The Health Officer's Healthy School
Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards of Excellence

We are proud to announce the Health Officer’s Healthy School Awards of Excellence. Only schools that are awarded the Health Officer’s Healthy School Seal of Approval in the same year are eligible to compete and there will be only three recipients: the Gold, Silver, and Bronze award winners. The goal of this award is to acknowledge schools that recognize the influence they have on children’s wellbeing and actively embrace opportunities for improving the nutrition, physical activity, safety and wellness of their students and staff.

Schools are a microcosm of the community defined by the physical structure of the school, the school district and the aggregate population that the school serves. Research has shown that adequate physical activity and improved nutrition can lead to improved academic performance, less absenteeism, better concentration, and fewer behavior problems. The Jefferson County Department of Health believes healthy children learn better and healthy teachers and staff members provide better learning opportunities. Teaching children how to eat well and the importance of being active and safe will help instill healthy habits that will last a lifetime. Making improvements in our schools has the potential to produce far-reaching benefits for both our children today and our communities tomorrow.

The Health Officer’s Healthy School Awards of Excellence Gold, Silver, and Bronze recipients are determined through a detailed, self assessment, based on CDC’s School Health Index and U.S. EPA HealthySEAT Assessment criteria. The Health Officer’s Healthy School Awards of Excellence are Jefferson County Department of Health’s most coveted school award honoring the incredibly powerful role that our schools play as foundations for our communities.