They need role models and mentors who stir their aspirations and connect them to the right networks. And they need good physical and emotional health so they can concentrate on the hard work of learning. Schools that are moving in this direction usually do so by addressing the health needs of students, extending the schedule, engaging the home, and joining efforts to improve the neighborhood. Some schools concentrate on one or two of these approaches, while others try to make themselves over as community schools that adopt all of the approaches at once. When it comes to health, for instance, a growing number of school leaders believe it is part of their responsibility to foster their students' physical and emotional well-being.
Some schools function as health delivery sites, while others provide referrals to caregivers.
Clearly, students who are in less than optimal health cannot bring their full resources to the pursuit of education. The clinic at P.S. 5 is the primary health provider for 40 percent of the school's students. It conducts physical examinations, administers vaccinations, and treats first-aid emergencies. And it deals with a host of chronic problems, such as asthma, that afflict inner-city children. These services are provided in a small, three-room clinic staffed through a contract with the visiting nurse service.