Schools + Parents
School Programs & Partnerships

Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) partners with local school districts in Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach to create environments that support student, staff and parent health. Healthy habits developed at a young age can last a lifetime. BCHD provides an array of programs and services that increase physical activity, improve nutrition and promote social-emotional well-being.

Walk and Roll to School Day:

Walk and Roll to School Day is a global event that brings communities together to encourage active, eco-friendly transportation. Last year, on October 4, 2023, the Beach Cities school districts of Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach participated with nearly 2,800 people. Students, families, school administrators, local officials and Beach Cities Health District staff all laced up their sneakers or rolled on bikes and scooters to start the day with a healthy, active commute.

This year, Walk and Roll to School Day is set for October 9, 2024, and we hope to see even more participants join us! Let’s build on last year’s success by promoting physical activity, reducing traffic congestion and creating a stronger sense of community. Every step or roll counts!

School District Superintendents and Liaisons:

Hermosa Beach City School District:
Dr. Susan Wildes, Superintendent
Sylvia Gluck, Director of Educational Services

Manhattan Beach Unified School District:
Dr. John Bowes, Superintendent
Kerry Riccio Aguero,  Director of Student Services

Redondo Beach Unified School District:
Dr. Nicole Wesley, Superintendent
Jason Kurtenbach, Executive Director, Student Services

For more information on our school programs and partnerships, please click on the links below.

LiveWell Kids Program

The LiveWell Kids nutrition and garden programs have been combined to create a hybrid, farm-to-table program. These six interactive lessons focus on educating K-5 students on the process and benefits of growing their own food and making healthy eating choices. All lessons are delivered in the fresh air of the school gardens by trained parent volunteers.

Physical Activity

Additional minutes of physical activity are incorporated into the school day during 8-Minute Exercises and Classroom Activity Breaks.

Social-Emotional Learning

Students in elementary, middle and high school are equipped with the emotional skills that help them develop the flexibility and resilience needed to flourish through the Second Step and Panorama Education programs.

Substance Use Prevention

Students learn essential communication and decision-making life skills to help them navigate substance use in evidence-based substance use prevention curriculum like Stanford Tobacco Prevention Toolkit, while South Bay Families Connected provides families with free resources to help their children reach their full potential.

Healthy Schools

School Wellness Councils support schools in prioritizing the health and well-being of students, teachers and staff.

Student Leadership

Students have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills and join the Youth Advisory Council, volunteer or join a BCHD committee.

School Health Reports

Summary reports include programmatic outcomes and measurable results. The reports also include best practices that local schools have implemented to address the health and well-being of students, families and staff.

Parent Resources

Parents are encouraged to explore volunteer opportunities through bchd.org/volunteer as well as access free resources and education through BCHD’s partnership with South Bay Families Connected.

Childhood Obesity Decline in Redondo Beach 

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health in partnership with Beach Cities Health District. Recent Trends in Childhood Obesity Prevalence in the Redondo Beach Unified School District: A Case Study; June 2020. 

Palacios, C., Simon, P., Steward, A., Garner, T., Hameed, H., & Shetgiri, R. (2022). Impact of an Elementary School-Based Wellness Initiative on Child Obesity Prevalence: LiveWell Kids. Health Promotion Practice. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248399211065717