Did you know...?

• More than 1 in 6 children and adolescents are overweight.
• 79 percent of children ages 7 to 12 gave diet that needs improvement.
• And, if trends continue, many experts believe that today's kids may be the first generation in American history to live shorter lives than their parents.
• Collectively, over 20 percent of the United States population can be found in the school community. Because of the size and accessibility of this population, school health programs are one of the most efficient ways to encourage healthy habits.

Benefits of a Healthier School:

• Studies show that students with better nutrition have better attention spans, better class participation an higher test scores.
• In some cases, improved nutrition seems to reduce behavioral problems.
• Higher levels of physical activity seem to be related to higher self-esteem and lower levels of anxiety and stress--all of which are associated with better a

What can School Wellness Councils do?

• Support the school in developing a healthier school environment.
• Create the vision and goals for the local healthy schools program.
• Assist with policy development to support a healthy school environment.
• Promote parent, community, and professional involvement in developing a healthier school environment.
• Advocate for school health programs and policies within the broader school community.
• Tap into funding and resources for student and staff wellness.
• Plan and implement programs for students and staff.
• Evaluate program and policy efforts.

What is the Healthy Schools Program?

• The Healthy Schools Program is an initiative of Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a partnership between the American Heart Association and the William j. Clinton Foundation.
• The Healthy Schools Program focuses on helping schools:
  • improve the nutrition of food and beverages served in vending machines and cafeterias
  • increase opportunities for students to exercise and play
  • provide resources for teachers and staff to become healthy role models.
• The Healthy Schools Program will help us set goals, and then give us the tools and resources to meet those goals.
• The Healthy Schools Program helps schools serve both the academic and the health needs of their students without negatively impaction their budgets.
  • The Healthy Schools Program provides business assistance to help schools improve the quality of food offerings, without losing revenue. In some cases, the changes actually increase revenue
  • The Healthy Schools Program will help form national buyers cooperatives with food and fitness companies.
  • The Healthy Schools Program will help schools districts align their policies and contracts to our beverage and competitive foods guidelines.
• Our school will be eligible for recognition status. After we reach our goals, we can publicize our status to parents and community members. We'll also be able to display our status on letterhead and in front of the school.