Colorado

Colorado’s Healthy Schools Collective Impact (HSCI)External brings together many partners in the professional development (PD) and school health fields to put support for school health improvement in one central location within the district. This initiative allows for fewer competing PD events around the state and greater school and district staff attendance at trainings focused on the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model.

HSCI consists of three workgroups: Professional Development; Data Systems, Research, and Evaluation; and Communications. HSCI is led by a steering committee of state agencies, funders, service providers, school and district staff, and youth advisors, some representing each of the three workgroups.

Impact

The Healthy Schools Professional Development Team’s trainings brought together all of the top providers of professional development focused on the WSCC model and allowed the providers to be strategic and intentional about what professional development was offered. There were over 400 attendees from local schools, districts and community partners. Fifteen school districts were represented that reached over 220,000 students.

Participants now have the opportunity to connect with other people who work in their region. These events also create opportunities for school staff to connect with organizations that offer professional development to build stronger relationships and extend the reach of these relationships beyond the Denver metro region. Peer learning is incorporated at all of the PD events and there are opportunities to hear from schools and districts, and specifically wellness coordinators, on ways to set up health and wellness programs in schools.