The Wellness Champion is a staff member dedicated to a school's health and wellness efforts. They should convene the Wellness Team by identifying key stakeholders in the school and community to create a team that is sustainable and representative of a broad range of interests.

• Wellness Team Overview
• Wellness Champion Role Description

Medicaid Designees help support enrollment, engagement and utilization of CPS families into health insurance and public benefits. The Medicaid Designee must be a CPS clerk or school counselor to ensure student data is secure when communicating with the central office.

• Medicaid Designee Role Description
• Medicaid Designee Webinar Training

Garden Leads support the ongoing implementation of school garden programming. A strong lead will identify and build out a garden team that organizes gardening events across the school. This team may include school staff, engineers, administrators, parents and community partners. Garden-based education can be incorporated across subjects and grade bands. The Garden Lead will work with school administrators to identify how the garden fits into larger school goals and a plan for sustained garden use and care.

Schools are required to have at least three certified Sexual Health Education (SHE) Instructors, including at least one SPED Instructor. Depending on the school, the trained SHE Instructors may be teachers, social workers, school counselors, and/or school administrators. CPS requires all Sexual Health Education Instructors to be trained prior to facilitating the CPS Sexual Health Education Curriculum. A training certificate is provided to instructors who attend and participate in the SHE Instructor Training and pass the post-exam with a score of 80% or higher. The SHE Instructor Training certificate is good for four years.

The Diabetes Delegated Care Aide (DmDCA) is required for schools with a student with diabetes enrolled. The DmDCA assists students with their diabetes management and must be a non-nurse, full time staff person. Annual training is required prior to assisting students. For more information, please visit the Diabetes Employee Intranet page.

The Seizure Delegated Care Aide (SzDCA) is required for schools with a student with seizures enrolled. The SzDCA assists students with their seizure management and must be a non-nurse, full time staff person. Annual training is required prior to assisting students. For more information, please visit the Seizure Employee Intranet page.

• At least three staff members per school must be trained in the CPS Sexual Health Education Instructor Training. At least one of the three trained instructors must be a SPED instructor.
• The CPS Sexual Health Education Training must be completed every four (4) years to gain access to the CPS Comprehensive Sexual Health Education Curriculum.
• Sexual Health Education must be taught to all students in all grades as outlined in the Scope & Sequence.
• Three (3) letters of sexual health education notification must be sent to parents and caregivers every year. Template notification letters can be accessed once the sexual health education training is completed.
• Approved community partners may teach the sexual health education curriculum.
• For more information and resources, visit the Sexual Health Employee Intranet page (a CPS email is required to access the Employee Intranet).

• In grades k-4, students must engage in a course of physical education (aligned the Physical Education Instructional Vision) for a minimum of 3 days per 5-day week for a minimum of 120 minutes per week.  Health Education, Sexual Health Education, Recess, and any other physical activity do not count toward the physical education requirement.  per week. In grades 5-8, Physical Education courses may include the Health Education course required in the ISBE Critical Health Problems and Comprehensive Health Education Act.
• In grades 9-12,  all high school students must be scheduled in a physical education course each semester in every grade level (9-12). The 9th grade high school schedule must include one semester of Health Education; the 10th grade schedule may include Driver Education classroom instruction in accordance with Illinois School Board of Education (“ISBE”) guidelines. An individual student may submit an exemption request signed by a parent or guardian. The district must approve the request and is only valid during the current academic year. Please see the Individual Student Exemption Form for more information on exemptions.
• For more information, please visit the Physical Education Intranet  page (a CPS email is required to access the Employee Intranet).
• Health Education must be part of the formal, regular instructional program at each grade level in K-6. It is recommended that Health Education is scheduled throughout the year with students receiving one (1) class period of Health Education each week. 
• In grades 7- 8, the minimal time allocation for Health Education must not be less than one semester or equivalent. If Health Education is offered on a "block of time" basis, the total time devoted to Health Education should be the equivalent of one full semester. If offered in this format, it is recommended that at least one-quarter of Health Education is scheduled in each 7th and 8th grade. 
• In high school, one course must integrate 1 semester of health education into the curriculum (typically taken as PE I/Health).
• School should follow a skills-based approach to health education (aligned to the Health Education Instructional Vision) and must include the Illinois Instructional Mandates for Health. 
• Health Education Curriculum and resources can be found on the CPS Intranet pages for Health Education.

• Schools must provide Nutrition Education programming linking the classroom, dining center, and school garden (where applicable).
• All schools and campuses serving grades PreK-8 are required to integrate evidence-based Nutrition Education into the curriculum in all grade levels.
• High Schools serving grades 9-12 are required to integrate evidence-based Nutrition Education into the curriculum of at least two high school courses required for graduation.
• Nutrition Education curriculum must align with: 
  • National Health Education Standards
  • CPS Health Education Scope and Sequence
  • Most current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and “MyPlate” Plan

• If schools would like to serve vegetables grown in the school’s onsite garden in the dining center, or for classroom tastings, the school must be Eat What You Grow Certified. Eat What You Grow training will be available online, starting School Year 2021-22. 
• View the CPS School Garden Toolkit for additional resources on providing instruction in school gardens.

By calling the Healthy CPS Hotline, CPS can provide application assistance to enroll students and their families into the All Kids/Medicaid and SNAP program and educate students and families about their rights, eligibility, and the renewal process for public benefits. Call the Healthy CPS Hotline at 773-553-KIDS (5437) or visit www.CPS.edu/cfbu.

There are 33 School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs) throughout Chicago that provide no cost healthcare services to CPS students (some SBHCs are only available to students enrolled at the school; some to all CPS students; and some are open to the community). Services include but are not limited to: immunizations, physical exams, sports physicals, behavioral healthcare, chronic condition management, sexual and reproductive health care, and acute care.

Find a School-Based Health Center Near You

Hearing and vision screenings are offered to students at no cost. When applicable, referrals can be made for vision and hearing exams. For more information, please visit the Health Services Employee Intranet page or email OSHW@cps.edu.

The vision clinic at the Lewenson Center provides comprehensive eye exams and glasses to CPS students. For more information, please email OSHW@cps.edu. To make an appointment, please call 312-949-7990.

IEI at Lewenson Center
3241 S Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60616
312-949-7990

In Illinois, youth 12 years of age and older can access most sexual health services confidentially and without parental or caregiver consent or permission. CPS oversees sexual health service referrals, condom availability, and menstrual hygiene products. For more information, please email OSHW@cps.edu. Sexual health services are also available at some School-Based Health Centers.

Find a School-Based Health Center near you