By Nancy Whitney
Staff Writer
Recommendations for student health were presented to trustees at the June School Board meeting.
Coordinator of Health Services and Achieve Academy Nurse, Amy Hillin, formed the recommendations following a survey and discussions with the Student Health Advisory Council.
The council, a group composed of 25 parents and community members, is appointed by the school district to provide advice on coordinating school health programming and its impact on student health and learning.
Hillin explained there were several changes to the laws governing student health in 2014. One such change affects the Smart Snacks rules, which indicates all items sold outside of National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, including a la carte lines, vending machines, school stores, snack carts and fundraising events will have to meet the new standards, helping reduce the availability of junk food through limiting calories, sodium, fat and sugar.
Smart Snacks encourages schools to provide more fruits, vegetables and other healthy alternatives that are whole-grain rich and nutrient dense.
Recommendations to the board included designating exemptions to Smart Snacks guidelines for school wide celebrations; district wide exemptions to Smart Snacks guidelines; increase the districts role in providing staff and parent nutrition education; ensure all parents have access to their child’s FitnessGram results; parents are able to see FitnessGram results prior to the last day of school and increase physical activity by discouraging the use of physical activity as punishment.
Hillin said a recurring complaint from parents was the revoking of recess for misbehavior. It was suggested by those surveyed that recess not be used as punishment, that students need that time to release energy and get exercise. SHAC included the concern in their recommendation.
For additional information on SHAC, visit http://www.wylieisd.net/Page/1601.
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