We know that in order to improve academic achievement, school leaders and teachers
must first establish a safe and healthy school climate and culture. Furthermore, in
Vermont, we aspire not only to help our students be academically successful, but also to
help them develop the social and emotional competence they need to thrive and
participate in civil society, in spite of what challenges they encounter. For this reason, it
is also our responsibility to ensure that our students have the knowledge and skills they
need to access information and analyze factors that influence their choices, so that they
can make decisions and set goals to enhance their own health. If students make healthy
decisions, they are more likely to be academically successful and to feel positive about
themselves and school. And, in schools, high quality health education can help cultivate
these skills.