [ppt]

Connecticut is seeking to increase the percentage of schools in which the lead health education teacher received professional development on at least six of the following during the past 2 years:

• Teaching HIV prevention to students with physical, medical, or cognitive disabilities.
• Teaching HIV prevention to students of various cultural backgrounds.
• Using interactive teaching methods for HIV prevention education, such as role plays or cooperative group activities.
• Teaching essential skills for health behavior change related to HIV prevention and guiding student practice of these skills.
• Teaching about health-promoting social norms and beliefs related to HIV prevention.
• Strategies for involving parents, families, and others in student learning of HIV prevention education.
• Assessing students’ performance in HIV prevention education.
• Implementing standards-based HIV prevention education curricula and student assessment.
• Using technology to improve HIV prevention education instruction.
• Teaching HIV prevention to students with limited English proficiency.
• Addressing community concerns and challenges related to HIV prevention education.

Activities

• Increase the representation of organizations serving youth of color and LGBQ youth in stakeholders’ meetings.
• Expand the capacity of the Cadre of Trainers programs to provide research-based and medically accurate professional development in HIV and STD prevention education to local school districts and other organizations serving youth of color and LGBQ youth.
• Conduct at least six professional development activities relating to HIV prevention education delivered by the HIV/STD/pregnancy prevention cadre; the Healthy Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Students Project Cadre, and the Health Education Assessment Project cadre.
• Conduct two statewide trainings of the Tell Me What You See STDs, HIV, and hepatitis prevention education program.

Status

Percentage of secondary schools in which the lead health education teacher received professional development during the 2 years before the survey on at least 6 of 11 key HIV prevention topics Table [pdf 4.2M] | Map† [ppt]

Connecticut is seeking to increase the percentage of schools that have a policy or policies that address all of the following issues:

• Attendance of students with HIV infection.
• Procedures to protect HIV-infected students and staff from discrimination.
• Maintaining confidentiality of HIV-infected students and staff.

Activities

• Conduct a training for trainers to disseminate the new HIV and Other Communicable Diseases Policy Guide to school district personnel.
• Review and maintain the electronic resource inventory to assure accuracy and usability for school and community-based personnel to access policy resources for HIV, STD, and pregnancy prevention.
• Attend local conferences and forums addressing HIV, STD, pregnancy prevention, health disparities, and school improvement efforts.

Status

Percentage of secondary schools with a policy on students or staff who have HIV infection or AIDS that addresses attendance of students with HIV infection, procedures to protect HIV-infected students and staff from discrimination, and maintaining confidentiality of HIV-infected students and staff Table [pdf 4.2M] | Map† [ppt]

Physical Activity

Connecticut is seeking to increase the percentage of schools in which those who teach physical education are provided with all of the following:

• Goals, objectives, and expected outcomes for physical education.
• A written physical education curriculum.
• A chart describing the annual scope and sequence of instruction for physical education.
• Plans for how to assess student performance in physical education.

Activities

• Provide three professional development opportunities for school-level personnel on School Level Impact Measures (SLIMs), including Coordinated School Health (CSH) SLIM #2, CSH SLIM #3 and Nutrition SLIM #4.
• Add at least three physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco risk-behavior-specific Web pages to the Coordinated School Health Web page.
• Convene the third annual Comprehensive School Health and Physical Education Coordinators’ Meeting.

Status

Percentage of secondary schools in which those who teach physical education were provided with key materials for teaching physical education Table [pdf 4.2M] | Map† [ppt]

Nutrition

Connecticut is seeking to increase the percentage of schools in which the lead health education teacher received professional development on nutrition education and dietary behavior during the past 2 years.

Activities

• Develop an online training course for nutrition education for school-level personnel.
• Identify and connect to existing nutrition education training curricula and opportunities across the state.
• Add at least three physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco risk-behavior-specific Web pages to the Coordinated School Health Web page.
• Provide three professional development opportunities for school-level personnel on SLIMs, including CSH SLIM #2, CSH SLIM #3 and Nutrition SLIM #4.
• Provide professional development to CSH leadership school staff on nutrition and dietary behavior.

Status

Percentage of secondary schools in which the lead health education teacher received professional development during the 2 years before the survey on nutrition and dietary behavior Table [pdf 4.2M] | Map† [ppt]

Tobacco

Connecticut is seeking to increase the percentage of schools that follow a policy that mandates a “tobacco-free environment.” “A tobacco-free environment” is one that prohibits tobacco use by students, staff, and visitors in school buildings, at school functions, in school vehicles, on school grounds, and at off-site school events, applicable 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

Activities

• Add at least three physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco risk-behavior-specific Web pages to the Coordinated School Health Web page.
• Provide professional development to CSH leadership school staff on tobacco use prevention.

Status

Percentage of secondary schools that prohibited all tobacco use at all times in all locations Table [pdf 4.2M] | Map† [ppt]

Connecticut is seeking to increase the percentage of schools that have a group (e.g., school health team) that helps plan and implement school health programs, with representation from 10 or more of the following:

• School administrators.
• Health education teachers.
• Physical education teachers.
• Mental health or social services staff.
• Nutrition or food service staff.
• Health services staff (e.g., school nurse).
• Maintenance and transportation staff.
• Student body.
• Parents or families of students.
• Community.
• Local health departments, agencies, or organizations.
• Faith-based organizations.

Activities

• Provide an orientation session for new state-level coordinated school health interagency workgroup members.
• Distribute an electronic tool kit that includes materials related to all areas of student health to all school health advisory councils in each district.
• Provide three professional development opportunities for school-level personnel on SLIMs, including CSH SLIM #2, CSH SLIM #3 and Nutrition SLIM #4.

Status

Percentage of secondary schools that had one or more than one group (e.g., a school health council, committee, or team) that offers guidance on the development of policies or coordinates activities on health topics with representation from at least 10 of 14 groups Table [pdf 4.2M] | Map† [ppt]

Connecticut is seeking to increase the percentage of schools that have ever assessed their policies, activities, and programs by using the School Health Index or a similar self-assessment tool in any of the following areas:  

• Physical activity.
• Nutrition.
• Tobacco-use prevention.

Activities

• Work with districts in the Coordinated School Health Leadership Project to complete the School Health Index in each of the selected schools.
• Provide three professional development opportunities for school-level personnel on SLIMs, including CSH SLIM #2, CSH SLIM #3 and Nutrition SLIM #4.
• Develop criteria for recognizing successful coordinated school health efforts.

Status

Percentage of secondary schools that ever used the School Health Index or other self-assessment tool to assess their policies, activities, and programs in physical activity, nutrition, or tobacco-use prevention Table [pdf 4.2M] | Map† [ppt]

Connecticut is seeking to increase the percentage of schools in which those who teach health education are provided with all of the following:

• Goals, objectives, and expected outcomes for health education.
• A written health education curriculum.
• A chart describing the annual scope and sequence of instruction for health education.
• Plans for how to assess student performance in health education.

Activities

• Train at least 9 school districts participating in the Coordinated School Health Leadership Project to implement a coordinated approach to school health.
• Share updated coordinated school health and HIV/STD/pregnancy prevention resource inventory tools with stakeholders.
• Train Coordinated School Health Leadership Project districts on appropriate record maintenance for evaluation.
• Schedule, promote, conduct, and evaluate trainings for health education teachers.
• Disseminate at least three coordinated school health topic-oriented electronic “info-blasts” to all districts.

Status

Percentage of secondary schools in which those who teach health education were provided with key materials for teaching health education Table [pdf 4.2M] | Map† [ppt]