Children need to be healthy to learn and educated to be healthy. Health and education must continue working together at the state and local levels to meet Missouri's children's health and educational needs. This collaboration has never been more important.

Missouri has made great progress in integrating health education and health-related services into the everyday school experience. Realizing that a variety of individuals within the school setting and the community can impact the health status of the student, the need for developing a collaborative school health program becomes obvious. No one individual can do it alone, but collectively, a great deal can be accomplished.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) reviewed the 2014 manual and updated it to serve as a helpful tool for identifying priorities for school health programs and assisting school nurses with program management.