special administrative board

of the

transitional school district of the city st. louis

 

HEALTH AND WELLNESS POLICY

 

Policy #2600

Preamble

 

The Special Administrative Board of The Transitional School District of The City of St. Louis acknowledges that student well-being and student achievement are inherently related. Therefore, in support of the vision and mission of St. Louis Public Schools, the Special Administrative Board aims to create and maintain a healthy school culture for all children and staff through the implementation of its Health and Wellness Policy. The implementation of this policy, through promoting wellness and addressing current health issues facing both students and staff, will foster students’ abilities to learn to take responsibility for their own health and to adopt healthy habits, attitudes, and behaviors for life. The policy is designed to promote student well-being while taking into account competing priorities and resource availability. The evaluation of this policy will occur at least once a year to assess all education curricula and materials pertaining to health and wellness for accuracy, completeness, balance, and consistency with the state’s and district’s education goals and standards.

The Health and Wellness Policy focuses on eight key goal areas:

 

Goal Area 1:      Health and Wellness Education – The district will provide students opportunities to learn how to optimize personal wellness.

 

Goal Area 2:      Physical Education and Physical Activity – The district will provide students opportunities to engage in activity that builds their physical, mental, social, and emotional health.

 

Goal Area 3:      Health Services – The district will provide services to students that will appraise, protect, and promote their health; are in harmony with the community, parents, and other constituencies; and are accessible to all students.

 

Goal Area 4:      Healthy School Learning Environment – The district will create and maintain a school environment conducive to optimal student learning

 

Goal Area 5:      Food and Nutrition Services – The school foodservice department will promote good health practices and provide a foundation for sound lifestyle habits through foodservice operations and nutrition education.

 

Goal Area 6:      Health Promotion – The district will foster the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle for all staff.

Goal Area 7:      Family/Community Involvement – The district will support an integrated school, parent, and community approach to achieving student wellness through a dynamic, collaborative partnership of communication and accountability.

 

Goal Area 8:      Creative, Cross-Cutting, and Targeted Use of Resources to Support Wellness – The district will assign the Health and Wellness Policy (HWP) coordinator(s) who will use every appropriate and available means to the school district to ensure that every student has the chance to succeed academically, emotionally, and socially as well as remain in school.

 

These goals are all related to one another and will inevitably overlap in their implementation. Together, these goals set the foundation for both a coordinated and a comprehensive wellness program that supports the academic success of St. Louis Public School (SLPS) students. Responsibility for implementation of the Health and Wellness Policy (HWP) lies with the district-appointed HWP Coordinators at the district level who will oversee the activities of the District Health and Wellness Council (DHWC) and the School Health Advisory Councils (SHACs). The policy will be implemented by DHWC and the SHACs.

 

District Health and Wellness Council:  The district will establish a health and wellness council that consists of at least one parent, student, school nurse, physical education teacher, school food service representative, Board member, school administrator, member of the public and other community members as appropriate. If available, a qualified, credentialed nutrition professional will be a member of the DHWC.

 

Responsibilities of the DHWC: The focus is on policy and the common mission of the district’s health and wellness programs. They will identify gaps and locate the district and community resources to address them.  Committee meeting dates and agendas will be posted on the district’s website in advance of the meeting and advertised in a manner designed to reach students, staff and members of the community. All health and wellness community meeting agendas will include a period of public comment where students, staff, and members of the community are encouraged to provide input on the district’s wellness program. Meetings, records and votes of the DHWC will adhere to the requirements of the Missouri Sunshine Law.

 

The Board will designate the following positions as HWP Coordinator(s): Food and Nutrition Services Director, Healthy School /Healthy Community Program Manager and Health Services Coordinator. Only employees of the district who are members of the DHWC may serve as HWP Coordinators. Health Wellness Program Coordinators, in consultations with the District Health and Wellness committee, will be in charge of implementation and evaluation of this policy. Health Wellness Program Coordinators are responsible for ensuring that each school in the district is in compliance with this policy.

 

 

School Health Advisory Council (SHAC):  SHACs are committees that assist with policy implementation with regards to healthy choices for students. The SHAC should consist of a minimum of seven to ten members, which may include building administrator or designee, school staff, students, parents,  food and nutrition services representative, school nurse, Physical Education Teacher, Family and Community Specialist, and other community members who serve voluntarily with approval from the school principal. The services of the School Social Worker and School Counselor will be available at each as needed.

 

Responsibilities of the SHAC:  Their focus is on the needs of students, families and staff in a specific building by supporting the school in its development of a healthier school environment. They are able to implement programs and activities that will create the vision and goals for the Healthy Schools Program. They will advocate for school health programs and policies within the broader school community. They will communicate with the HWP Coordinators to tap into funding and resources for students and staff wellness. They will evaluate the effectiveness of health and wellness programs and policy efforts. The implementation of the policy is the responsibility of the building principal or designee. The Health and Wellness Policy will operate in conjunction with other current SLPS policies and regulations.

 

Goal Area 1:  Health and Wellness Education – The district will provide students  opportunities to learn how to optimize personal wellness.

 

Description:     The district will approve Academics in Movement (AIM), a comprehensive, sequential, age-appropriate, integrated K-12 curriculum addressing the mental, physical, social, and emotional aspects of health. AIM will also emphasize strategies on how to achieve optimal health and wellness. Principles include, but are not limited to, decision-making, influence of media and marketing, food and activity choices, risk factor reduction, and health literacy.

 

The district will train P.E./Health Education instructors on the implementation of the AIM curriculum, including how to incorporate it into the classroom schedule and how to creatively adapt it to different student learning styles and skills.

 

SHACs will coordinate with the school principal, the foodservice team, the school Student Support Services team (ex. nurse, counselor, social worker, etc.), and other relevant staff to promote health and wellness throughout the school.

 

HWP coordinator(s) will assess on an annual basis current health and wellness education offerings at each school and work with each SHAC to create goals and action plans for achieving or surpassing the Health and Wellness Policy guidelines. Duties include 1) reviewing curriculum, activities, or program models of health and wellness programs offered during school and non-school hours; 2) meeting with SHACs to develop a plan to expand existing programs or bring in new programs to fill gaps and meet goals; and 3) recruiting partners to provide health and wellness education programs to fill gaps in schools.

Goal Area 2:  Physical Education and Physical Activity – The district will provide students opportunities to engage in activity that builds their physical, mental, social, and emotional health.

 

Description:  Physical Education (P.E.)

 

The district will provide physical education and opportunities for physical activity in accordance with state requirements and aligned with the Show-Me Standards, Missouri’s Grade Level Expectations (GLEs) and National Standard in Health/ Physical Education in all grades. The HWP Coordinators, in consultation with the DHWC, will develop procedures that address physical education and physical activity.

 

Other School-Based Activities - The HWP Coordinator, in consultation with the DHWC, is charged with developing procedures addressing other school-based activities to promote health and wellness. 

 

The district approved Academics in Movement (AIM), is a comprehensive, sequential, age-appropriate, integrated K-12 physical education curriculum that provides cognitive content and learning experiences in a variety of activity areas. The AIM curriculum focuses on “fitness for life” skills, promoting each student’s optimum physical, mental, social, and emotional development.

 

School principals will build time into school schedules to include P.E. classes and physical activities following the national recommendations by grade level - elementary, grades K-5: 150 minutes per week and  secondary, grades 6-12: 225 minutes per week. (If recommendations or legislation change, school principals will adopt new guidelines according to a district-coordinated timeline).

 

The district will hire and train certified physical education teachers to teach P.E. P.E. Teachers will seek support from community partners to conduct specialized fitness classes. HWP coordinator(s),in conjunction with school principals, will provide every SLPS P.E. teacher access to the AIM curriculum on the St. Louis Public Schools’ (SLPS) website. P.E. Coordinator will provide professional development for each P.E. teacher on how to conduct a student physical fitness assessment using the SLPS Physical Fitness Assessment.

 

P.E. teachers will adhere to district guidelines with regards to student physical fitness assessments and P.E. curriculum.  Duties include:

 

1)    Completing a physical fitness assessment for students in grades 5, 7 and 9 and submitting the results in the format of the SLPS Fitness Assessment to the Physical Education Supervisor for inclusion with the regular report card to students and parents biannually.

 

2)    In conjunction with SHAC coordinators or Family and Community Specialists, conducting parent engagement sessions before and during the school year to provide parents information on the purpose and use of the Fitness Assessment.

 

3)    Collaborating with school nurses to make referrals for students who are identified as having weight-related health conditions to see school health professionals or outside physicians and community health agencies.

 

4)    Implementing district-approved curriculum appropriate for age and skill level of each student.

 

Description:  Physical Activity

 

P.E. Coordinator/HWP Coordinator (s) will provide resources and professional development to staff on how to incorporate physical activity, other than P.E., into the school day.  Physical activity before school, after school, and in the classroom should complement PE by reinforcing the knowledge and self-management skills needed to maintain a physically active lifestyle.

 

1)     SLPS educators will be trained to integrate physical activities into the classroom which includes Brain Break activities. 

 

2)    Classroom teachers will provide short physical activity breaks between lessons, classes, and/or testing sessions, as appropriate, using nationally recognized best practices and/or evidence- based programs targeting the specific needs of students.

 

3)    Elementary school principals will build time into school schedules to hold daily recess before lunch and for a minimum of 20 minutes. Recess is adult-supervised time for students to engage in student and/ or adult led physical activities. School principals will provide a variety of equipment (ex. balls, jump ropes, etc.) and adequate space for recess.

 

 

4)    Principals will schedule indoor recess during inclement weather.

 

P.E. Coordinators will provide resources and professional development to staff for incorporating extracurricular physical activity programs appropriate for the different grade levels, needs, interests, and abilities of all students before, during, and after school. All secondary schools are furthermore encouraged to offer interscholastic sports programs. School principals will ensure that either physical activity or withholding physical activity in physical education classes and recess is not used as a punishment.

 

P.E. Coordinator/HWP Coordinator(s) will assess on an annual basis current physical education and physical activity offerings at each school and work with each SHAC to create goals and action plans for achieving or surpassing the Health and Wellness Policy guidelines. Duties include:

 

1)    Determining total minutes of physical education offered at each SLPS school.

 

2)    Identify number of minutes students are engaged in physical activity at school.   categorizes according to the following  (a) More than 100 (200 for secondary) minutes per week; (b) 75- 100 (150-200) minutes per week; (c) Less than 75 (less than 150) minutes per week currently offered.

 

3)    Determine additional minutes of physical activity offered at each school.

 

4)    Determined before/after school physical activity programs offered at each school.

 

5)    Meeting with SHACs to develop a plan to expand existing programs or bring in new programs to fill gaps and meet goals for physical activity.

 

 

Goal Area 3:  Health Services – the district will provide services to students that appraise, protect, and promote their health; are in harmony with the community, parents, and other constituencies; and are accessible to all students

 

Description:     The district will maintain a centralized district health office, the Office of Health Services, within the Student Support Services department, for the purpose of program development, consistency and standardization of service delivery utilizing “best practice model”, and quality assurance monitoring. The Office of Health Services is administered by a Coordinator   of Health Services, who is a registered professional nurse with responsibilities for hiring, supervising, and evaluating the performance of the school-based registered professional nurses assigned to each school site.

 

The district will hire an array of health professionals (ex. nurses, registered dietitians, certified school counselors, psychologists, and social workers), with an ideal ratio of at least one nursing professional per school to provide comprehensive health and wellness services, including referral services, at each school. Services of a social worker, counselor, and other health professionals will be available at each school as needed. The Student Support Services team oversees activities that support the overall health and well-being of students and staff while they are at school and will focus on collaborative efforts in prevention and early intervention. Student Support Services team duties include:

 

1)    Serving in SHACs and helping to develop and implement action plans for fulfilling goals of the district’s Health and Wellness Policy.

 

2)    Working with P.E. teachers in conducting physical fitness assessments, including providing education and making referrals as a result of the physical fitness assessments.

3)    Working with the school foodservice department to help provide a healthy food environment (based on the food allergy policy), for both students and staff, including proper hand washing and adequate time for eating. (The Missouri School Board Association recommends at least 10 minutes sit-down time for breakfast (15 minutes for elementary) and 20 minutes for lunch).

 

4)    Providing comprehensive case management services to students and families, and collaborating to develop student and family support plans to promote good health and a safe and healthy learning environment.

 

 

5)    Providing health education and services to students, parents, and staff (which may include health education programs, in-services, workshops, medication administration, medical referrals, health screenings and assessments, injury prevention and treatment, and health counseling) to promote health and wellness in the school setting.

 

6)    Acquiring continuing education and professional development hours to ensure best practices are being followed.

 

 

7)    Informing parents of the availability and variety of health services for the students.

 

 

8)    Seek to incorporate holistic family health into endeavors related to student health.

 

HWP coordinator(s) will assess on an annual basis the collaborative efforts of the centralized health office in implementation of the Health and Wellness Policy. Duties include:

 

1)    Evaluating the partnership between the centralized health office and overall Health and Wellness Policy programming.

 

 

2)    Helping to train all health professionals hired within the district on the Health and Wellness Policy.

 

 

3)    Maintaining current and developing new partnerships with community members as well as acquiring resources to enhance provision of access to health care for all students, within both the school setting and the community. (The district will maintain a formal and contractual relationship with a Medical Director that will provide medical consultation, who writes standing orders, provides consultation and advice for the school nurses, and promotes health literacy throughout the district, as well as health education enhancement for the school nurses.

 

 

4)    Educating and informing parents and other community members of available health services at SLPS schools through school newsletters, special informational letters and flyers, and a Student Health link under the Parents link on the district’s website. Sending an informational letter to all parents at the beginning of each school year to discuss some of the major services provided by the Office of Health Services.

 

 

5)    Coordinating annual lead monitoring in all Pre-K students.

 

 

6)    Soliciting recommendations from the Student Support Services team for improving school wellness.

 

Goal Area 4:  Healthy School Learning Environment – the district will create and maintain a school environment conducive to optimal student learning.

 

Description:     School principals, with help from SHACs and other staff members, will coordinate the proper maintenance of all school buildings and grounds at a safe and adequate level to support a healthy learning environment for all students.  Duties include:

 

1)    Evaluating areas for improvement and identifying/eliminating risks using national standards and recommendations. Possible tools include Environmental Protection Agency’s HealthySEAT, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s School Health Index, and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s safety checklists.

 

2)    Assessing and repairing all existing water fountains.

 

3)    Creating safety measures in accordance with the Emergency Preparedness Plan with regards to environmental hazards, such as lead, carbon monoxide, mercury, mold, asbestos, radon, and other potentially harmful substances.

 

4)    Providing appropriate and operational safety devices and equipment (ex. goggles, gloves, safety shields, etc.) for classroom use. Assessing safety and operation of and repairing any playground or sporting venue grounds and equipment.

 

5)    Providing appropriate exposure to daylight and other light sources to prevent shadows and areas of poor illumination.

 

6)     Providing, where possible, flexible lighting controls.

 

7)    Setting temperature of each room for optimal learning based on the activities performed in the room (ex. 69.8-73.4ΊF for classrooms, lower temperature for gyms). Where possible, adjusting humidity to 40-60% relative humidity. 

 

School principals will adhere to and enforce current SLPS policy on drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, conduct, harassment and weapons and violence to foster a healthy psychosocial climate for all students.

 

 

School principals will coordinate with SHACs on school emergency preparedness using Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services guidelines for Ready-in-3, including stocking emergency supplies.

 

School principals will coordinate with PE teachers and other staff on outdoor activity when the Air Quality Index or some other component of outdoor activity may be unsafe for any student.

 

HWP Coordinator(s) will assess on an annual basis current progress in creating a healthy school learning environment at each school and work with each SHAC to create goals and action plans for achieving or surpassing the Health and Wellness Policy guidelines.

 

Goal Area 5:   Food and Nutrition Services – the school foodservice department will promote good health practices and provide a foundation for sound lifestyle habits through foodservice operations and nutrition education.

 

Description:  Food and Nutrition Services

 

1)    School foodservice programs will be implemented in accordance with the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) School Meals program (including school breakfast, lunch, after school snack, dinner, summer meals, and field trip meals.)

 

2)    School foodservice programs will publish a nutrient analysis of all foods provided to both consumers and parents by way of website and can be provided by the Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) Office per request.

 

3)    The District’s FNS Department will investigate complaints, perform spot audits to ensure that the Food Service Management Company (FSMC) is in compliance with United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

 

4)     The FNS Department will conduct a monthly audit of receipts supplied by the FSMC vendor. School foodservice programs will provide a variety of healthy, innovative monthly menu items and introduce and promote interest in new food items including fruits and vegetables.

 

5)    School foodservice programs will gather and apply data from student focus groups, staff, and parent surveys to encourage, promote, and improve healthy nutritional choices. School foodservice programs will supply survey results and raw data to the HWP coordinator(s) within thirty (30) days of data collection.

 

6)    School foodservice programs will seek to use environmentally friendly utensils, packaging, and serving implements to support healthy and sustainable lifestyle habits in students.

 

7)    Where foodservice is contracted to a foodservice management company, the Request for Proposal, or RFP, for food service will allow for pilot programs, approved by the district, to establish contracts with food vendors to improve access to healthy foods, improve variety, and allow for innovative approaches in the future.

 

Nutrition Guidelines - The nutrition guidelines outlined in this section do not apply to food or beverages brought from home by students. This guideline is solely for students that are consuming food or beverages created by or used in the district’s instructional program. It is the policy of the St. Louis Public Schools that all foods and beverages sold to students during the school day on any property under the jurisdiction of the district will meet the USDA school meal and Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards. These nutrition standards apply to all food and beverages sold to students including those in vending machines, school stores and through district-sponsored fundraisers, unless an exemption applies. In addition, the Smart Snacks standards apply to all foods and beverages provided, but sold to students outside in reimbursable school meal programs during the school day. For the purposes of this policy, the school day  is the time period from midnight before to 30 minutes after the official school day.

 

Celebrations and Rewards - All foods and beverages provided in conjunction with district –sponsored celebrations will meet or exceed the Smart Snacks nutrition standards. The district will provide parents and strict employees a list of foods and beverages that meet the Smart Snacks nutrition standards and a list of healthy party ideas, including non-food celebration ideas. All food and beverages, except fresh fruits and vegetables provided by parents will be prepackaged and include a nutrition label to identify potential allergens.

 

Food and beverages should not be used as a reward or withheld as punishment. Parents and employees will be provided a list of alternative, non-food ways to reward students.      

 

Description:  Food Environment

 

The principal for each individual school, in conjunction with the school nurse, will create the school schedule to accommodate the specific needs related to meals, including safety and sanitation, so that students have adequate time both to eat and to enjoy their meals. Elementary students should have at least fifteen minutes of dedicated eating time for breakfast (i.e. not including hand washing, standing in line, cleaning up, etc.).  School foodservice programs will provide a means for all students and staff to wash and/or sanitize their hands before and after each meal.

 

Beyond the School Day:  To the extent possible, schools will be consistent with the promotion of Smart Snack Nutrition Standards at the school sponsored events for any food and beverages made available to students outside the school day.

 

Fundraising Exemption to Nutrition Guidelines: Unless otherwise prohibited by Board policies or limitations on marketing, the following are exemptions to the rule requiring that foods sold as fundraisers meet USDA standards:

 

1)    Food sold off campus; outside the school day or to nonstudents do not have to meet the USDA standards.

 

2)    Distribution of order for and delivery of foods that do not meet USDA standards and are not intended for consumption at school are permitted during the school day to the extent it otherwise complies with district policies and procedures.

 

Water:  Students will have access to free, safe and unflavored drinking water throughout the school day in every district facility used by students. Free, safe and unflavored drinking water will be available to students during mealtimes in places where meals are served.  

 

Description:  Nutrition Promotion and Education

 

The district will provide nutrition education aligned with the AIM Curriculum in all grades. In addition, the district will disseminate nutrition messages, other nutrition –related materials received from the USDA to students, staff and the community, through a variety of media and methods. The HWP Coordinators, in consultation with the DHWC, will develop procedures that address nutrition education and promotion.    

 

Marketing and Advertising:  Only those foods and beverages that meet the Smart Snacks in schools nutrition standards will be allowed in marketing and advertising. Marketing in district facilities will be consistent with the goals of the District’s Health and Wellness Program and comply with Board policy. The district will strive to promote the Health and Wellness Program and educate parents regarding the quality of district food.      

.School foodservice programs are responsible for developing a nutrition education program to be approved by the HWP coordinator(s). They will work in conjunction with the HWP coordinator(s) to implement the school’s nutrition education curriculum as part of the health and wellness curriculum.

 

Foodservice staff at each school will work with their individual SHACs to develop and implement nutrition education programming at the school level.

 

Role of the District:  HWP coordinator(s) will assess on an annual basis compliance with the aforementioned Nutrition Guidelines via audits and work with the Special Administrative Board and/or the foodservice department to create goals and action plans for achieving or surpassing the guidelines.

 

 

 

 

 

Goal Area 6:   Health Promotion –the district will foster the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle for all staff.

 

Description:   The Human Resources Department will work with the SLPS Wellness Committee and health vendors, for employees, community partners, and other health service vendors to develop and provide health and wellness services for all employees.

 

The SLPS Wellness Committee  and health vendors will develop a comprehensive employee wellness program, which may include physical fitness assessments, health education, health promotion, health related fitness activities (physical, mental, social, and emotional), and counseling services, in collaboration with services provided by the district.

 

SLPS Wellness Committee and health vendors will assess on an annual basis the employee wellness programs available to staff and by creating goals and action plans for achieving or surpassing the Health and Wellness Policy guidelines.  Duties include:

 

1)   Evaluating the effectiveness of current district offerings on health promotion for employees.

 

2)   Reviewing current programming offerings, including utilization of community partners.

 

3)   Recruiting partners to provide staff health promotion programs.

 

Goal Area 7:   Family/Community Involvement – The district will support an integrated school, parent, and community approach to achieving student wellness through a dynamic, collaborative partnership of communication and accountability.

 

Description:   School principals will identify and assign two staff members at each school the role of coordinators for their respective SHACs. School principals will report the two staff members serving as coordinators to the HWP coordinator(s). The HWP coordinator(s) will hold an annual wellness day to review with and train staff on the current Health and Wellness Policy as well as implementation of the policy.

 

The two SHAC coordinators are responsible for running the SHACs and reporting efforts to the district’s Health and Wellness Policy coordinator(s).  SHAC duties include:

 

1)     Holding at least three meetings during each school year to identify goals, develop and implement solutions, and monitor and evaluate the activities carried out by the school in support of the district’s Health and Wellness Policy.

 

2)     Establishing individual school goals within each key goal area and submitting them electronically to the HWP coordinator(s) by the close of the last business day of September. Reporting progress made with regards to fulfilling each of the key goal areas and submitting it electronically to the HWP coordinator(s) by the close of the last business day of May.

 

3)     Communicating the policy and any district or school policy implementation efforts to all students, staff, parents, and relevant members of the school community.

 

4)     Coordinating efforts to provide professional development and resources to staff, parents, and other community members in key areas of health education, improving child wellness, and information about current school initiatives relating to the Health and Wellness Policy.

 

5)     With the aid of the HWP Coordinator(s), promoting and encouraging partnerships with community organizations to further support activities and leverage shared resources.

 

Goal Area 8:  Creative, Cross-Cutting, and Targeted Use of Resources to Support Wellness – The district will assign the Health and Wellness Policy (HWP) coordinator(s) who will use every appropriate and available means in the school district to ensure that every student has the chance to succeed academically, emotionally, and socially as well as remain in school.

 

Description:  Assessment and Intervention 

 

HWP coordinator(s) will evaluate the district’s ability to meet the guidelines of the Health and Wellness Policy by assessing, using evidence-based tools, and each school’s compliance with the policy on at least an annual basis, either through the SHACs or by personal audit. The HWP coordinator(s) must audit each school at least once per school year.

 

Based on the aforementioned assessment, HWP coordinator(s) will prioritize wellness goals for the district as well as annually write and implement action plans to carry out each goal.  Duties include:

 

1)     Assisting SHACs in prioritizing wellness goals for the school and implementing individualized school action plans to carry out each goal.

 

2)     Providing opportunities and resources for schools to implement research-based best practices and other programs with proven results.

 

3)     Maintaining a library of resources and opportunities for schools to use in the implementation of the Health and Wellness Policy at the school level.

 

4)     Seeking supplemental funding and resources wherever possible in order to support the full implementation of the policy.

 

 

5)     Acting as a liaison between the SHACs and the district or other community partners.

 

6)     Creating district-wide timelines for implementation of any new guidelines or legislation.

 

Description:  Monitoring and Evaluation

 

The HWP coordinator(s) will compile data from each school and present a written report detailing progress at both the district and the school levels to the Special Administrative Board at a summer board meeting.  The report must include, at a minimum:

 

1)     Baseline of assessed indicators (based on beginning of year or end of last year reports).

 

2)     Impact of programming on those indicators mentioned above.

 

3)     Progress made with regards to wellness goals.

 

4)     Prioritized goals and action plans for the next school year.

 

5)     Any recommendations regarding the implementation of the Health and Wellness Policy.

 

6)     Self-evaluation of the abilities of the HWP coordinator(s) to carry out the duties as outlined by the Health and Wellness Policy, including documentation of actions taken throughout the school year.

 

The effectiveness of the Health and Wellness Policy will be assessed and re-evaluated on a triennial basis by the HWP coordinator(s), the district, and representatives from the SHACs. Any proposed changes to the Health and Wellness Policy must meet a majority opinion (i.e. >50%) based on individual school votes, through the principal, with final approval by the Board.

 

The DHWC will assess all education curricula and materials pertaining to health and wellness for accuracy, completeness, balance and consistency with DESE and the district's education goals and standards. HWP Coordinators shall be responsible for devising a plan for implementation and evaluation of the district health and wellness policy and are charged with operational responsibility for ensuring that schools meet the goals of the district health and wellness policy.

 

At least once a year, the HWP Coordinators will assess the district's compliance with the wellness policy and make those assessments available to the public. The assessments will measure implementation of the health and wellness policy at the district and school level. The following information will be provided:

 

1)     The extent to which each school is in compliance with the policy.

 

2)     A comparison of the district's policy against model policies provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) description of the progress made in attaining the policy goals.

 

 

3)     The HWP Coordinators will make recommendations for modifications to the Health and Wellness Policy in accordance with these assessments. The Board will revise the health and wellness policy as it deems necessary.  Administrative procedures will be revised accordingly.

 

Records - The HWP Coordinators will maintain records necessary to document compliance with law, including a copy of the policy, documentation of community involvement, documentation of triennial assessments and documentation that assessment findings were shared with the public.

 

 

 

REFERENCES:     Portions © 2014, Missouri School Boards’ Association

 

Created in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revised:  May 31, 2017

 

Adopted:  July 10, 2008