The Jefferson County Department of Health recently honored several Jefferson County School systems, at Vulcan Park and Museum, with the Health Officer’s Healthy School Award.

The goal of the Health Officer’s Seal of Approval Award is to acknowledge and reward schools that strive for excellence in the areas of health for their students and staff, and to encourage public school systems within Jefferson County to promote and teach safe and healthy lifestyles.

The “Health Officer’s Seal of Approval” is important, because children need more protection.

The Healthy School Seal of Approval criteria for 2012 are:

• Lunchroom inspection score must be 97 or greater on all three inspections for the prior year.

• Immunization survey score must be 98 or greater on last survey.

Clean and sanitary conditions as evidenced by but not limited to:

• Soap, paper towels and toilet paper provided.

• Water fountains are clean with adequate pressure to provide sanitary use.

• Toilets and sinks are operable and in good repair.

There are 12 Public School Systems in Jefferson County and a total of 174 public schools.

Out of 174 schools, only 18 met the basic criteria to qualify for the Health Officer’s Seal of Approval Award for 2012. This is about 10 percent of the public schools in Jefferson County.

The 2011 Health Officer’s “Seal of Approval” Award winners:

• John E. Bryan Elementary School  (Jefferson County Schools)

• Concord Elementary School (Jefferson County)

• Corner High School (Jefferson County)

• Grantswood Community School (Jefferson County)

• Hueytown Elementary School (Jefferson County)

• Irondale Middle School (Jefferson County)

• Minor Community School (Jefferson County)

• Mortimer Jordan High School (Jefferson County)

• Pleasant Grove Middle School (Jefferson County)

• Snow Rogers Elementary School  (Jefferson County)

• West Jefferson Elementary School (Jefferson County)

• John Herbert Phillips Academy (Birmingham City)

• Robinson Elementary School (Birmingham City)

• Donald Elementary School (Fairfield)

• Gwin Elementary School (Hoover City)

• Trace Crossings Elementary  School (Hoover)

• Mountain Brook High School (Mountain Brook)

• Briarwood Christian School (Private)

The Health Officer’s Award of Excellence is poised to become JCDH’s most coveted school award. The goal of this award is to acknowledge schools that go above and beyond the criteria for the Health Officer’s Seal of Approval.

Only the schools that are eligible for the Health Officer’s Seal of Approval will be able to compete for this award.

There will be three levels for schools to compete for the Health Officer’s Award of Excellence:  Gold, Silver, and Bronze. The criterion is based on CDC’s School Health Index and U.S. EPA HealthySEAT.