Best Practices for School Wellness

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Best Practices for School Wellness
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Physical ActivityAnne GensonHealthy Kids Club
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Policy/EnvironmentPhysical Activity

• Researchers suggest that the childhood obesity
  epidemic is largely the result of a decline in
  regular physical activity.
• No federal law requires P.E. to be included in
  public schools.
• Only 6 - 8 of schools nationally provide P.E.
  daily.
• In CO, elementary students average P.E. once a
  week.
• PSD students get an average of 52 minutes of P.E.
  each week.
• Experts recommend kids get at least 60 minutes of
  moderate to vigorous p.a. EVERY day!
• Studies show that when kids exercise and fitness
  needs are met, they are more able to learn and
  achieve.

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School EnvironmentPhysical Activity

• What Can Schools Do?
• Reinstate daily P.E. BF Kitchen Elementary
• Provide school-wide activity breaks Tavelli
  Elementary
• Promote active recess
• Encourage kids to walk and talk
• Have peer leaders guide group games
• Have plenty of playground equipment available.
• Promote walking and biking to school Bennett
  Elementary
• Walking Wednesdays!
• Incorporate healthy, active fundraisers
  Bennett, Tavelli, Bauder, Harris
• Kids who have daily physical education classes
  exhibit better attendance and have a more
  positive attitude about school.

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In the ClassroomPhysical Activity

• Teachers can help add physical activity minutes
  to what their students are getting during P.E.
• Integrate physical activity into the curriculum
• Provide quick classroom activity breaks
• Integrate structured weekly physical activity
  breaks
• Refrain from taking recess away as a punishment
• Provide fitness rewards for a job well done
• A 2002 study of over 800,000 5th, 7th, and 9th
  graders showed an association between physical
  fitness and SAT-9 test results. Students with
  the highest fitness scores also had the highest
  test scores.

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In the ClassroomPhysical Activity

• What Can We Do?
• Incorporating physical activity into the
  curriculum
• Resource Tables
• Using Movement to Teach Academics by Sandra
  Minton
• Quick breaks
• Activity Decks from Healthy Kids Club
• Exercise Videos
• Weekly, structured physical activity breaks
• Weekly Fitness Break books

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At HomePhysical Activity

• Encourage families to get involved in fitness and
  to get active!
• Use Back to School Night and Open House nights to
  incorporate family physical activities
• Family Kickball nights
• Friday Fitness Nights
• Encourage families to walk or bike to school.
• Provide incentives for those who participate.
• Organize a walking bus or riding bus rather
  than carpooling.
• When kids walk or bike to school, they arrive at
  school awake and more ready to learn!

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At HomePhysical Activity

• Get the word out through newsletters that your
  school is becoming more active.
• Pull tips from the At Home section for use in
  your newsletter.
• Form a Fit Families group that enters community
  races together and represents your school.
• Healthy Kids Club Run Series provides free local
  runs for kids ages 5-12 with a new series for
  Fit.Teen Series for teens.

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Resources!Physical Activity

• PE in Schools p. B1-2
• Active Recess p. B5-6
• Promoting Wellness in Your Classroom p. C3-4
• Fun Contests Programs p. B7-8

Resource Kit Also Online! www.CanDoOnline.org
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Healthy EatingSarah Morales, MS, RDPVHS - CanDo
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Healthy Eating

• Current trends in childhood nutrition
• What schools can do to promote healthy eating
• Environment/Policy
• Classroom
• Home
• Model program Pick a better snack

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Healthy Eating

• Current trends in childhood nutrition
• What schools can do to promote healthy eating
• Environment/Policy
• Classroom
• Home
• Model program Pick a better snack

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Healthy EatingCurrent Trends

• Only 2 of school-aged children meet the Food
  Guide Pyramid serving recommendations for all
  five major food groups
• (thats 1 in 50!)
• More than 84 of school-aged children eat too
  much fat
• Added sugar contributes to 20 of total calories
  in children's diets
• Inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables
• Beverage consumption trends (from 1977 to 2002)
• Soda consumption increased by 149
• Milk consumption decreased by 38
• Snacks contribute a significant amount of
  calories to kids diets, and tend to be high in
  calories, fat, sugar, and salt
• 561 calories (in 2002) compared to 262 calories
  (1977)

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Healthy EatingCurrent Trends Adolescent Eating
Habits

• Snacking
• In between meal snacks contribute more calories
  than the three main meals
• Meal patterns
• Meal-skipping common
• Associated with being overweight lower
  consumption of fruits, vegetable and dairy
• Fast Food common
• 2x/week or more on average fast food associated
  with higher calorie intake and soft drink
  consumption and lower consumption of fruits and
  vegetables and milk.
• TV viewing
• Eating dinner while watching TV, more likely to
  eat high-calorie foods such as pizza, snacks and
  soft drinks and less likely to eat fruit and
  vegetables
• Family Meals
• Adolescents who eat a higher number of family
  meals during the week are more likely to eat the
  recommended amounts of fruits, vegetables and
  dairy and have a lower consumption of saturated
  fat

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Why should schools promote Healthy Eating?

• Short-term and Long-term considerations
• Short-term
• Kids that are well nourished perform better in
  school
• Long-term
• Impact on overall nutrition and long-term
  health status
• Schools are uniquely positioned
• Schools reach over 95 of children between the
  ages of 5 and 17
• Meals and snacks in school provide 1/3 to 1/2 of
  many students daily nutritional needs

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Healthy Eating

• Current trends in childhood nutrition
• What schools can do to promote healthy eating
• Environment/Policy
• Classroom
• Home
• Model program Pick a better snack

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Policy/EnvironmentHealthy Eating

• Strategies that promote healthy eating in
  schools
• School Nutrition Policies
• Fundraising School Stores
• School Events

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Policy/EnvironmentHealthy Eating School
Nutrition Policies

• Adopt a School-wide Nutrition Policy
• Sets the tone for health and wellness, and
  ensures consistent positive messages
• Develop nutrition guidelines for
• Fundraising
• School Stores
• School Events
• Consider nutrition criteria for competitive foods
  offered in the cafeteria
• Tip use ideas from the School Wellness Resource
  Kit

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Policy/EnvironmentHealthy Eating Fundraising
School Stores

• Unhealthy Fundraising sends a mixed message!
• CDCs School Health Policies and Programs Study
  (2000), reported that 82 of schools used food
  and beverages for fund raising activities
• Chocolate candy (76 of schools)
• Cookies, crackers, cakes, pastries, baked goods
  (67)
• Candy other than chocolate (63)
• Soft drinks, sports drinks or fruit drinks (37)
• Fruits or vegetables (28)

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Policy/EnvironmentHealthy Eating Fundraising
School Stores

• Strategy Use fundraising activities that support
  student health!
• Physically active events
• Walk-a-thons, bike-a-thons, bowl-a-thons, Fun
  walks runs
• Bennetts Annual Bronco Stampede Fundraiser
  (one-day fun run, grossed over 14,000)
• Healthy foods and beverages
• Bottled water, 100 fruit juice, fresh fruit or
  veggies, granola or cereal bars, trail mix, fruit
  and nut baskets
• Consider using nutrition criteria for school
  store items (see B11 of school resource kit)
• Academics and the Arts
• Read-a-thon, spelling bee, art show, singing
  telegrams, student art auction
• School Spirit
• Apparel t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, scarves,
  etc
• School cookbook (healthy favorites!)
• Frisbees, key chains, spirit flags
• Special Occasions
• Holiday and gift items, cards, candles, etc
• (B9
  in Resource Kit)

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Policy/EnvironmentHealthy Eating School Events
Policy/EnvironmentHealthy Eating School Events

• Offer healthy food options at School Event
• Checklist for School Events
• Water is served
• Fruits and vegetables are offered
• Cookies, cakes and candy not offered, or served
  in small portions - cut them in half!
• If unhealthy foods are offered, they are served
  in small portions and with other foods that help
  balance out the meal (ie, serve pizza in small
  portions, and with a tossed salad and water,
  instead of cookies and soda)
• Consider school events that specifically focus on
  student health
• School Health Fair - Dunn, Tavelli
• Family Fun Night
• Family Duathlon or Race Bennett, Tavelli,
  Olander
• Salad Social instead of an Ice cream Social
• (B15 in Resource Kit)

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In the ClassroomHealthy Eating

• Teachers as Role Models (C1 Resource Kit)
• Wellness Checklist
• School Parties (C7 Resource Kit)
• Serve healthy snacks and beverages MOST of the
  time, with occasional sweet treats (small
  servings)
• Healthy Rewards (C9 Resource Kit)
• A word about food as rewards
• Encourages kids to eat when they arent hungry
• Encourages over consumption of foods high in
  added sugar, fat and calories
• Encourages lifetime habits of rewarding or
  comforting with food
• Undermines nutrition education taught in schools
• Consider non-food rewards
• Stickers, books, extra recess time, walk with the
  principal, etc

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At HomeHealthy Eating

• Get the word out through newsletters, including
  room for a regular nutrition feature or recipe
• Pull tips from the At Home section for use in
  your newsletter
• If kids are allowed to have snacks in the
  classroom, encourage parents to send healthy
  snacks only (provide them with a list from the
  Resource Kit)
• Reproducable handouts from Resource Kit
• 30 Tips to Eat Better
• Healthy Lunch Checklist
• 20 Tips for Healthier Snacking
• Helping Kids Eat More Fruits and Veggies
• Healthy Beverages for Kids
• Breakfast Better Grades

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Healthy Eating

• Current trends in childhood nutrition
• What schools can do to promote healthy eating
• Environment/Policy
• Classroom
• Home
• Model program Pick a better snack

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Pick a Better Snack
Research-based Nutrition Education Program

• Goal
• Increase consumption of fruits and vegetables
• Primary Target Audience
• Kindergarten 5th grade
• Message
• Choose fruits and vegetables as snacks
• Program Components
• Posters
• Resource Binder
• Background Introduction
• Lesson Plans (monthly lessons that support school
  standards)
• Bingo cards (K-3rd), or score cards (4th 5th)

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Staff WellnessVirginia Clark, MS, RDPVHS - CanDo
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The Importance of Staff Wellness for Schools

• Healthy employees are better able to do their
  job.
• Less teacher absenteeismstudents learn better.
• Staff are role models for students.
• Staff wellness programs can help control
  healthcare costs.
• Wellness Matters at PSD!

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Policy/EnvironmentStaff Wellness

• Is the healthy choice the easy choice?

Its okay for people to have a choice but its
so hard to make healthy choices when there are so
many other temptations around all the time.
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In a PSD school survey, 75 of
staff said they would like more healthy food
options at staff meetings and workshops.
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Policy/EnvironmentStaff Wellness

• What is in your staff vending machines?
• What is in your staff lounge?
• What is served at your staff meetings?
• What is available at staff events?
• Do you build in activity breaks during workshops,
  collaboration days, etc.?
• Are there any programs, clubs or incentives to
  support healthy lifestyles?

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In the ClassroomStaff Wellness

• Participate in activity breaks with your students
• Join the student wellness challenges programs
• Schools on the Move
• Fit for Life Week
• Market your classroom as a Wellness Classroom
• Guidelines for snacks
• Active parties celebrations
• Discuss expectations with kids and parents at the
  beginning of the year

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At HomeStaff Wellness

• Set your own personal wellness goals for the
  school year.
• Physical Activity
• Nutrition
• Stress Management

Wellness Goal Sheet - E5
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Ideas to Get You StartedStaff Wellness

• Ask employees want they want!
• Staff interest survey p. E3-4
• Weekly fresh fruit basket in the staff lounge
  (Tavelli, Bennett, Foothills Gateway, Neenan
  Company)

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Ideas to Get You StartedStaff Wellness

• Talk to your vendor about healthier vending
  options
• Quarterly catered healthy lunches
• Bennett staff pay individually, but 1 person
  organizes
• Healthy catering list on p. B16

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Ideas to Get You StartedStaff Wellness

• Do a school fitness challenge
• Create walking activity clubs
• Bring in the experts!
• Cooking classes
• Stress management classes
• Yoga, pilates, fitness classes
• Worksite Wellness Resource
  Directory at www.CanDoOnline.org
• Communicate with your Wellness Matters Team!

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In Your School Wellness Resource Kit
www.CanDoOnline.org
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Karen BennettRocky Mountain High
SchoolAssistant Principal
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RMHS Staff Wellness Challenge
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RMHS Wellness

• When did it start?
• Second Semester of the 2007-2008 SY
• Why did it start?
• Rocky staff expressed an interest in personal
  wellness.
• Who started it?
• Terri Keyworth, PE teacher, at Rocky.
• What is the goal of the program?
• The goal was to increase wellness among the staff
  at Rocky while having a good time.

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Program Details

• What does the program involve?
• Staff formed teams of 4 individuals. Teams were
  either self selected or individuals were hooked
  up with a team.
• Each team had to have a team captain and a team
  name to keep track of team points.
• Teams were posted on a big poster in the front
  office so that everyone could see their progress.
• Individuals were given a spreadsheet to track
  their points.
• Points were awarded based on fitness activity,
  nutrition intake, sleep, sitting down with family
  for a meal, and other wellness behaviors.
• Points were subtracted for unhealthy behaviors,
  like smoking, eating fried foods, etc.
• Once a team accumulated 50 points, they would
  earn a prize.

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Program Results

• We had approximately 16 teams or 64 people
  participate.
• Staff members joined health clubs and continue to
  go today.
• 1 staff member lost over 35 pounds and continues
  to practice healthy lifestyle habits.
• The overall culture of the building improved as
  teams supported each other and staff felt better
  about themselves.

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Lessons Learned

• What helped make this successful?
• Having a staff member that was passionate and
  knowledgeable about healthy lifestyles be in
  charge of the program to keep track of points and
  send encouraging emails.
• What would you change to make it better?
• Develop a nutrition program for staff to
  demonstrate and share quick, healthy meals.
• Offer fitness classes for staff.
• What advice would you give to other schools who
  want to do this?
• Keep it simple.
• Have prizes that are motivating to work towards.
• Highlight accomplishments at staff meetings.
• Have fun!

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Implementing School WellnessA Coordinated
Approach
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6 Steps to School Wellness

• Get administration support
• Establish a wellness team and designate
  co-leaders
• Collect baseline data
• Create a school wellness action plan
• Implement the action plan
• Evaluate

Resource Kit Your Wellness Team p. F1-10
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6 Steps to School Wellness

• Get administration support
• Link wellness to current school priorities (i.e.
  achievement, absenteeism, behavior problems,
  etc.)
• Use evidence-based research to make your case

Resource Kit Why Wellness p.
A1-7
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6 Steps to School Wellness

• Form a wellness team and designate
  co-leaders
• Get a wide representation
• Invite a person from each area of the CSH Model
• Ask students to join the team
• Involve your principal assistant principals
• Present at a staff meeting
• Talk to your PTO about being involved and helping
  fund wellness team projects
• Provide a stipend for your co-leaders
• Set regular meeting times
• Share meeting minutes with the whole staff
• Stay organized with your folder, action plan,
  wellness calendar.

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6 Steps to School Wellness

• Collect Baseline Data
• Available Tools
• School Health Index
• CDE School Wellness Policy Assessment Tool
• Healthy Schools Builder
• Links to all 3 tools in your resource kit
• Identify strengths weaknesses
• Select key target area(s) that your school wants
  to work on

Resource Kit School Wellness Teams
p. F1
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6 Steps to School Wellness

• Implement the Action Plan
• Use existing community resources
• Modify the plan as needed
• Talk about what youre doing!
• Evaluate the Action Plan
• Evaluate programs as you go
• Survey staff at the end of the year to get their
  feedback on what went well, changes theyve made,
  and what they would like next year
• Survey monkey online survey available through
  CanDo
• Share your successes lessons learned with
  staff, parents, the community!

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BreakSnacks sponsored by the
Western Dairy Association
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Action Planning for Your SchoolAnne
GensonHealthy Kids Club
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Share Your GoalsSharing Using What Youve
Learned
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Keep the Momentum Going

• Share your action plan with your principal
• Ask to talk at a staff meeting
• Share resources from todays workshop
• Ask for volunteer wellness team members
• Share your wellness goals and action plan
• Put the School Wellness Resource Kit in the staff
  lounge for others to look at and get them
  interested
• Send an email out to staff with a brief
  explanation link to the online School Wellness
  Resource Kit.
• If others would like a hard copy of the resource
  kit, email ve2_at_pvhs.org.

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ww.CanDoOnline.org
Thank You for Being a Wellness Champion!