Bradley Schools hosts Save the Children leaders

photo Lesli Rangel uses the ropes course Wednesday at Lake Forest Middle School while Kathy Spangler and Andrew Hysell from the Washington, D.C., organization Save the Children, June McDonald and Karen Saffles-Slater of Bradley County's Coordinated School Health program and PE teacher Traci Branham, from left, watch. The two visitors from Save the Children also visited other Bradley County schools Wednesday to see their fitness programs.

PROGRAM AREASNutritionPhysical educationHealth servicesCounseling and social servicesHealthy school environmentStaff wellnessFamily involvementHealth educationSource: Coordinated School Health Director Andrea Lockerby

CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Some top officials with the national Save the Children program toured Bradley County schools Wednesday to get an up-close look at Tennessee's Coordinated School Health program.

Kathy Spangler, vice president of U.S. programs with Save the Children, and Andrew Hysell, associate vice president for policy and advocacy as well as project director of Campaign for Healthy Kids, spent the day visiting schools and talking to students, teachers, education officials and state legislators.

"The Campaign for Healthy Kids supports state obesity advocates and their efforts to pass policy change at the state level to fight childhood obesity," Hysell said. "Tennessee is a leader in the realm of coordinated school health, and the results you have gotten are really impressive. So we are here today to see how this works at the local level."

Hysell said some states are allocating money in their budgets now that will mirror Tennessee's Coordinated School Health program. The program aims to connect students' physical, emotional and social health with their education, according to the state's website.

The visit was one of two honors for the local program Wednesday. Johnny McDaniel, director of Bradley County Schools, recently received Tennessee's Office of Coordinated School Health Leadership Award. He was chosen by his peers for his staunch support of the program.

Andrea Lockerby, Bradley County Schools' Coordinated School Health director, said McDaniel's support has led to more than $1.6 million in grants and in-kind contributions for all areas of the program.

"We use this as a shining example to other states' legislators and leaders about how health is a critically important component of a child's education," Spangler said.

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Hysell said there is a real push to look at nonacademic barriers to academic success.

Accompanied by Lockerby and other physical and nutrition educators, the Save the Children officials began their tour at Taylor Elementary, followed by stops at Lake Forest Middle, Bradley Central High and Waterville Elementary. They had lunch with local legislators and community partners for Consolidated Health programs and then visited Ocoee Middle School.

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