Chatham County Schools health and wellness position credited with partnerships, data collection; director to return with year‑end outcomes

Rob Schooley, the district's school health, physical education and wellness instructional program facilitator, briefed the Chatham County Board of Commissioners June 16 on the 2024–25 school‑year activities supported by the county's joint position with public health and the school system.

Schooley said the position serves the county's 20 schools and roughly 9,000 students. The program focuses on teacher resources, targeted professional development and community partnerships to translate classroom instruction into improved student health outcomes.

Key activities and partners described by Schooley included: - Professional development aligned with the Department of Public Instruction's healthful living standards and new substance use prevention curricula. - District participation in the 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey and pre/post testing for interpersonal communication curricula so the district can measure equitable delivery of instruction. - Partnerships with Duke Health (literacy study), Research Triangle Institute (RTI) for broader evaluation (including a rural focus under the What Works in Schools initiative), Piedmont Health Services for dental mobile clinic visits, and community efforts such as Safe Routes to School and Walk Across NC. - The district mental health team responded to over 40 referrals during the year; Piedmont's mobile dental unit logged about six school visits and 50 referrals; the district rolled out new substance use prevention aligned with updated standards.

Schooley told commissioners RTI will assess what is working in the district and provide perspective on the program's effects. He said staff intend to return with more outcome data and that he can provide longer updates to the Board of Health and to the board of commissioners as requested.

Questions and next steps: Commissioners asked about whether the position and its logic model are flexible enough to adapt to emerging challenges such as social media influences or a future public‑health crisis; Schooley said the work uses a living logic model that can incorporate new priorities and interventions. Commissioners asked for an annual update; Schooley said he could bring a 5–10 minute update to future meetings and a deeper briefing to the Board of Health.

Speakers - Rob Schooley, School Health, Physical Education and Wellness Instructional Program Facilitator, Chatham County Schools (education/government).

Clarifying details - Students served: approximately 9,000 across 20 schools. - District achievements listed: 40+ mental health referrals handled by the district mental health team; 50 mobile dental referrals resulting in six school visits; rollout of updated substance use prevention curriculum; participation in Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2025.

Community relevance - Geographies: Chatham County school district (K–12, including early college and an alternative learning program). - Impact groups: students, school staff, families, and school‑age health providers.

Meeting context - Engagement level: staff presentation followed by commissioner questions; staff flagged an upcoming RTI evaluation and committed to return with outcome data next year.

Searchable tags ["school health","RTI","Duke Health","Youth Risk Behavior Survey","Chatham County Schools"]

Salience {"overall":0.55,"overall_justification":"Ongoing program evaluation and partnerships that affect student wellness and preventive health instruction across the district.","impact_scope":"local","impact_scope_justification":"Direct effect on county schools and students.","attention_level":"medium"}

Sections {"lede":"Rob Schooley, the school health, physical education and wellness instructional facilitator, told commissioners June 16 the county's partnership position reached teachers and 9,000 students across 20 schools during 2024–25 with new curricula and community partnerships.","nut_graf":"Schooley cited partnerships with Duke Health and RTI, participation in the 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a new substance use prevention curriculum aligned with state standards, and mobile dental visits. RTI will evaluate program impacts and staff will return with outcome data.","ending":"Commissioners asked for follow‑up on outcome measures and agreed staff should return next year with evaluation results and more detailed data to show program effects."}