Hance and Eden Hall Named to Lists of Healthy Schools

Hance Elementary School has been named to two lists of healthy schools in recognition of the school's commitment to supporting student, staff and family well-being.

Healthy Schools Pennsylvania

Hance Elementary, along with Eden Hall Upper Elementary School, was recognized by Healthy Schools Pennsylvania with the 2023-2024 Healthy Schools Recognition Program Award—High Honor Roll. Led by Women for a Healthy Environment, this recognition celebrates “the significant strides… made in creating green and healthy learning environments.” 

High Honor Roll recognition indicates that both schools have completed at least 50 different activities identified by Healthy Schools Pennsylvania as being important to creating a green and healthy environment for students. 

Healthy Schools Pennsylvania helps school communities identify and remedy environmental risk factors in schools with information, support and hands-on assistance so that children can thrive and learn in healthy, toxic-free settings. Both schools have been recognized by Healthy Schools Pennsylvania since 2019.

America’s Healthiest Schools

For the third consecutive year, Hance was named to the 2024 list of America’s Healthiest Schools. The recognition, awarded by Alliance for a Healthier Generation, celebrates 879 schools’ dedication to supporting the health and well-being of students, staff and families.

Hance was awarded for Supporting School Health Services, Bolstering Physical Education and Activity, Cultivating Staff Well-Being and Increasing Family and Community Engagement.

Healthier Generation’s list of America’s Healthiest Schools is one of the country’s longest-running nationwide recognition programs honoring schools for achievements in supporting the whole health of students, teachers and staff. 

Pine-Richland School District’s In-Depth Program Review process ensures that health is embedded in all grade levels in the elementary program and continually looks for areas of opportunity. 

“Our strategic plan at Pine-Richland School District reflects our culture of and commitment to continuous improvement. Through both the implementation of recommendations stemming from our health and wellness-related In-Depth Program Reviews and also our commitment to sustainability and reducing our environmental footprint as key initiatives within that strategic plan, we are both educating our students and improving their learning environment in meaningful ways related to health. This commitment also aligns with our PR Graduate Portrait and our desire to ensure students leave us best equipped to manage their own health and wellness for a lifetime,” said Dr. Kristen Justus, Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education & Curriculum. 

Wellness is integrated throughout the curriculum and all grade levels have health and physical education classes. The health education curriculum is written by teachers, aligns to state standards, and integrates culturally responsive resources.