‘First Year Celebration of UConn’s Partnership with East Hartford Public Schools’

The Connecticut Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Partnership marked a successful first year by hosting a visit from representatives of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Stephanie Domain and Melissa Fahrenbruch from the CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health visited UConn and East Hartford Public Schools in late April to learn about the progress of the partnership.

Last year, the UConn Collaboratory on School and Child Health and the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health received a million cooperative agreement from the CDC to enhance the health and well-being of school-age children in Connecticut. Led by Co-PIs Sandra Chafouleas and Marlene Schwartz, the UConn team quickly established the CT WSCC Partnership to support evidence-based policies and practices aligned with the WSCC model.

The Partnership has already provided extensive professional development sessions in East Hartford Public Schools, focusing on implementing WSCC-aligned practices. Tracy Stefano, K-12 Supervisor of Health & Physical Education in East Hartford, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership and its potential impact on school and community wellness.

During the site visit, Domain and Fahrenbruch observed professional development sessions and visited schools in East Hartford to witness the partnership’s work firsthand. The WSCC Academy, a training program for wellness teams, has also been a significant success, attracting participants from various districts and organizations.

The Partnership also works on a statewide level, collaborating with key leaders and organizations to promote WSCC-aligned policies and practices. Future initiatives include expanding professional development opportunities and documenting the impact of the partnership on student and school health.

School districts interested in learning more about the CT WSCC Partnership and professional development opportunities can visit the Partnership website. Overall, the CDC representatives were impressed by the dedication of the staff and leadership involved in the partnership, highlighting the positive impact of the collaborative efforts.