Implementing the School Health Index in Your School

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Implementing the School Health Index in Your
School

• Sandy Sherman
• The Food Trust
• Philadelphia, PA

Comprehensive School Nutrition Policy Initiative
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The Food Trust was established in 1992 to

• Increase the availability of fresh foods,
• Develop a stable food supply in underserved
  communities, and
• Improve the connection between urban and
  agricultural communities.

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Comprehensive School Nutrition Policy

• Mission To improve the health and well-being of
  youngsters who are at risk for poor nutritional
  status (including overweight) by improving their
  diets through the adoption of a comprehensive
  school nutrition policy.

Funded by the Food Stamp Nutrition Education
Program PA Nutrition Education Plan
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• Students will improve their growth and weight
  gain profiles.
• Schools will successfully implement the school
  nutrition policy by
• Completing the School Health Index
• Establishing school health councils,
• Initiating social marketing,
• Insuring that all foods meet the guidelines,
• Integrating 50 hours of nutrition education,
• Conducting 10 hours of teacher nutrition
  training, and
• Involving family members and the community.

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School Health Index

• Helps schools identify their strengths and
  weaknesses
• Brings a school team together to develop an
  action plan
• Provides a structure for implementing the plan

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School Team

• The School Health Index will provide structure
  and direction to your schools efforts to improve
  health and safety policies and programs.

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Health Behaviors

• The School Health Index addresses behaviors that
  contribute to the leading causes of death,
  disability, and illness among young people and
  adults in the United States
• Physical inactivity.
• Poor eating habits.
• Tobacco use.
• A wide range of safety-related behaviors.

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Schools vs. Districts

• The Index is designed for use at the local level.
  With appropriate adaptation, it could be used at
  the district level as well, especially if the
  district has only a few schools and those schools
  have similar policies and programs.

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School Health Index format ??

• Two separate tools
• Elementary
• Middle/High Schools
• Each tool divided into 8 modules, Planning for
  Improvement section School Health Improvement
  Plan Resources section

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The Food Trust Four Year SHI History 2001
2002 4 schools 2002 2003 14
schools 2003 2004 20 schools 2004 2005
45 schools
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Sample agenda for School Health Index team
meeting 1

• ?? Introductions
• ?? Purpose of the School Health Index
• ?? Why health is important for schools
• ?? Coordinated School Health Program model
• ?? School Health Index format

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• Sample agenda for School Health Index team
  meeting 1 continued
• ?? Implementation process
• ?? Things to keep in mind when completing the
  modules
• ?? Module Score Card, Discussion Questions, and
  Planning Questions
• ?? Overall Score Card and School Health
  Improvement Plan
• ?? Completing all 8 modules
• ?? Setting timelines

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Sample agenda for School Health Team Meeting 2??

• Review and discuss SHI findings
• Strength and weaknesses
• Module scores
• Top priority actions
• Resources needed

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Sample agenda for School Health Team Meeting 2
continued

• Decide on action steps
• Assign responsibilities
• Set timelines for action
• Discuss how to present plan to larger
• school community
• Discuss how to monitor progress
• Set future meeting

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• Remember to
• Communicate your progress to the larger school
  community
• Track changes over the year
• Celebrate success!