1. Building a Healthier School Environment through School Based Wellness Teams 2015 College and Career Readiness Conferences Presenter: Co-Presenter:

2. Outcome Participants will create a healthy school environment by: 1. Establishing a school-level wellness team 2. Developing school wellness goals and action plans

3. Agenda A. Welcome B. Wellness and the School Environment C. Wellness Policies D. Assessing Wellness in Your School E. Building a Wellness Team F. Action Planning G. Sustainability

4. “That’s Me!” If you hear a statement that applies to you stand up and say “That’s me!” and then sit back down.

5. Health AND Academic Achievement: A Research-Based Perspective Core Messages Healthy students are better learners Schools can influence eating and physical activity behaviors Healthy, successful students help to build strong communities All students deserve the opportunity to be healthy and successful

6. As Educators; If kids come to us from strong, healthy functioning families, it makes our job easier. If they do not come to us from strong, healthy, functioning families, it makes our job more important. Barbara Colorose

7. Wellness Policies in Schools  What are wellness policies? They are school policies required by the United States Department of Agriculture since 2004  What will you find in a wellness policy?

8. Wellness Policies Who is responsible for wellness policies? Your school system is responsible for writing the wellness policy Individual schools are responsible for implementing them

9. What’s in my school system’s wellness policy?  Go to your School System’s website.  Find your wellness policy. Tip: you can often find these in Board Docs  If you haven’t found one in 2 minutes an example policy will be provided

10. Policy Hunt  What does you policy say in regards to: Vending Machines Recess Staff Wellness  Select something in your policy that is new or interesting to you.

11. Assessing Wellness in Your School “If you don’t know where you are headed, you’ll probably end up someplace else.” -Douglas J. Eder, Ph.D We assess in our classrooms because assessment enhances teaching and student learning. We assess wellness because assessment increases wellness practices and enhances wellness in schools.

12. How Can We Assess Wellness? Alliance For a Healthier Generation Healthy School Program Assessment 57 Questions based on best practice guidelines Each question identifies the best practice Response choices allow you to select your level of implementation Tools and resources are provided to help your school to plan and implement best practices of your choice.

13. Example Question: 101. Does your school have a representative committee or team that meets at least four times a year and oversees school health and safety policies and programs? 3 = Yes. 2 = There is a committee or team that does this, but it could be more representative. 1 = There is a committee or team, but it is not representative, or it meets less often than four times a year. 0 = No. How Can We Assess Wellness?

14. Practice  Participants will separate into groups.  Each group will be given a question from Alliance for a Healthier Generation Healthy Schools Assessment to answer.  Choose one person’s school as the school you will use to answer the question provided.

15. Practice Cont’d 102. Do all foods and beverages served and offered to students during the extended school day meet or exceed the USDA’s Smart Snacks in Schools nutrition standards? 504. Does the school nurse or other health services provider have a system for identifying and tracking students with chronic health conditions?

16. Building a Wellness Team Create a Wellness Team Assess Wellness Practices Set Goals Based on Your Assessment

17. Maryland is walking the walk

18. School-Level Wellness Teams 2012-2013 School Year

19. Schools are More Likely to Implement Wellness Policies and Practices When a Wellness Team is in Place

20. School Level Implementation Build 1. Establish a school based wellness team, with a designated coordinator, that is broadly representative of the school and community. 2. Develop school wellness goals and implementation plans that connect with school improvement team goals. 3. Identify resources to support implementation of wellness policy provisions at the school. Communicate 4. Communicate and promote the importance of healthy eating and physical activity for students, families, and the community. Monitor 5. Gather and report school-level data on wellness policy implementation.

21. Your Team  Identify the people at your schools who serve in the following roles: Nurse School Counselor Health/Physical Education Teacher Principal/Assistant Principal Cafeteria Manager Wellness Enthusiast Business Manager

22. Action Planning

23. Create an Action Plan  In your groups: Use the sample question from Alliance for a Healthier Generation as your action item/goal Complete the action plan template using the question provided.  You can do this electronically or with a hard copy version of the action plan provided. Use the resources from https://schools.healthiergeneration.org

24. Sustainability  Think about your school What practices are sustainable, measured school-wide and reported annually?

25. School Level Implementation Build 1. Establish a school based wellness team, with a designated coordinator, that is broadly representative of the school and community. 2. Develop school wellness goals and implementation plans that connect with school improvement team goals. 3. Identify resources to support implementation of wellness policy provisions at the school. Communicate 4. Communicate and promote the importance of healthy eating and physical activity for students, families, and the community. Monitor 5. Gather and report school-level data on wellness policy implementation.

26. Remembering Why We Are Here

27. For More Information Contact: Lea Jaspers Wellness Specialist Professional Development and Technical Assistance Section Office of School and Community Nutrition Programs Maryland State Department of Education Lea.Jaspers@maryland.gov 410-767-0212