School Health

What You’ll Learn

In this concentration, you’ll get experience working in local schools and acquire the ability to: 

• Organize, develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive Pre-K through grade 12 curriculum in health education that includes the following Vermont health core concept areas: alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs; family, social, and sexual health; mental and emotional health; nutrition and physical activity; personal health and wellness; and violence and injury prevention. 
• Create and implement an assessment plan consistent with national and state standards. 
• Develop accommodations for a health education program to meet the needs of all individuals, including students with special needs. This includes an understanding of applicable laws, policies, and procedures. 

Outside the Classroom, In the Community

• You’ll complete a minimum of 80 hours of field experience at local schools prior to student teaching.  
• Then, you’ll complete a full semester of student teaching. During student teaching, you’ll teach under the guidance of a qualified cooperating teacher and university supervisor.  
• Students seeking teacher licensure in K-12 Health Education must apply, qualify, and be admitted to student teaching. 

Teaching Certification & Licensure

If you decide to seek Health Education PreK-12 licensure, you will develop a portfolio throughout your undergraduate experience demonstrating individual learning and growth as well as the ways in which the individual course work and field experiences foster proficiency in meeting the Vermont standards for teacher preparation. Integral field experiences ensure that you become part of a collaborative relationship in a school setting. Field experiences become more complex as you advance in the program, culminating in a semester-long student teaching experience. A minimum of 80 scheduled hours of field experience and a successful application is required prior to student teaching.