Looking through the Whole Child Lens for District Improvement

MDE Definition
The “whole child” is a unique learner comprised of interacting dimensions, such as cognitive, physical, behavioral, social and emotional. The whole child lives within multiple and interconnected environments including home, school, and community.
​The Whole Child model combines two successful national models; ASCD's Whole Child Initiative and Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’ Coordinated School Health Model.  Please click on the icon for a short video explaining the WSCC Model rationale for combining Learning with Health.
In addition to the video, ASCD has produced an One Page Overview of the Whole Child as a resource for further understanding.  Below you will also find ASCD's 10 indicators under each of the five tenets:
  1. Healthy Tenet Indicators (sample Healthy info-graphic of key data for a school focused on health)
  2. Safe Tenet Indicators (often perception data for Safe and Healthy, consider both public and local data)
  3. Engaged Tenet Indicators (consider extra curricular activities, student discourse, lessons, etc.)
  4. Supported Tenet Indicators (sample Support info-graphic of one districts focus on stabilizing staff) 
  5. Challenge Tenet Indicators (consider advanced courses, dis-proportionality, and academic outcomes)
Ultimately, the goal is to SUSTAIN the work.  The sample info-graphics above show a powerful visualization of a school or district who has narrowed the root cause.  For a more comprehensive district info-graphic, see one district in California during their baseline year, 2014-15 Bear Valley, and then the progress updated, 2017-18 Bear Valley.  Notice the need for more whole child data that might be collected from MiPHY or other sources as shown below. 

Another lens to consider when exploring your data for the key data points include the four data types (demographic, process, academic outcomes, and perception).  The formerly required SDA (or  CNA Document) has some guiding questions for each type of data with some guidance for finding publicly available data. Please consider this as a resource only and consider the question that are most applicable while ignoring the rest.   

What story is your data trying to tell you?

Images from the Ottawa County Youth Assessment Survey, which is similar to MiPHY.  To learn more, visit the YAS website. 

Are you assessing your Whole Child Needs?

The Michigan Profile for Healthy Youth (MiPHY) is an online student health survey offered by the Michigan Departments of Education and Health and Human Services to support local and regional needs assessment. The MiPHY provides student results on health risk behaviors including substance use, violence, physical activity, nutrition, sexual behavior, and emotional health in grades 7, 9, and 11. The survey also measures risk and protective factors most predictive of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use and violence. MiPHY results, along with other school-reported data, will help schools make data-driven decisions to improve prevention and health promotion programming.

The HSAT provides tools for both school and district level teams to assess the health of their school environments and take action to improve those environments. The school-level tools include:
  • School Core Assessment & Feedback Report
  • 7 Topic Area Assessment & Feedback Reports
       o Healthy Eating
       o Physical Education & Physical Activity
       o Health Education
       o Staff Wellness
       o Social & Emotional Health
       o Safe School Environment
       o Tobacco/Nicotine-Free Lifestyles

Contact Your Regional School Health Coordinator for Support!

Click on the graphic to contact your Regional School Health Coordinator.