School Success

Healthy Practices Pay Off for Schools

Excerpts from The Learning Connection Report entitled:

The Value of Improving

Nutrition and Physical Activity

in Our Schools

 

by

Action For Healthy Kids

 

Action For Healthy Kids acknowledges the unrestricted grant provided by the National Football League (NFL) that has made this report possible.

 

Success Story: Whitefish Central School in Montana

After analyzing disciplinary referrals, administrators at Whitefish Central School in Montana noticed that most disruptive behavior occurred 40 to 60 minutes after lunch, and they hypothesized that this may be the result of students eating unhealthy foods that are high in fat and sugar content. The school made several changes, including replacing vending-machine sodas with bottled waters and 100 percent juices, eliminating candy from the lunch menu and vending machines, and increasing the nutritional content of its vending machine items through the sale of sandwiches, yogurt, fruit, milk, bagels, and salads. Within two years of making the change, disciplinary referrals after lunch have fallen dramatically, from an average of six to eight per day to one or two per week.

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Success Story: Southlake Elementary School in Maryland

Southlake Elementary School in Maryland saw an 8 percent decline in tardiness, a 50 percent decline in suspensions, and a 5 percent increase in the number of students scoring satisfactorily on state testing after increasing participation in its school breakfast program.

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Success Story: Mississippi's McComb Separate School District

Adopting healthier practices can help schools meet their education goals and generate additional revenue, as well. Mississippi’s McComb Separate School District serves 3,000 students, 80 percent of whom live in public housing projects. McComb met the federally mandated “Annual Yearly Progress” requirements for every sub-group of students in 2002 — an achievement Superintendent Pat Cooper attributes to changes made in recent years to promote better student health. These changes have also had a positive impact on the district’s bottom line. Over the past five years average daily attendance has increased from 93 to 96 percent, which translated into an additional $390,000 in state funding. In addition, vending machine revenues from water sales are up by 30 percent.

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Schools Need Not Act Alone

Schools Need Not Act Alone: The Importance of Collaboration and Partnership.

 

Just as the problems that have led to poor nutrition, physical inactivity, and weight problems among youth are multifaceted, so are the solutions. Tackling these problems is the responsibility of every individual, every community, and every state in the nation. Public and private stakeholders at all levels must join in the effort. From parents to local health care providers, from community-based organizations to health plans and insurers, from public health departments to state and federal government agencies, a broad spectrum of players must come together to encourage children and adolescents to change their behaviors so that they can live long, healthy lives.

 

To read complete report on PDF click here.

 

or visit

 

www.ActionForHealhtyKids.org