What is the WSCC model?
The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child, or WSCC model, is CDC’s framework for addressing health in schools. The WSCC model is student-centered and emphasizes the role of the community in supporting the school, the connections between health and academic achievement and the importance of evidence-based school policies and practices. The WSCC model has 10 components:
1. Physical Education & Physical Activity
- Physical education helps students develop motor skills, knowledge, and behaviors.
2. Nutrition Environment & Services
- School nutrition services provide students with opportunities to learn about and practice healthy eating.
3. Health Education
- When provided by qualified, trained teachers, health education helps students acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and skills they need for making healthy decisions.
4. Social & Emotional Climate
- A positive social and emotional school climate is conducive to effective teaching and learning. The school climate can affect student engagement in school activities; relationships with other students, staff, family, and community; health and growth; and academic performance.
5. Physical Environment
- A healthy and safe physical school environment promotes learning by ensuring the health and safety of students and staff.
6. Health Services
- School health services provide first aid, emergency care, and assessment of and planning for chronic conditions. In addition, services provide wellness promotion, referral to prevention services (such as HIV testing), and student and parent education. The services also ensure access or referrals to outside health care providers.
7. Counseling, Psychological & Social Services
- These prevention and intervention services support the mental, behavioral, social, and emotional health of students. Services include a broad range of assessments, counseling and consultation, and referrals to school and community support services.
8. Employee Wellness
- Fostering the physical and mental health of school employees protects school staff and, by doing so, helps to support students’ health and academic success. Healthy school employees are more productive and less likely to be absent.
9. Community Involvement
- Community groups and local businesses can create partnerships with schools, share resources, and volunteer to support student learning and health-related activities. Schools, students, and their families can contribute to the community through student learning and by sharing school facilities with community members.
10. Family Engagement
- Families and school staff work together to support and improve students’ learning, development, and health.
Learn more about each of the 10 components.
Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Model
Regional School Health Coordinator
Taryn Mason
906-482-4880