The Role of Health in Academic Achievement
It is important to understand the close supportive relationship between healthy schools and students' achievement. Students who are in good health and who have their social and emotional needs met can concentrate better on learning than those who are sick or distracted.
Schools that create a comprehensive approach to health promotion and effectively address the complete physical, emotional, intellectual, and social well-being of students and staff are more effective in creating an environment where students can learn.
Successful learners are not only knowledgeable and productive but also emotionally and physically healthy, motivated, civically engaged, prepared for work and economic self-sufficiency, and ready for the world beyond their own borders.
Because emotional and physical health are critical to the development of the whole child, health should be fully embedded into the educational environment for all students. "Health and Learning"
- is a multifaceted concept that includes the intellectual, physical, civic and mental health of students;
- provides coordinated and comprehensive health efforts that give students and staff effective teacher, school, family, community and policy resources;
- supports the development of a child who is healthy, knowledgeable, motivated, engaged and connected;
- is the reciprocal responsibility of communities, families, schools, teachers, and policymakers.
