Sierra High Is One of America’s Healthiest Schools

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— San Bernardino City Unified School District’s (SBCUSD) Sierra High School has been recognized as one of America’s Healthiest Schools.

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation is a Clinton Foundation-funded organization that is dedicated to health and wellness in public schools. It has awarded the distinction to Sierra this week for its dedication to supporting the health and well-being of students, staff, and families. Sierra is one of 781 schools across 36 states in the U.S. honored this school year.

As a continuation high school, Sierra serves students who are behind in high school credits or who may need a flexible educational environment because they are employed or fulfilling family obligations, making it even more vital that the campus meet most of the needs of its 470 students, according to Principal Hector Murrieta.

“Being honored as one of America’s healthiest schools is a testament to our unwavering dedication to promoting the well-being of all our students,” said Murrieta. “We believe in nurturing the whole student in a customized, personal way.”

Murrieta expressed pride and gratitude for Sierra’s recognition, emphasizing that this achievement is the result of collective efforts made by teachers, staff, students, families, and the entire community.

Sierra High School prioritizes student mental and emotional well-being. The school takes a proactive approach to address mental health concerns, implementing programs that focus on stress reduction, mindfulness, and coping strategies. With help from key partners like Loma Linda University School of Behavioral Health, the school offers on-campus counseling services and support groups, creating a nurturing environment where the emotional well-being of students is as important as their academic success.

America’s Healthiest Schools is an annual recognition program that celebrates schools for implementing policies and practices to promote health and well-being. Sierra was recognized for demonstrating remarkable efforts to prioritize the essential health needs of its school community and exceeding best practice standards in three of the nine evaluation topics.

The three topics Sierra excelled in were:

• Strengthening Social-Emotional Health & Learning—Supporting the social-emotional, mental, and behavioral health of students
• Improving Nutrition & Food Access—Promoting and increasing healthy eating and food access through school nutrition programs and nutrition education
• Implementing Local School Wellness Policy—Advancing health-promoting practices through implementation of the district’s wellness policy

Healthier Generation’s list of America’s Healthiest Schools remains one of the country’s longest-running, nationwide recognition programs honoring schools for achievements in supporting the whole health of students, teachers, and staff.

“This year, Healthier Generation continues to meet districts, schools, and educators where they are, recognizing it takes a considerable degree of effort to serve as a model of best practice in whole child health for students, teachers, staff, and community,” said Kathy Higgins, Chief Executive Officer at Healthier Generation. “We commend America’s Healthiest Schools for demonstrating resilience and adaptability amid challenging times for our nation’s schools.”

Author: Wallace