Frequently Asked Questions
Do your assembly programs satisfy state academic standards?
All of the Weller Health Education Center’s 28 programs address Pennsylvania and New Jersey academic standards in health, science and consumer science. Additionally, we provide free program enrichment activities which meet math, science and reading standards.
Are your programs outcomes-based?
Yes. In an effort to continuously assess the direct impact our programs have on the children we serve, we administer impact evaluations in each program area measuring student knowledge gain, perception, intent for behavior change and for certain program areas, knowledge retention. Every Weller Health Education Center program is also subject to process evaluations by teachers.
Can I customize my program?
Each program may be customized to support and enhance classroom lessons and concepts at the time of our visit. At your request, our health educators can work with you prior to the program to modify the presentation to best meet your needs and the needs of your students.
Are small group presentations available?
We offer small group presentations for groups of 60 or fewer students and can travel from classroom to classroom to deliver the presentations. Schools may schedule up to six small group presentations a day.
Do you offer anything for teachers or parents?
Yes. Customizable presentations for parents and teacher in-services are available in all of our topic areas.
I have more than 250 students for an assembly program. Can’t I just squeeze them in?
All of our programs incorporate audience involvement and group activities. Limiting the number of students per assembly to 250 helps maximize participation among your students and ensure the best possible experience.
Can you travel to different schools in one day to deliver programs?
Our educators can travel between schools that are a reasonable distance apart and if enough time is allotted between assembly programs. Our reservations coordinator would be happy to discuss with you the feasibility of traveling between schools in your district.
How do I prepare for my Weller Health Education Center assembly?
To ensure the best possible experience, please share the date and time of the scheduled programming with all teachers and staff who have participating students so they can schedule accordingly. We also strongly encourage teachers to review and utilize our free enrichment packets for each program to prepare your students for the topics to be covered.
What type of venue do you require?
We know building space is often tight, but students benefit most from programming when they can see and hear all aspects of the program and when there is ample space for demonstrations and activities. An auditorium, gym, library or cafeteria are each acceptable assembly venues. If you do not have access to this type of space, we can also deliver programs classroom by classroom. We bring all AV equipment and program supplies so we only ask that the space we present in have a screen and an available electrical outlet.
Does your programming go beyond just the student assembly?
Yes. We provide several wraparound enrichment opportunities in which we reach out to students before, during and after the assembly. We strongly encourage teachers to utilize our free pre- and post-program lesson plans and classroom activities. Additionally, we offer professional development workshops for teachers and programs for parents in each of our topic areas. Programs within each topic area are sequential and most schools build Weller Health Education Center programming into their yearly curriculum for several different grade levels. This allows us to follow through and reinforce health education concepts with students from year to year.
What if I don’t know which program is best for my students?
A health educator would be happy to speak with you directly to help you choose the program that’s right for you.
Is the growth and development program content age appropriate?
Yes. For 25 years, Life Begins, our HIV prevention assembly Who Do You Trust? as well as our other growth and development programs have been our most requested. The content is age appropriate and our educators are specially trained to answer the questions that often accompany this sensitive subject matter in a scientific manner. To ease the concerns of teachers, administrators and parents, our educators will field any phone calls from parents regarding the program content and parents, teachers and administrators may also preview any assembly.
Can I still bring my class to visit the Weller Center’s facility?
No. In recent years, as the No Child Left Behind Act left many school districts with limited time and resources for field trips, school districts across our region began embracing the Weller Health Education Center's outcomes-based assembly programming which allowed their students to receive all the benefits of a Weller program with the added convenience of not having to leave their school. As of 2007, nearly 90 percent of the students served by the Weller Health Education Center were through assembly presentations. Beginning in fall 2008, to meet the changing needs of the schools we serve, the Weller Health Education Center became outreach-only which allows us to focus more resources on developing and delivering high-impact health education assemblies.
What is the educational background of your teachers?
The Weller Center’s director of education and most of its teachers are master’s-trained in public health, health education or a related field. In addition to their educational background, our teachers have terrific platform skills and are able to quickly engage students in the topic at hand. They are also skilled in translating often complicated subject matter into easy-to-understand concepts. All of our teachers are evaluated on a regular basis to ensure they’re effectively delivering the program content.