Research to Translation: The Healthy Schools Toolkit and New Approaches to the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model

Abstract

BACKGROUND:The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model is an evidence-based comprehensive framework to address health in schools. WSCC model use improves health and educational outcomes, but implementation remains a challenge. METHODS:Working with 6 schools in 2 districts in the Midwest, we used a mixed-methods approach to determine the people, systems, and messages needed to activate WSCC implementation. We report on social network analysis and message testing findings and research translation to develop the Healthy Schools Toolkit. RESULTS:Social networks for both districts included more than 150 individuals. Both demonstrated network densities less than half of the desirable threshold, with evidence of clustering by role and minimal cross-school relationships, posing challenges for WSCC implementation. Across stakeholder groups, messages that emphasize empathy, teamwork, and action were well-received, especially when shared by trusted individuals through communication channels that align with stakeholder needs. CONCLUSIONS:The Healthy Schools Toolkit provides an example of a translational product that helps to bridge research with practice. With features that highlight 6 design principles, the toolkit provides complementary activities that schools and districts can use as they plan for integration of the WSCC model.

Community‐Based System Dynamics for Mobilizing Communities to Advance School Health

“…The objectives of the workshops were to: (1) elucidate the underlying social system factors that determine healthy school environments in the St. Louis region, (2) develop a causal map focused on the interconnections between these factors that promote healthy and successful schools, and (3) identify changes, policies, and innovations that can be implemented in schools based on this map. A more comprehensive discussion of this overall Together for Healthy and Successful Schools project is available elsewhere in this issue 30 …”

“…A more comprehensive discussion of this overall Together for Healthy and Successful Schools project is available elsewhere in this issue. 30 The Core Modeling Team for the Together for Healthy and Successful Schools project included school-building staff and district leaders from 2 local school districts, the faculty principle investigator and a project coordinator from the research team, and a staff modeler and student research assistant from the SSDL. The design process started with a 3-hour scoping and demonstration workshop conducted at a district elementary school that engaged core modeling team members from both districts as participants.…”

Contextualizing the Association Between School Climate and Student Well‐Being: The Moderating Role of Rurality

“…Promising whole‐school approaches to improving school climate include Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports 39 and the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model 40 . With fewer human resources available in rural schools, comprehensive implementation of these types of programs may be challenging, but user‐oriented toolkits offer helpful steps and actions to support implementation 41 . Rural schools are particularly resourceful at overcoming human resource constraints through enlisting school personnel and community members in multiple, boundary crossing roles; identifying and supporting these critical individuals will be helpful to effectively leverage existing resources while promoting school‐community engagement 42 …”

Every School Healthy: Policy, Research, and Action

“…As one example, we can look at the work of McMullen et al, 6 who, using the research strategy of a systematic review, note that there has been little empirical research on effective strategies for community engagement, a core component of WSCC. Similarly, the articles by Purnell et al 7 and Ballard et al 8 apply tools new to this field, such as Network Analysis and Group Model Building, to understanding the systems within school communities. Their findings lay the groundwork for further work to better understand how to build and sustain truly authentic community engagement.…”