ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Public School District has been a popular topic in recent months but not for 'healthy" reasons. The Alliance for a Healthier Generation has named several SLPS schools in their 2024 list of "America's Healthiest Schools."
"We are incredibly proud of the dedication and hard work of our students, staff, and families in promoting a healthier and more supportive school environment," Acting Superintendent of Saint Louis Public Schools Millicent Borishade said. "This recognition is a testament to the unwavering commitment of our school communities to prioritize the physical, mental, and social-emotional well-being of every student. It is an honor to see so many of our schools acknowledged on a national level for their efforts to create environments where everyone can thrive."
Schools from across the country voluntarily apply each year. The criteria assessed to make the list are as follows: supporting school health services, implementing local school wellness policy, improving nutrition and food access, bolstering physical education and activity, enriching health education, strengthening social-emotional health learning, promoting tobacco-free schools, cultivating staff well-being and increasing family and community engagement.
SLPS schools awarded with all nine topics
- Ames Visual and Performing Arts Elementary School
- Humboldt Academy of Higher Learning Elementary School
- Mullanphy-Botanical Garden Elementary School
- Oak Hill Elementary School
- Patrick Henry Downtown Academy Elementary School
SLPS schools awarded with less than nine topics
- Adams Elementary School
- Betty Wheeler Classical Junior Academy
- Busch Middle School of Character
- Central Visual Performing Arts High School
- Gateway MST Middle School
- Gateway MST Elementary School
- Hamilton Elementary School
- Herzog Elementary School
- Hickey Elementary School
- Lexington Elementary School
- Lyon Academy at Blow PK-8
- Mann Elementary School
- Mason School of Academic and Cultural Literacy Elementary School
- McKinley Classical Leadership Academy High School
- Meramec Elementary School
- Nottingham Community Access and Job Elementary School
- Peabody Elementary School
- Shaw Visual and Performing Arts Elementary School
- Shenandoah Elementary School
- Stix Early Childhood Center
- Walbridge STEAM Academy
- Wilkenson Early Childhood Center
- Woerner Elementary School
- Woodward Career Academy
According to the list by Alliance for Healthier Generation, SLPS is the only St. Louis area school district that made the list consisting of 879 schools within 30 states. Besides schools in Republic, Missouri, Neosho, Missouri, and Ava, Missouri, there were no other Missouri Schools on the list.
"Often these programs just ask for policies to vet compliance or performance but this application not only requires policy/procedure documentation but actual attestations, copies of documentation showing that policy is not only in place but primary source documentation verifying implementation," Chief Clinical Officer at BHR Bart Andrews said. "This is something that is good to highlight as this is voluntary and the district has put some major effort into implementation evidence based practices."
What is a healthy school exactly?
When it comes to cultivating family and community engagement SLPS parents have shared with 5 On Your Side frustration with the district.
St. Louis mental health counselor Richelle Shorter said that healthy schools must include support.
"It is OK not to be OK," Shorter said "Creating those spaces that allow students to have breaks, frequent breaks. Go to a nurses office or counselors office to just be able to put their head down."
But that's just part of what makes a school or district healthy, Shorter believes.
"Safety for students and structure for students is really important," she said. "So students knowing they can go to school and feel safe and be safe... All that is really important to the mental well being of the school and the school district."
"I think it would really be good to highlight what safety and protection looks like," Shorter said. "Being mindful that parents trust the schools for eight, nine, ten hours out of the day to be responsible for their children."
Dialogue between parents and the school also adds structure and security for a student, according to the mental health professional.
Simply put, a healthy school embodies support, safety and structure for students.
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation has deemed 30 SLPS schools as "healthy." Andrews said this means that among roughly 90 SLPS schools, one-third met criteria for at least one topic.
"It's a big deal and definitely something to be touted," Andrews said.
