Mary Connolly -  author, program coordinator at Cambridge College, professor, and health education consultant

As of January 3, 2012, Mary is the new Program Coordinator of the Health and Family and Consumer Science Department at Cambridge College, Massachusetts. Mary is the second coordinator, replacing Shirley Handler, PhD who has retired after over 10 years of service. The program provides a Master's in Health Education.

As a college professor and retired public school health educator,  I have seen health education empower students by teaching them skills and knowledge to achieve personal health and academic success.

With my new text, Skills-Based Health Education, published by Jones and Bartlett (http://www.jblearning.com/catalog/searchresults.aspx), I provide professional development in the form of in-service or a credited course from Cambridge College.

I also assist districts in improving their health, physical education, and family and consumer science programs through the coordinated school health model.

What I Do

I help school districts strengthen their health, physical education, and family and consumer science programs by

• providing skills-based health education training.
• using CDC tools to assess curriculum and instruction, then setting goals for improvement;
• aligning health, physical education, and family and consumer science curriculum  to state and national standards;
• providing professional development in assessment; aligning assessment, curriculum and instruction to state and national standards, and skills-based health and physical education;
• evaluating the coordinated school health program and setting goals for improvement.

Participate in Mary's  professional presentation at the AAHPERD convention in Boston!

• 3-13 to17/11 AAHPERD Convention, Boston, MA. "Empower students by teaching health content and skills"

American School Health Association's Health Education Coordinator Award

Mary was pleased to nominate MaryEllen Kirrane, Brockton Public Schools, Department Head of Wellness, K-8, for the annual American School Health Association's Health Coordinator's Award. Applications from around the country were reviewed and MaryEllen was selected! Congratulations!

Contact Information

Skills Based Health Education as part of a well organized and functioning coordinated school health program, enhances the health and academic performance of students. It also improves staff well-being.

To learn how to implement these programs in your school,  please contact me.

Cambridge College recognition!

On September 17th, 2011 during the first annual Professional Development Convocation, Mary received the Scholarship Award from Dr. Alan Sheppard, Dean of the College of Education, in recognition of the outstanding scholarly work and contributions to the profession made by the publication of her book, Skills-Based Health Education.