On Aug. 21, the Niles Community Schools Board of Education adopted a new health curriculum for the district, while giving new health equipment a test run during its public meeting.

The board, administrators and audience members sat on some of the 60 balance balls and wobbly chairs that will be available to students at Ring Lardner as part of the program’s adoption.

During the meeting, Donna Roark, assistant superintendent for curriculum and personnel, was joined by members of the NCS Coordinated School Health Committee that identified the appropriate curriculum for the district. Through the Michigan Health Endowment funding project Integrating Health into the School Improvement Planning grant, the district plans to incorporate a Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model, a framework for improving students’ learning and health.  This will be accomplished through the implementation of the Michigan Model for Health curriculum.

“Effective coordinated school health programs actively involve parents, teachers, students, families and communities in their implementation,” Roark said. “The committee’s plan looks to achieve long-term results for our students, and aims to help them establish and maintain healthy personal and social behaviors.”

The Coordinated School Health Committee paired community and school leaders, including Tom Richardson, administrator for business development and partnerships, Van Buren Intermediate School District; Ashlee Offord, clinical educator, Lakeland Health; Evan Winkler, assistant principal, Ring Lardner; Regina Herber, health teacher, Niles High School and Ring Lardner; Nic Hawley, health teacher, Niles New Tech, Eastside Connections and Ring Lardner; Jami Foster, health teacher, Niles New Tech; and Paula Peacock, special education health teacher, Niles High School.

The MMH is a sequential, developmentally appropriate, skills-based, comprehensive health education curriculum for Michigan students. It is aligned to Health Education Standards, and is research and evidence-based. Through MMH, training was recently provided to all NCS teachers grades 6 through 12.

“As we know, it is difficult for students to succeed in school if they are experiencing any number of the many health issues children face on a daily basis,” Winkler said. “For that reason, it’s essential we incorporate a comprehensive health curriculum that drives academic success by mitigating risk factors.”

Studies show students who received the MMH curriculum had better interpersonal communication skills, social emotional skills and self-management skills; improved pro-health and pro-safety attitudes; stronger drug and tobacco refusal skills; and later age of first cigarette use.

They also had less reported alcohol and tobacco use and aggressive behavior in the past 30 days; enhanced knowledge about the hazards of drugs; reduced intention to use alcohol and smoke cigarettes; and increased knowledge and skills in physical activity and nutrition.

Health equipment, including the balance balls and wobbly chairs the board tried out during its recent meeting, will be available for use at Ring Lardner throughout the year to enhance movement and stability, while also supporting academic achievement through sharpened focus.

Teachers at the school will be able to request the equipment as needed to support students during tests and other activities.

The new health curriculum and health equipment will be implemented for the start of the school year.