Geoff
Transforming Schools: Geoff on Transforming Lives through Organizational Health
Access to QualityHealth Care
In this episode K. Elizabeth toasts Geoffrey Fenelus, an education leader passionate about school transformation and organizational health. Geoff is improving the health and quality of life of others by supporting access to quality education, one of the Social Determinates of Health, through school transformation and supporting employees with benefits so that they can focus on teaching. Geoff shares his transformative journey from a special education teacher to a school founder, principal, consultant for school transformation, and now a benefits advisor. He discusses how focusing on organizational health, trust, communication, and strategic investment in people creates fertile "soil" for healthy schools. From building trust and clarity to setting expectations and nurturing relationships in student culture, Geoff explains how aligning these elements leads to sustainable achievement in many forms from students putting in effort in difficult learning to proficiency growth in state exams. Geoff highlights actionable strategies for anyone passionate about enhancing education, whether within or outside school systems.
Healthy People 2030 is the fifth iterative of a 40+ year initiative to help communities, organizations, and individuals improve American’s health and well-being. One of the key goals of Healthy People 2030 is to highlight the importance of the 5 Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) in increasing equity and reducing disparities in health; one of the five goals of Healthy People 2030 is directly related to the SDoH to “create social, physical, and economic environments that promote attaining the full potential for health and well-being for all” (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).
The SDoH are the non-medical factors and environmental conditions where people are born, live, learn, work, play, and age. The SDoH influence up to 55% of our health outcomes including a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.
One of the five SDoH is access to quality education; there is a direct correlation between higher levels of education and healthier and longer lives. Children are more likely to struggle with math and reading if they are from low-income families, have disabilities, or experience social discrimination such as bullying. Further, these kiddos are less likely to graduate high school or go to college, which in turn, means they are less likely to obtain safe high-paying jobs and more likely to have health issues such as diabetes, depression, and heart disease. To add insult to injury, the brain development of children can be negatively affected by living in poverty, and attendance at poorly performing schools can further impede their ability to thrive in school and escape poverty. Interventions to increase access to quality education can help address these short and long-term health concerns.
Music: Schoolyard Swing by Cast of Characters
Episode Resources:
Record a Toast to honor someone who has increased your quality of life
Season 1, Episode 4: Brad
Book: Time for Change: Four Essential Skills for Transformational School and District Leaders by Anthony Muhammad and Luis F. Cruz
Book: The Three Laws of Performance: Rewriting the Future of Your Organization and Your Life by Steve Zaffron and Dave Logan
Book: Transforming School Culture: How to Overcome Staff by Anthony Muhammad
US Department of Health and Human Services’ Healthy People 2030: SDoH
Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Social Determinants of Health