School Programs
Lakela Moore
HLTH225-1405B-01
Eric Oestmann
AIU Online

Abstract
School health programs, was designed for school officials like teachers and other staff members to teach and support students in healthy nutrition and to help promote physical activity. This article will discuss barriers that had an impact on schools. Also included in the article will be a discussion on how one school found a way to break these barriers by getting others involved in teaching students how to live a basic healthy lifestyle.

Health education is a comprehensive school program that teaches students grade pre-k through 12th grade right way to live healthy. They addressed issues such as, physical, mental, emotional and social aspects of a comprehensive school health program. Robertson County School (N.D) stated that health education planned pre-k through high school program. The program discusses issues such as, the physical, mental, emotional and social steps of health. The health education program was designed to integrate proper health into the everyday lives of students. It is supposed to aide students in maintaining good health in order to prevent disease and to simplify health-related risk behaviors (Robertson County School, N.D). The program covers several areas of health such as, family, personal, community, environmental, emotional and mental health. It also covers the prevention of injuries and safety, CPR, drug and alcohol abuse, and disease prevention. According to (Robertson County School, N.D), there are several professionals that is well qualified and trained to help teach students proper health dimensions. These qualified professionals or health educators are, teachers, school counselors, nurses, and registered dieticians. Taras and Bennan (2008) wrote that the, areas of controversy in health education is the students with chronic illnesses or disabilities. This has been a controversial topic in the school system for years. The National Survey of Children with Special Needs estimated that at least 12.8% of children pre-k through 12th grade has serious medical issues such as asthma, respiratory compromise, and seizure disorders. The issue at hand was can these kids participate in the physical aspect of health education. If they can’t participate, what can they do that won’t affect them physically. The students are required to show proof from a doctor or physician. Schools strongly urge physicians and doctors to stay involved in students school affairs. By doing this the school professionals can alternate the physical aspect of health education with another less strenuous course (Taras and Brennan, 2008). All schools face some type of budgetary constraint says (Lucarelli, Alaimo, and Mang, 2008). Some of these constraints led to staff cuts. Some schools were forced to lay-off teachers, dietary or food service staff, and elective teachers such as choir and band. It really put schools in a bad position because students suffered the most. One major area that was discussed was nutrition health. School professionals, was concerned with the fact that kids were not receiving healthy meals. They attempted to implement healthier foods as opposed to competitive foods. The problem was that due to budget cuts some foods like whole grain/wheat, fresh fruits and fresh vegetables was too expensive. Therefore they only served these items a couple of times a