LCSD Awarded Gold Colorado Healthy Schools Champion Award

Lake County School District is proud to announce that we are a 2018 Healthy School Champion and have won the $5,000 Gold Award for our school health efforts.

“Schools and staff across the district have been working really hard to ensure that students’ primary needs, whether that be food access, healthy relationship skills, or mental health supports, are met so they can focus on their studies. We are truly proud of what we’ve been able to achieve over the last few years, and are committed to supporting this important part of our mission as educators.” said Kerri Quinlan, Healthy Schools Director.

As one of 47 champions named as a 2018 Healthy School Champion, our work will be honored through the annual recognition program which awards schools and school districts for creating and supporting a healthy school environment and successfully implementing effective school health efforts that support student learning. While Lake County Intermediate School won the Platinum Healthy Schools Champion award in 2016 as an individual school, LCSD applied as a district this year and will share the Gold level honor with one other school or district.

“At CEI, we see the positive impact healthy school environments have on student success and this annual celebration program allows us to recognize and celebrate schools and school districts that are succeeding at this important work,” said CEI Director of School Health Amy Dyett. “These schools and districts have successfully demonstrated the critical link between student health and academic achievement and we’re excited to present this year’s 2018 Healthy School Champions award to Lake County School District.”

Schools and school districts are awarded based on their implementation of best practices in school health, captured through an assessment tool called Smart Source, a narrative outlining their work, and letters of support. “For the winning schools and districts, health and wellness is embedded into the culture and systems.  It’s about having an intentional investment to meet the needs of their students and staff in order to achieve academically,” added Dyett.  In addition, all winning champions are highlighted in the Colorado Healthy School Champions annual magazine.

The program has given over 315 awards, granting more than $350,000 over the past eight years in the range of $300 to $7,500 per champion.

Healthy School Champions Recognition is presented by Colorado Education Initiative (CEI) and  Colorado’s Healthy Schools Successful Students, and sponsored by The Colorado Health Foundation.