FortSamHoustonIndependentSchool District

School Health Advisory Council Meeting


FortSamHoustonIndependentSchool District

School Health Advisory Council November 17, 2014 Meeting Minutes

Welcome

School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) members were welcomed by Jayne Hatton.

Coordinated School Health Program

Local Wellness Policy: The physical education subcommittee and campus administrators are currently reviewing the Local Wellness Policy and Wellness Plan. The Associate Superintendent and Child Nutrition Director will measure implementation of the plan and share results with SHAC members. The Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), the District’s policy service provider, is working with the Texas Department of Agriculture and will provide a Starting Points document for review at a future date.

Mayor’s Fitness Council: SHAC members received an overview of the City of San Antonio, Mayor’s Fitness Council SA2020 initiatives. FSHISD student representatives working in support of local health initiatives will provide an overview of their projects at our next scheduled meeting. It was suggested that a link to the Mayor’s Fitness Council be added to the District website. Depending on our student’s final product/presentation, it was suggested that their information might also be added to District webpages.

Health and Wellness Promotion Activities: Posters with messages on nutrition, exercise, and universal precautions as well as folders to hold flyers from the Texas Department of Agriculture were shared with SHAC members. Information will be added to school bulletin boards and the Cole cafeteria, joining other materials already on display. The Cole Student Wellness Committee and the two FSHISD Mayor’s Fitness Council representatives will continue to update the areas to draw attention to new information. SHAC members made the following recommendations for future promotion:

  • Add information on the importance of sleep
  • Add information on universal precautions
  • Add information on drinking more water
  • Add QR codes with resources
  • Use the campus Public Announcement system to send regular positive messages
  • Add announcements to draw attention to the Bulletin Boards

SHAC committee members, Dr. Bowsher and Mrs. Nichols, may have contacts for resources on the importance of sleep and universal precautions that could be shared.

Health Services

Fort Sam Houston Elementary School nurse, Mrs. Nia Nolan, RN, shared that the flu mist event is becoming a family event with 150 elementary students and parents receiving treatment at school. Dr. Barbara Bowser reported that 168 middle and high school students received the flu vaccine in November. It was noted that many parents indicated they had already received the vaccination. Dr. Gail Siller, FSHISD Superintendent, has been contacted by HEB to discuss the possibility of providing staff with the flu vaccine. Discussions are underway to determine if this might be a viable option for our staff.

SHAC members discussed employee health and wellness. The District’s current health insurance provider is TRSActive Care and Aetna, which provides wellness options for employees. A number of employees have insurance benefits through TriCare or other providers which might also offer wellness options. A concern was expressed about the low literacy level of staff in the management of their own healthcare. It was noted that educators typically focus all their energy on the students, to the detriment of their own care. It was suggested that contact be made with outside organizations that might partner with the District or Campus to offer support for adult health and wellness initiatives. One idea presented was to offer a Health Fair of some kind. The development of a FSHISD Employee Recipe Book was also suggested to engage staff in the selection of healthy food options. All staff will receive a Steps to Living Healthy 2015 Calendar from FSHISD Board of Trustees and Administrators in recognition of American Education Week.

Physical Activity Report

SHAC members received an overview of FITNESSGRAM assessments used to assess physical fitness and physical activity levels for students. The assessment is not based on athletic ability, but on good health, with scores evaluated against the Healthy Fitness Zone standards. Physical Education teachers are beginning assessments which will be completed early in the second semester of the school year. Provisions are in place for exemptions for students for whom the assessment would not be appropriate. Assessment results provide physical education teachers with information they can use to make adjustments in their curriculum to meet the needs of students. Assessment results are considered by the District and Campus Educational Improvement Councils prior to the development of their Improvement Plans.

Child Nutrition

Ms. Ruiz shared the success of the annual Thanksgiving Feast hosted by the Child Nutrition Department in November, one of the District’s best attended community engagement activities. Over 1,100 meals were served at Fort Sam Houston Elementary School and 600 at Robert G. Cole Middle and High School. Mrs. Nichols complimented Ms. Ruiz on the systems in place to make this such an enjoyable experience for families. Students at Robert G. Cole Middle and High School also shared positive comments with the Child Nutrition staff.

Elementary Child Nutrition staff continue to adjust to the changes brought about by construction. Some adjustments to times have occurred to ensure students receive lunch on time, with the quality they expect. Ms. Ruiz complimented elementary administrators and staff as everyone works to ensure a positive meal experiences for students.