1. 1 School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) Welcome San Benito CISD

2. 2 School Health Advisory Council 1 234 Why do we have SHAC? What is the role of the SHAC? Who are the members of the SHAC? What is a Coordinated School Health Program?

3. 3 School Health Advisory Council Why do we have a SHAC?

4. 4 Title 2, Chapter 28, Section 28.004 of the Texas Education Code requires school districts to establish School Health Advisory Council to assist the district in ensuring that local community values are reflected in the district’s health education instruction.

5. 5 School Health Advisory Council What is the role of the SHAC?

6. 6 The SBCISD SHAC serves as an advisory council which provides recommendations, changes and/or additions to the school’s health education curriculum and instruction for consideration by the SBCISD Board of Trustees.

7. 7 What is the role of the SHAC? The council will discuss issues and concerns that impact the entire district, not just individual campuses.

8. 8 What is the role of the SHAC? Responsibilities include: Ensuring that local community values are reflected in SBCISD’s health education instruction Fielding health education concerns from the community and bring them to a SHAC meeting for discussion Providing leadership for health education concerns Serving at the pleasure of the SBCISD Board of Education, submitting recommendations to the SBCISD Board of Education as needed.

9. 9 What is the role of the SHAC? Duties include recommending: The number of hours of instruction to be provided in health education; Curriculum appropriate for specific grade levels designed to prevent obesity, cardiovascular disease, and Type 2 diabetes through the coordination of: health education; physical education and physical activity parental involvement; and instruction to prevent the use of tobacco;

10. 10 What is the role of the SHAC? Duties include recommending: Appropriate grade levels and methods of instruction for human sexuality instruction; and Strategies for integrating the curriculum with the following elements in a coordinated school health program for the district: school health services; counseling and guidance services; a safe and healthy school environment; and school employee wellness.

11. 11 School Health Advisory Council Who are the members of the SHAC?

12. 12 Who are the members of the SHAC? The SBCISD Board of Trustee’s appoints members to the School Health Advisory Committee. A majority of the members must be persons who are parents of students enrolled in the district and who are not employed by the district.

13. 13 School Health Advisory Council What is a Coordinated School Health Program?

14. 14 What is a Coordinated School Health Program? Coordinated School Health (CSH) programs consist of eight (8) interactive components that assist students through the promotion of healthy behaviors. An effective, CSH program can improve academic performance, decrease absenteeism, increase the practice of good health habits and decrease health care costs. Schools can not do this alone the community must and should be involved in the CSH program.

15. 15 8 Components of a Coordinated School Health Program Priority Areas for meeting the health needs of young people Health Services Healthy & Safe School Environment Parent & Community Involvement Physical Education Health Education Staff Wellness Promotion Counseling & Mental Health Services Nutrition Services Services

16. 16 School Health Advisory Council By-Laws

17. 17

18. 18 Elements of Excellence 1234 Active Leadership Coordinated And Collaborative Approach Safe and Nurturing Learning Environment Commitment Of Time, Personnel, Resources

19. 19 Current Law A Brief Note

20. 20 School Health Advisory Council A SHAC is a group of individuals representative of segments of the community, generally appointed by the school district to serve at the district level. They provide advice on coordinated school health programming and its impact on student health and learning. A SHAC provides recommendations that impact the entire school district.

21. 21 SHAC Roles and Responsibilities Every school district must have a SHAC They should focus on the district not individual campuses The make recommendations to the school board They do not have legal authority The majority of members must be parents not employed by the school district SHACs have certain restrictions by law

22. 22 Key Duties The number of hours of health education instruction Curriculum appropriate for specific grade levels Appropriate grade levels and methods of human sexuality instruction Strategies for integrating the curriculum components into other elements of a school district

23. 23 Common Responsibilities Most commonly includes: Program planning Promotion and advocacy Consideration of fiscal impact District and state agency interaction School Board interaction Evaluation, accountability and Quality Control

24. 24 Who Makes Up A SHAC? Combination of parents, community leaders, and school personnel The majority must be parents not employed by the school district The law suggests but doesn’t require representation for numerous community groups.

25. 25 Many Sources for Members School Personnel Government Officials Interested Parents Youth Groups Law Enforcement Public Media Colleges/Universities Civic OrganizationsFaith-based Institutions Volunteer Health Agencies Business/Industry Public Health AgenciesMedical Professionals

26. 26 Texas and Federal Law Essentially divided into four parts: The role of a SHAC Who should serve Restrictions regarding human sexuality Accountability

27. 27 Federal Child Nutrition The federal Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act requires that every school district must have a wellness policy in place.

28. 28 Many Sources for Members School Personnel Government Officials Interested Parents Youth Groups Law Enforcement Public Media Colleges/Universities Civic OrganizationsFaith-based Institutions Volunteer Health Agencies Business/Industry Public Health AgenciesMedical Professionals

29. 29 Steps In Forming A SHAC Develop bylaws or guidelines for how the group will function.

30. 30 School Health Index Developed by the CDC, this excellent tool helps to assess a school systems school health strengths and areas for improvement. It is free and available in printed or on line versions.

31. 31 Continuous Quality Improvement Evaluate RecruitOrganize Assess Plan SHAC Cycle The Journey Starts Here Implement

32. 32 A SHAC should always keep in mind that their major objective is to develop recommendations for improving coordinated school health policies and practices for their school board to consider.

33. 33 Complimentary Actions School Board and School Superintendent School Health Advisory Council Internal School Health Action Team Issue Do an assessment using the School Health Index Actions: Assign representative from each dept. to project team Distributes survey to faculty Summarize results and draft report Actions: Assign member to project team Get PTA to survey parents Analyze results Present report to school board

34. 34 The Ultimate Objective By affecting school policies, a SHAC can ensure that school health practices are improved and are sustained so that all children who attend school in that district receive the benefits of coordinated school health. The only legal authority to adopt a local school policy is the school board. SHACs can only make recommendations.