Skip to main content

Oregon State Flag An official website of the State of Oregon »

Oregon.gov Homepage

Oregon Healthy Schools

WSCC Framework

Background & Overview

Research shows that healthy kids are better learners and healthy staff are more engaged as school and community members. The school environment shapes daily choices that influence health Health and education affect individuals, society, and the economy and, as such, must work together whenever possible. Schools are a perfect setting for this collaboration. Schools are one of the most efficient systems for reaching children and youth to provide health services and programs, as approximately 95 percent of all U.S. children and youth attend school. At the same time, integrating health services and programs more deeply into the day-to-day life of schools and students represents an untapped tool for raising academic achievement and improving learning. 

 

Oregon Healthy Schools Newsletters

Subscribe for Updates, Resources, and Training Opportunities

Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Model

The WSCC Model highlights the School Health Components which every school should have to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of their students, staff, and environment. All of the School Health Components are present amongst the Indicators of the Healthy and Safe Tenets, but by using the WSCC Model, schools, districts, and communities are able to highlight these areas and direct more attention towards them.
​The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child, or WSCC model, is CDC’s framework for addressing health in schools.   The WSCC model is student-centered and emphasizes the role of the community in supporting the school, the connections between health and academic achievement and the importance of evidence-based school policies and practices. The WSCC model has 10 components:
  1. Physical education and physical activity.
  2. Nutrition environment and services.
  3. Health education.
  4. Social and emotional climate.
  5. Physical environment.
  6. Health services.
  7. Counseling, psychological and social services.
  8. Employee wellness.
  9. Community involvement.
  10. Family engagement.
Learn more about each of the 10 components.​
Resources organized by each component​

​The WSCC model meets the need for greater emphasis on both the psychosocial and physical environment as well as the increasing roles that community agencies and families play in improving childhood health behaviors and development. The WSCC model also addresses the need to engage students as active participants in their learning and health. CDC and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum (ASCD) developed the WSCC model—in collaboration with key leaders from the fields of health, public health, education, and school health—to strengthen a unified and collaborative approach designed to improve learning and health in our nation’s schools.
​Establishing healthy behaviors during childhood is easier and more effective than trying to change unhealthy behaviors during adulthood. Schools play a critical role in promoting the health and safety of young people and helping them establish lifelong healthy behaviors. Every school has a unique set of needs. To better serve their students, school leaders and staff can incorporate the WSCC model components as they see fit. To see the WSCC model in action, visit our Virtual Healthy School.


​Family and community involvement in schools is important to the learning, development and health of students. When schools engage families in meaningful ways to improve student health and learning, families can support and reinforce healthy behaviors in multiple settings—at home, in school, in out-of-school programs, and in the community. With help from school leaders, community agencies and groups can collaborate with schools to provide valuable resources for student health and learning. In turn, schools, students, and their families can contribute to the community through service-learning opportunities and by sharing school facilities with community members (e.g., school-based community health centers and fitness facilities).



Nutrition Environment & Services

Physical Education & Physical Activity

Management of Chronic Health Conditions


Local Wellness Policies Resources

​The Oregon Smart Snacks Standards, or other nutrition standards set by the district, should extend to all foods offered on the school campus including celebrations, rewards, and snacks.

Celebrations
Rewards
​Any foods and beverages marketed or promoted to students on the school campus during the school day need to meet or exceed the USDA and Oregon Smart Snacks nutrition standards.


“Food and beverage marketing” is defined as advertising and other promotions in schools. This includes oral, written, or graphic statements made for the purpose of promoting the sale of a food or beverage product made by the producer, manufacturer, seller, or any other entity with a commercial interest in the product.
Good nutrition and the ability to learn are intrinsically linked. Providing access to healthy foods at school - through foods offered or sold during the school day - not only supports students’ nutrition and develops lifelong eating habits, but also reinforces the nutrition education they receive in class.

Most schools engage in four to five fundraisers per year. School fundraisers can promote student, family, and community involvement and activity, part that promotes family and community involvement. Healthy fundraisers can be fun while keeping in step with health messages that students are learning in school. Below are a list of resources that include healthy fundraising ideas.

​The HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC) is a voluntary initiative established in 2004 to recognize those schools participating in the National School Lunch Program that have created healthier school environments through the promotion of nutrition and physical activity. In February 2010, First Lady Michelle Obama introduced Let’s Move!, incorporating the HealthierUS School Challenge into her campaign to raise a healthier generation of kids. At that time, monetary incentive awards became available for each HUSSC award level: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Gold Award of Distinction.

Resources
​Local Wellness Policies
Local Wellness Policies are an important vehicle for enhancing and sustaining school wellness efforts. Each local educational agency that participates in the National School Lunch Program or other federal Child Nutrition programs is required by federal law to establish a local school wellness policy for all schools under its jurisdiction.

We encourage you to view this Ted Talk by Sam Kass, this video describes the intent behind school wellness policies.

Engage school staff and parents in school wellness using these ready-to-go communication tools. Sharing news about your local school wellness policy is easy with these flyers, presentations, newsletter articles, and social media posts. Your school can personalize them to make them specific to your local school wellness policy activities.

Wellness Policy Resources
    To request a copy of the newest model local wellness policy, please contact staff at the Oregon School Boards Association policy services department or call 800-578-6722 or 503-588-2800 
    Triennial Assessment Tools
    Physical activity during the school day helps students concentrate, pay attention, and improve classroom behavior. Schools, where most of the students engage in physical activity every week, show bigger gains in test scores than other schools. Comprehensive physical activity programs include physical education and before, during, and afterschool opportunities for students to be physically active.

    Physical Education and Physical Activity Resources
    This section contains information particularly relevant to those working in organizations that support school health efforts.

    Oregon Healthy Schools
    Schools and communities working together for healthy, successful students and staff speaking

    Education’s Language - A Guide for Public Health Professionals Working in the Education Sector
    Public health professionals are experts in their field but are often not as familiar with the systems, structure, language, policies, and priorities that drive the education partner they are working with. Those who have worked in school health often speak of the sharp learning curve that exists for those working on health initiatives in the education environment
    .
     Health and Academic Achievement
    Public health and education professionals can use this resource to share the link between healthy eating, physical activity, and improved academic achievement to engage stakeholders in working together to support healthy school environments. Public health and education professionals can use this resource to share the link between healthy eating, physical activity, and improved academic achievement to engage stakeholders in working together to support healthy school environments.

     Healthy Schools CDC
    School Nutrition Environment. Childhood Nutrition Facts. Obesity Prevention. Youth Obesity Maps (2003-2015) Physical Activity. Youth Physical Activity Guidelines. Chronic Conditions. Asthma. Local School Wellness Policy. Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Virtual Healthy School, and more.

     School Physical Activity & Nutrition Environment Tool (SPAN-ET)
    The School Physical Activity and Nutrition Environment Tool (SPAN-ET) was developed to assess school resources and readiness to improve nutrition and physical activity environments suggest appropriate improvement strategies, and score impacts resulting from environmentally-based treatments

    Place Matters Oregon
    Place Matters Oregon is an effort of the Oregon Health Authority, Public Health Division that seeks to foster conversations about how place influences our individual and collective health

    How Schools Work and How to Work with Schools
    Key resources to work with schools. Key resources to work with schools.
    CDC Healthy School Resources​
    Fostering the physical and mental health of school employees also helps to support students’ health and academic success. Every school employee, no matter the role they play, contributes to a school’s mission. School staff can give their best when they feel their best. School employee wellness programs can help.

    Schools can provide an employee wellness program for staff that includes healthy eating and physical activity services. When staff model these healthy behaviors, they can reinforce them with students.

    Additionally, supporting school employee wellness programs can

    • Improve staff retention and productivity.
    • Decrease employee absenteeism.
    • Decrease employee health care costs.

    The organizations listed below help support school wellness through grant funding and technical assistance.

    Fuel Up to Play 60!
    Funding opportunities are available to any qualified K‐12 school enrolled in Fuel Up to Play 60. Sponsored by the National Dairy Council, state and regional Dairy Councils and other supporting organizations, the competitive, nationwide funding program provides money to jumpstart healthy changes.

    OEA Choice Trust
    The mission of OEA Choice Trust is to provide expertise and resources to help Oregon public schools employees create comprehensive and flexible wellness programs to build a culture of wellness that becomes the norm in school workplaces. This page provides grant opportunities and awards to help schools to support this school employee wellness.

    Action for Healthy Kids
    Schools need resources to implement health and wellness practices that help students eat better and be physically active. Thanks to our partners, Action for Healthy Kids has provided $6.6 million in grants to schools since 2009. Our School Grants for Healthy Kids can help your school health team achieve its goal to make every kid healthy and ready to learn.

    Oregon Child Nutrition Programs
    This page is dedicated to assisting sponsors with grant opportunities for their school nutrition programs.
    ​The word data essentially means information. Data provides information to on how well interventions work. Gathering data over time or from different sources allows you to see patterns, gaps, and determine where to put your efforts. Data collection should occur at the local (school and district) level. Include school and district-level data into grant applications. The sites listed below will provide a balcony view of the data – providing information at the state and national level. Data visualization helps the user effectively communicate data analysis to others.

    Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Weight
    Data visualization 
    Oregon Specific Data
    • Oregon Healthy Teens (OHT) is Oregon's effort to monitor the health and well-being of adolescents. An anonymous and voluntary research-based survey, OHT is conducted among 8th and 11th graders statewide. The OHT survey incorporates two youth surveys that preceded it, the YRBS and the Student Drug Use Survey.(OHT) is Oregon's effort to monitor the health and well-being of adolescents. An anonymous and voluntary research-based survey, OHT is conducted among 8th and 11th graders statewide. The OHT survey incorporates two youth surveys that preceded it, the YRBS and the Student Drug Use Survey.
    • Oregon Healthy Growth Survey provides an important opportunity to understand and address childhood obesity in Oregon and identify populations at greatest risk. It is the first to present body mass index (BMI) assessments for first, second and third-grade students attending Oregon elementary schools. This information will serve as a baseline and be used to inform evidence-based prevention strategies designed to ensure healthy growth for all Oregon children.
    National Data (Oregon profiles are included in some reports)
    School Health Profiles monitors school health policies and practices in states, large urban school districts, territories, and tribal governments. Profiles surveys are conducted biennially by education and health agencies among middle and high school principals and lead health education teachers.

    Food Insecurity Data

    Wellness Awards

    ​The Oregon Department of Education, the Nutrition Council of Oregon, the Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council, and OregonASK have teamed up for the past 15 years to reward exemplary Schools & Afterschool Programs for creating and sustaining a culture of wellness for youth and staff.

    As winners of these awards they receive the following:
    • School Programs selected will receive statewide recognition, a personalized plaque, and a custom banner, as well as a $2,500 award to be used to further nutrition, physical activity and/or other wellness efforts within their school.
    • Afterschool Programs selected will receive statewide recognition, a personalized plaque, and a custom banner, as well as a $1,000 award to be used to further nutrition, physical activity and/or other wellness efforts within their program.
    The Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council provides the cash award and a recognition banner for each winner.

    Congratulations to 2021-2022 School Wellness Award Winner

    Days Creek Charter School - Doglas Co. School District #15

    ​2020-2021
    • Ventura Park Elementary, David Douglas School District
    • Pleasant Hill High School, Pleasant Hill School District
    • Boys & Girls Club of Albany
    • Eugene Family YMCA​
    2019-2020
    • Gervais Elementary, Gervais School District
    • Robert Frost Elementary,Silver Falls School District
    • Boys & Girls Club of Salem, Knudson Branch
    2018-2019
    • Jason Lee Elementary, Portland School District
    • ​Wilson Elementary, Corvallis School District
    2017-2018
    • Madison Elementary, K-3, Coos Bay School District
    • McNary Heights Elementary, K- 5, Umatilla School District
    • Vern Patrick Elementary, K-5, Redmond School District
    2016-2017
    • St. Paul School Elementary, preK-6, St. Paul School District​
    • Adams Elementary, K-5, Corvallis School District​
    • Milwaukie High School, 9-12, North Clackamas School District
    2015-2016
    • ​Hudson Park Elementary School, K – 12, Rainier School District
    • Sams Valley Elementary School, PK – 5, Central Point School District #6
    • Serendipity Center, K - 12
    2014-2015
    • ​Robert Gray Middle School, 6-8, Portland Public Schools
    • Elk Meadow Elementary, K-5, Bend/LaPine SD
    • Lent School, K-8, Portland Public Schools
    2013-2014
    • ​Lynch View Elementary School, K-6, Centennial SD
    • Lincoln Elementary School, K-5, Corvallis SD
    • Crescent Valley High School, 9-12, Corvallis SD
    2012-2013
    • ​Benson Polytechnic High School, 9-12, Portland Public Schools
    • Chenowith Elementary School, K-5, North Wasco County SD
    • Meriwether Lewis Elementary, K-5, Portland Public School
    2011-2012
    • ​James John Elementary, K-5, Portland Public Schools
    • John Muir School, K-8, Ashland SD
    • Bonanza Schools, K-12, Klamath County SD
    2010-2011
    • ​Sabin Elementary, K-8, Portland Public Schools
    • Willamina Elementary, K-5, Willamina SD
    • Garfield Elementary, K-5, Corvallis SD
    2009-2010
    • ​Fairview Elementary, K-6, Klamath Falls City Schools
    • Hoover Elementary, K-5, Corvallis SD
    • Sacramento Elementary, K-5, Parkrose SD
    2008-2009
    • ​Blossom Gulch Elementary, K-4, Coos Bay SD
    • Centennial Learning Center, 7-12, Centennial SD
    • Mosier Community School, K-6, North Wasco County SD
    2007-2008​
    • ​Abernethy Elementary, K-5, Portland Public Schools
    • Franklin School, K-8, Corvallis SD
    • Joseph School District, K-12​

    Parents for Healthy Schools

    Supporting Students with Chronic Health Conditions in School-Based OST Programs

    Oregon Healthy Schools Resources & Support

    For additional information or questions, contact the Oregon Department of Education Child Nutrition Programs at ode.schoolnutrition@ode.state.or.us or 503-947-5894