SHAC Charter

Purpose:

Academic success is strongly linked to health.  With this in mind we will focus our efforts on helping students engage in protective, health-enhancing behaviors and avoid risk behaviors.  With support from families and the community, our ability as a school to have a positive impact on students’ health, behavior, and academic growth is enhanced.

The SHAC council will provide coordination and a framework for 7 standing sub-committees: Health & Wellness

  • Social Services
  • Nutrition
  • Emergency Preparedness
  • Physical Education/Athletics/Activities
  • Early Learning
  • Community Engagement

Basis for Establishment:

Washington state received a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to promote the model of “Coordinated School Health.” Schools were encouraged to embrace this model by the creation of School Health Advisory Councils that include 8 interconnecting components:

  • Nutrition
  • Physical fitness education
  • Health services (nursing)
  • Counseling and support
  • Healthy school environment
  • Health promotion for staff
  • Family and community involvement

Each component makes an important contribution to students’ well-being and readiness to learn. With a coordinated approach, the components complement each other and have a greater impact than each piece could have by itself. Our district originally formed our School Health Advisory Council in fall 2010.

Program Goals:

We are committed to this effort by assuring the coordination of school health programs by: Building teamwork among school staff (health, mental health, education, nutrition, administration).

  • Developing collaborative partnerships with our community
  • Reviewing school health policies and making recommendations to our school board regarding policy changes.
  • Utilize data in assessing and evaluating our school health program, identifying strengths, redundancies and gaps.
  • Plan a comprehensive, coordinated school health program and integrate into the School Improvement Plan.

Committee Members:

Principals, superintendent, Health & Wellness Coordinator, health teachers, physical fitness teachers, school nurse, counselors, athletic director, parents, students, mental health providers and health care providers.

Responsibilities of Committee Members:

  • Regular meeting attendance.

  • Respectful and collaborative interactions with committee members.

  • **Be ambassadors for our district health program; communicate our purpose, our goals and our work to the school board, students and community.**Communication & Decision Making:

  • This is an advisory body to the superintendent and school board. Decision making will reside with the superintendent and school board.

  • We will provide meeting minutes and action plans to the district office for posting on the district website.

  • Recommendations will be made in an annual report for consideration by the superintendent and school board.