School Nurse Leadership Program

Student Body Challenge: Making Health and Fitness a School Policy

The Student Body Challenge is a three-day leadership training series open to Certified School Nurses working in the Chicago Public Schools.

The focus of the training is on implementing CPS’s wellness policy that focuses on improving food, nutrition education, and physical activity in the schools. Certified School Nurses have the unique opportunity to learn skills for assessment, team building, goal setting, program development, implementation and evaluation as well as leadership skills such as meeting facilitation, public speaking, and the development of PowerPoint presentations.

This course is available at no cost to participating nurses, thanks to the generous underwriting of the Stranahan Foundation, the Davee Foundation,the Lloyd A. Fry Foundation and the Polk Bros. Foundation.

Up to 21 nursing contact hours from Oakton Community College are available at no cost.

Oakton Community College/Alliance for Lifelong Learning/Continuing Education for Health Professionals is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Two graduate credits are available from National Louis University are available for approximately $400.

What will I learn?

Perhaps more than anyone, school nurses understand how the school environment shapes children’s health, and how children’s health shapes their ability to succeed at school. The food they eat, and the opportunities they have to be physically active affect their health and learning for a lifetime. Children spend most of their waking hours outside of home in school, where unhealthy food choices and declining opportunities for physical activity are contributing to epidemics of childhood obesity and asthma.

The School Nurse Leadership Program features a series of three one-day sessions, with assignments and ongoing communication in between. Trainers include representatives from:

  • Healthy Schools Campaign,
  • University of Illinois at Chicago
  • National Louis University
  • Illinois Department of Health and Human Services
  • Graduates of the 2008-9 CPS School Nurse Leadership Program
  • And other relevant organizations.

When is the training?

Training will be scheduled around CPS Professional Training Days: Jan. 29, Feb. 11 and April 9, 2010. Participants must attend all three days of training.

What are graduates of the 2008-09 CPS school nurse training saying about the program?

“This leadership program is giving nurses the opportunity to redefine themselves in their schools.”

“I am excited; I feel like we can get out of the immunization box and do something to help the kids. I feel I have the freedom to branch out."

“I am excited about the freshness of ideas and feel the nurses can support one another in efforts to support wellness and the health of our kids. We can utilize our own personal strengths.”

“I learned not to trivialize anything we do as school nurses. Other nurses are coming up to follow; we can lead by example.”

“This training gave me ideas on getting a wellness program started, collaboration and organizing a team.”

“I am empowered to walk into my principal’s office armed with what I need to get a wellness team going.”

“The instructors were informative and dynamic, made us feel comfortable, and were on the level next to us, not above us.”

How should I apply?

To complete the application process, please submit a typed application as soon as possible. Please note that training will be held on Jan. 29, Feb. 11 and April 9, 2010; participants must be available to attend all three days of training.

Please send the completed, typed application to the Healthy Schools Campaign at 175 N. Franklin Suite 300, Chicago IL 60606 or fax to 312-419-1806.

Download the application »

Questions?

Please contact Donna Fishman with any questions:
Donna Fishman, MPH
School Nurse Program Director
Healthy Schools Campaign
Donna@healthyschoolscampaign.org or 847-275-5758