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Colorado Healthy Schools Program
About Colorado Healthy Schools Program
The Healthy Schools program provides training and support to districts and schools across the state to help prevent chronic disease and support the health and well-being of children and teens.
Since July 2023, the Healthy Schools team and its partners have provided 90+ trainings to over 3,100 school staff and community partners, focused on strengthening school health infrastructure, managing chronic diseases, and improving nutrition and physical activity within the school environment.
Learning Opportunities
Professional Development Events
CDE Professional Development Calendar
Coming in 2025-2026 School Year!
Wellness Coordinator Virtual Problems of Practice Group
School Wellness Teams Community of Practice
Colorado Healthy Schools Collaborative (CHSC)
CHSC Planning Team
Interest Form
CHSC Meetings:
Suggest a Topic or Speaker
Launched in September 2020, the CHSC connects individuals and organizations across Colorado to support whole child health and wellness in schools. Members include representatives from schools, districts, charters, BOCES, government and public health agencies, nonprofits, community partners, and health care organizations. The CHSC meets quarterly to foster collaboration, professional development, and shared learning.
Featured On-Demand Professional Development
Health Equity in Schools: Data Driven Strategies (Self-paced, online course)
Trauma-Informed Practices in Physical Education (Self-paced, online course)
Colorado Multi-tiered System of Supports Online Academy (The COMTSS Online Academy provides participants with on-demand training across multiple topics.)
Project Aware Lunch and Learns
CDE Family, School, and Community Partnerships Online Course Portal
Data
Healthy Kids Colorado Survey
The next administration of the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey is coming up this fall 2025 and all public secondary schools in Colorado are encouraged to participate. Check out the new outreach video to learn more! School districts can sign up by emailing CSPHSurveyTeam@CUAnschutz.edu. For more information, visit the Colorado School of Public Health Survey Team's administration website.
Smart Source
Colorado Healthy Schools Smart Source - Smart Source is a free inventory of best practices in school health, offered every other year and completed by school staff. Schools and districts use Smart Source to help inform programs and policies to improve school health efforts.
Resources
School health assessments help schools identify their policies' strengths and weaknesses and create an effective plan for the future.
- CDC: Assessing and Improving School Health
- Wellness School Assessment Tool (WellSAT) - Score your written district wellness policy and rate your district’s implementation of school wellness practices.
- Wellness Policy in Action Tool (WPAT)
- Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT)
- Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT)
School Health Action Plans
A clear action plan is key to a successful school health initiative because it guides the work and brings many benefits.
Local Wellness Policy
Local Wellness Policies are statutorily required for all school districts participating in federal child nutrition programs under the USDA, as mandated by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.
New! CDE Local Wellness Policy Toolkit
- CDE Nutrition: Child Health and Wellness Resources (Local Wellness Policy requirements, assessments, and resources)
- Alliance for a Healthier Generation: Local School Wellness Policy
- Wellness Policy in Action Tool (WPAT)
School Wellness Committees & Advisory Councils
Contact the Program Team
Jacklyn Thompson. LCSW
CDC Healthy Schools Program Manager
Thompson_j@cde.state.co.us | P 720-557-4220