Coming: Collaboration guide, School Wellness events  

CSBA and the Cities, Counties and Schools Partnership have teamed to produce a guidebook, “Building Healthy Communities: A School Leader’s Guide to Community Engagement and Leadership,” that addresses the collaborative and leadership role school board members can play as community leaders in addressing childhood obesity. The school leadership guide will be the foundation for a unique pre-conference event Oct. 5, prior to the School Wellness Conference in Anaheim.

The guide explores the foundations of collaboration, examines the steps needed to create successful collaborations and highlights best practices and case studies of successful collaborations around nutrition and physical activity from across California.

“School board members are responsible for setting direction, establishing an effective and efficient structure, providing support, ensuring accountability to the public and acting as community leaders” in their school districts and county offices of education, said Betsy McNeil, CSBA student wellness consultant. “This project focuses on supporting board members in their responsibility as community leaders by encouraging them to develop collaborative community approaches addressing the nutritional and physical activity needs of children.”

The resource guide is the result of Healthy Communities-Healthy Students, a three-year project funded by the Vitamin Cases Consumer Settlement Fund, part of an antitrust settlement with vitamin manufacturers.

“The project’s goal is to equip school board members with the knowledge, resources and tools needed to garner community support and take collaborative action toward making communitywide changes supporting a healthier community,” said Martin Gonzalez, CSBA’s assistant executive director for Governance and Policy Services.

“Collaboration is a necessary strategy, especially during these tough economic times, for meeting the comprehensive needs of children and the community,” Gonzalez said. “Successful collaborations maximize financial resources in the community, avoid duplication of programs and facilities, enhance programs, allow for expansion, and build and foster a unifying environment.”

The “Building Healthy Communities” guidebook will be distributed at a complimentary event, “Finding common ground: Collaborating to prevent childhood obesity,” being offered Oct. 5 to participants registered for the Oct. 6-7 School Wellness Conference at the Anaheim Marriott. The pre-conference will address strategies for collaboration on nutrition, physical activity, joint use of indoor and outdoor recreational facilities, and safe routes to school. Four interactive sessions will highlight case studies where school districts are engaging in successful collaborations to create healthier communities and prevent childhood obesity. In addition to a copy of the guidebook, participants will receive samples of principles for collaboration, model joint-use agreements and school board policies, and a checklist for starting a collaborative. Group discussions will address key barriers such as funding, facilities, communication, duplication, competing priorities, accountability and leadership.

Related links:

Find complete information and register for the School Wellness Conference @ http://swc.csba.org

The resource guide will soon be posted on CSBA’s Web site @ www.csba.org/wellness.aspx