Wellness Initiative Goals and Objectives 2015-2016 School Year To address national and state concerns regarding the health and well-being of our youth and to support the philosophy of wellness as presented in School Board Wellness Policy 1-21, a Wellness Committee was organized; group members include district staff, school staff, community members, and students. As a result of intense discussion and deliberation, the OCSD Wellness Committee is encouraging a positive and proactive approach to this exciting opportunity to impact students health and their school environment, as well as staff health and their work environment. This committee developed a five-pronged approach to wellness which addresses: Student Wellness; Employee Wellness; Curriculum; Nutrition; and Promotion. The OCSD Wellness Committee recommends continued implementation of the following goals and objectives to support the national, state and district emphasis on wellness. Subcommittee: Student Wellness Goal: Students will improve their health and well-being by increasing their knowledge and application of practices which coordinate all aspects of a healthy lifestyle (e.g., physical activity, nutrition, reduction of sedentary behaviors and no tobacco or nicotine products). Rationale for choosing goal: Students lack of appropriate and adequate physical activity, poor eating habits and sedentary behaviors Physical activity patterns and diet are contributing factors to the increase in overweight youth. Being overweight is the most common health problem facing US children; in 2012, more than one third of children and adolescents in the US were overweight or obese. (JAMA, 2012) Childhood obesity has both immediate and long-term effects on health and wellbeing. (CDC) Poor attendance as a result of health issues. Studies show that healthy students perform better on tests, get better grades, attend school more often and behave better in class. How will you measure success in reaching this goal? Elementary and middle school PE schedules will align to the state-mandated time increments required for physical education Elementary and middle school PE classes will incorporate a standardized physical fitness examination to be administered pre/post to measure fitness improvement Elementary, middle and high schools will focus on childhood obesity in PE classes through health education and encouraging healthy habits. 5% improved student attendance, by school 1
Objectives set to accomplish goal: Each school level will incorporate a monthly, school-wide wellness focus, highlighting one of the numerous aspects of health, and coordinate an athome/after school activity to support the specific component; a percentage of students will document completion of the at-home/after school component The school-wide wellness plan will address the three factors which negatively impact student well-being: inactivity, poor nutrition and being overweight; the plan will address both health consequences and psychosocial effects Programs, activities, interventions planned to meet objective: A wellness team per school level (elementary, middle, high) will develop a wellness plan; the plan will include a school-wide focus and an at-home/after school activity Health tips and strategies to achieve a healthy life style will be provided for students and communicated to parents via a quarterly electronic newsletter provided by a county health department staff. Nutrition education lessons will be provided by University of Florida Extension Office and Food Service Office dietetic intern to approximately 40% of schools Promote a friendly competition among schools (same school levels) to participate in fitness activities or a multi-school fitness challenge based on the 5-2-1-0 principles. Encourage participation in school-selected activities which promote student wellbeing (e.g., Walk-Run Day or Every Kid Healthy Week). Incorporate resource staff (e.g., cafeteria managers, county health department staff) to assist in selecting activities for, and promoting, the monthly wellness focus. An action plan that includes strategies for how the PE class will achieve physical activity requirements on rainy days. Provide behavior modification modules as a part of the Student Training Program. Timeline for programs: School-level wellness teams will meet during the summer to help develop the student wellness plan/activities for implementation during the 15-16 school year Ideas and suggestions for the monthly focus/activities will be solicited from PE teachers and teachers of courses related to student health and well-being during the summer, 2016. Resources needed to conduct programs: Funding/Donations to the district, individual schools, or departments for incentives 2
Methods and tools to evaluate programs: Form to check off completion of at-home/after school wellness activity Wellness Survey questions regarding effectiveness of the wellness plan Nutrition Education Survey regarding effectiveness of classroom nutrition lessons School Health Index to provide a self-assessment of the school environment and to use as a planning to tool improve health and safety policies and programs. Subcommittee: Employee Wellness Goal: Increase staff participation in wellness opportunities promoted by the school district. Rationale for choosing goal: The whole health index based on the health screenings conducted during the 2014 2015 school year was 52 on a scale of 100. Absenteeism rates How will you measure success in reaching this goal? Site Point of Contact (POC) will report quarterly to Risk Management using form developed by school district. Objectives set to accomplish goal: School District will provide a health screening for 2015-2016 school year Promote participation in community-based wellness programs and events Promote participation in OCSD wellness programs and events Programs, activities, interventions planned to meet objective: Health Screening sponsored by FWB Medical Center and Twin Cities Hospital District-based wellness programs School-based wellness programs Community-based wellness programs Mobile Health Clinic from FWB Medical Center and Twin Cities Hospital to visit schools and district offices each semester Wellness website accessible from OCSD homepage Online personal nutrition and exercise program for eligible employees Provide tobacco cessation courses for OCSD employees Timeline for programs: Wellness programs will commence with the 2015-2016 school year. 3
Resources needed to conduct programs: Funding/Donations to individual schools/departments for incentives Promotional information Technicians available for screenings Community discounts Nurse Practitioner and medical assistant for Mobile Health Clinic Methods and tools to evaluate programs: Analyze data collected from POC s using quarterly forms developed by school district. Analyze annual aggregate health analysis provided by FWB Medical Center and Twin Cities Hospital Analyze claim data from district medical provider Subcommittee: Curriculum Goal: All school levels (elementary, middle, high) will fully implement all health education benchmarks within the daily instructional program and/or the appropriate course content in order for students to improve skills, knowledge and attitudes which lead to a healthy lifestyle. Rationale for choosing the goal: The Okaloosa County School Board believes that health education should be an essential element of each school s instructional program. Students should be provided the opportunity to develop the skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary to participate in a lifetime of healthy activities (School Board Wellness Policy). Currently there is a lack of, or inconsistent, implementation of the health education benchmarks in the appropriate grades or courses. The Okaloosa County School Board believes that students who begin each day as healthy individuals can learn more and learn better and are more likely to complete their formal education (School Board Wellness Policy) The American Medical Association suggests profound consequences will occur (biological, social and economic) due to childhood inactivity, poor nutrition and being overweight (JAMA, Dec. 12, 2001, Vol. 286, No. 22) 4
How will you measure success in reaching this goal? Documents will be available at the school and/or district level to identify inclusion of the health benchmarks, whether the inclusion is aligned to a health specific course or aligned to other, related courses (e.g., PE, science) Health courses with a course description that includes all health benchmarks Elementary Science Curriculum guide which includes the designation of health benchmarks Lesson plans and pacing guides which include the designation of health benchmarks Program assessment results, obtained from the administration of a survey in a pre/post setting, associated with health related programs implemented at the different school levels Elementary: Too Good for Drugs (Mendez) PATHS (Bridgeway) Middle: Project Alert High School: Drug and Alcohol Prevention Distracted Driving Component of Driver s Education Class (NHTSA) A report obtained from each OCSD school which identifies the programs/events provided for the current school year which support student health and well-being and align to health benchmarks Objectives set to accomplish the goal: Curriculum alignment of all health benchmarks will be identified at all grade/school levels as/when the course descriptions are revised at the state level. Annually, programs and events will be offered at each school by school, community or district personnel who support and are aligned with health standards. A list of community resources/programs which promote health and student wellbeing are updated and made available to schools on an annual basis. OCSD requests community agencies which present student programs align applicable health benchmarks to the content of the program/presentation; a copy of the benchmarks is made available to community agencies. A calendar which conveys the national and/or state focus on health, by month, is annually updated by OCSD guidance counselors and distributed to all schools are aligned to the monthly focus. 5
Programs, activities, interventions planned to meet objectives: Students will participate in physical education/pe courses which honor state mandates for time increments and content. Promote health related presentations, developed by school level staff, which align to health benchmarks : Nurses/Health Technicians SROs Cafeteria Managers Continue to submit grants which result in school-level programs which support student health and well-being: Project Alert, middle school High school program for drug and alcohol abuse prevention Participate in state/school level surveys which identify health-related areas which require a dedicated focus at a particular school level Florida Youth Risk Behavior Survey School-level student surveys School Health Index School staff will engage in curriculum alignment activities in which health benchmarks are aligned with other subjects, such as PE and science: Curriculum guides Lesson plans Scope and sequence documents Contact community agencies to obtain a list of health-related programs/presentations which are available for different school levels; provide the contacts with a list of health benchmarks and request documentation of health benchmark alignment to program content: Bridgeway UF Nutrition Center (Family Nutrition Program, FNP) County Health Department Food Service Office Dietetic Intern Implement programs available at the school site which promote student health and well-being: Elementary: Too Good for Drugs, PATHS, 5-2-1-0 Middle School: Project Alert High School: Drug and Alcohol Prevention, Distracted Driving Encourage development of TV-based presentations by student groups (e.g., IT students, students taking nutrition and other Family/Consumer Science courses), with topics associated with student health and well-being. The result would be a set of CDs which could be shown on ITV or used in PE classes on rainy day schedules. Share on-line resources which provide health curriculum lesson plans and newsletter (e.g., http://www.healthwaveinc.com/lessons.html, and http://www.healthwaveinc.com/newsletter.html ). 6
Investigate and consider purchase of resources which could be used to support the district focus on student health and well-being: Professional video/cd series Student survey related to health and well-being Timeline: Annually in the Fall: Return of FL Youth Survey results, schools to use results to identify instructional focus and related health benchmarks Annually in the Fall: Communication with community agencies requesting names of contacts and list of available programs; sharing curriculum health standards documents with community agencies Annually in the Spring: Review and update curriculum guides/pacing guides Annually in the Fall: If necessary, revise high school pacing guides for all core classes Every seven years, adopt new text aligned to course descriptions/benchmarks Resources needed to achieve objectives: List of technological support (e.g., Brain Pop, United Streaming programs, websites such as ChooseMyPlate.org) provided by the Instructional Technology Department. Year-long calendar identifying months which include a health focus (e.g., February/Healthy Heart Month, Red Ribbon Week) Professional and/or student-developed library of resources to support student health and well-being List of programs provided by community agencies; list of contacts for each of the agencies Methods and tools to evaluate achievement of objectives: Science Curriculum Guide Other school-based documents which include evidence of health benchmark alignment Calendar: Health focus/events School survey: Inclusion of health programs/events for the year Assessment results (pre/post) from grant funded district programs School newsletters document inclusion of activities and events which promote student wellness 7
Subcommittee: Nutrition Goal: Students will improve their health and well-being by making sensible and responsible decisions related to nutrition. Rationale for choosing goal: Obesity rates have tripled in children and adolescents over the last two decades (The National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity); diet is one factor leading to the increase in overweight youth. The high prevalence of overweight and obesity across the United States population is of concern because individuals who are overweight or obese have an increased risk of many health problems. Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer are among the conditions most often associated with obesity. Ultimately, obesity can increase the risk of premature death (Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010, www.dietaryguidelines.gov). The U.S. Surgeon General calls obesity the greatest threat to public health today (AMA, Aug. 01, 2007). How will you measure success in reaching this goal? Food service production records will reflect an increase in student selection of fruits and vegetable to 100% of fruit or vegetable included in each reimbursable meal, due to the new implementation of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (students are now required to take a fruit and/or vegetable with each meal). The Wellness Survey will include questions related to improved nutritional practices; 85% of students will indicate that their nutritional habits have improved Production records will reflect number of reimbursement meals, in compliance with the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, served to students. Menus will meet the New Regulations as stated in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Act of 2010 including Smart Snacks in Schools Standards (Okaloosa County received additional.06 for compliance, this goal was met early in October of 2012). \Objectives set to accomplish goal: Parents, students, faculty and staff will be informed that all meals served in Okaloosa County Schools are in compliance with newly revised rules and regulations as set forth by USDA and Florida, Food and Nutrition, Department of Agriculture. Monthly menus are posted on-line in the food services section of the Okaloosa County Schools website, and staff continues to receive training to understand and comply with the new rules. Parent and student input will be considered when developing district menus: input and feedback will be obtained from parent/student participation in the food services informal Menu Committee and Satisfactory Surveys, as well as results from the Wellness Survey. A foodservice staff member was part of the Student Advisory Council and provided feedback in the form of surveys. Surveys were reviewed when planning new menu to address likes/dislikes. 8
Programs, activities, interventions planned to meet objective: Nutrislice online menu system allows students, teachers and staff to view menu offerings, nutritional composition and allergy information on their computer, tablet or mobile device. The website provides users with the means to rate food items and provide critical menu feedback. Participation and presentations by Food Service personnel at school, principal and School Board meetings. Use of the district web page to provide up-to-date information pertaining to Food Service and nutrition educational links. School site programs which focus on nutrition developed and presented by University of Florida Extension Office and Food Service Office reiterated through cafeteria manager/staff. Continued food service program compliance with newly revised nutritional requirements of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, established by local, state and federal statutes and regulations. Implementation of new Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards for competitive foods and beverages sold outside of the federal reimbursable school meals program during the school day. This includes foods and beverages sold in vending machines, a la carte lines, fundraisers and other school-sponsored events. These standards set limits on calories, salt, sugar, and fat in foods and beverages and promotes snack foods that have whole grains, low fat dairy, fruits, vegetables or protein foods as their main ingredients. This initiative has been implemented by beginning of SY 14-15, and will be continually monitored. Collaborate with administrators to encourage compliance with requirements for the sale or donation of all foods outside the cafeteria (e.g., fundraisers, classroom parties & celebrations, rewards, school-sponsored events). Implementation of fresh fruit and garden bars at lunch in all schools in Okaloosa County. This initiative has been met by beginning of SY 14-15. The district s menus will continue to feature Farm-to-School products from local farms. Timeline for programs: Web page and Nutrislice is currently operational. Participation/Presentations will be scheduled and presented by Food Service staff on a regular basis regarding MyPlate Nutrition Presentations and Diabetes Education Presentations for Okaloosa Staff members. A School Board presentation will take place on an annual basis. Resources needed to conduct programs: Food Service personnel, Food Service Nutritionist, University of Florida Extension Office. Formal training for all Food Service personnel of revised nutrition requirements set forth by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, and proper food handling and safety in the kitchen. Conducted in the beginning and through-out year, highlighting changes and requirements. 9
Nutritional websites, handouts, pamphlets. Menu Committee (informal) membership of parents and students. Grant funds rewarded to schools through participation in various healthpromoting programs including: Farm to School Grant Program, Fuel Up to Play 60. Methods and tools to evaluate programs: Survey developed by the Wellness Committee to evaluate a number of objectives included in the Wellness Initiative. Food services production records and point of sale records. Survey developed by the University of Florida Extension Office in regards to student participation and understanding of nutrition topics addressed by extension office and dietetic intern during nutrition education lessons provided to approximately 40% of the schools in the district. Goal: Subcommittee: Promotion of Wellness Initiate a marketing plan at district level to support and enhance the Wellness Initiative Rationale for choosing goal: Increasing insurance premiums Claims OCSD total claims paid for June, 2014 to May, 2015 were $16,919,997 Top claims for the period were related to cancer and diabetes Florida State Statute Section 18 of Section 1003.453 specifies that school districts are required to annually review their school wellness policy (as required by the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004) and provide a procedure for public input and revisions. When people are motivated to work toward a common goal, there is a greater chance of successfully attaining that goal: Individual commitment to a group effort that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work Vince Lombardi How will you measure success in reaching this goal? Achievement of sub-committee wellness objectives Reduction in number of health insurance claims Reduction in prescription medications 10
Objectives set to accomplish goal: Use a minimum of five resources as promotional tools to support the OCSD Wellness Initiative: Community Activities Resource Guide Health Screening Wellness Education Classes Monthly school-wide activity Programs, activities, interventions planned to meet objective: Encourage support of Wellness Initiative across all content areas (e.g., writing prompts, art activities, science fair, school newsletter) Develop Resource Guide Guidance Counselor representative will compile information for a Resource Guide which includes community resources and contact information Encourage schools to recognize staff and students who meet wellness objectives Continue the district Fit Feet Walking Program Organize diabetes and stress educational programs Designate a Point of Contact at each school/district location Communicate and coordinate with community agencies to share and promote the wellness activities and events of each other Promote Health Screening Promote the development of a school-wide wellness plan which is aligned to the district Wellness Initiative; encourage the inclusion of a mental health focus Resources needed to conduct programs: Healthy School Teams at schools (students/parents/staff) Fitness committees at district level Printing coordination Insurance department for data collection pertaining to health claims Website links schools/district United Way and the Health Department to serve as points of contact for community resources and support Community and business partners to support and/or host wellness events and/or to provide donations for recognition and incentives Methods and tools to evaluate programs: School Wellness Initiative Quarterly Report Annual review of Wellness Initiative Healthy School Team reports Healthy District self-assessments Healthy citizens are the greatest asset any country can have ~ Winston Churchill 11