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By  D. Scott Hughes, Executive Director Alliance For Education 

America is slowly becoming a nation of obese and unhealthy people.  As our national wealth has grown so have our waistlines.  As our ability to connect to more technologies, primarily television, has improved our ability to connect with meaningful exercise has waned.  And sadly this is a trend that can be seen directly in the health and success of our children in our public schools. 

In recognition of these trends local school systems were directed in 2006 to put in place a Wellness Policy by 2007 to help improve the health outcomes of all students.  The State Department of Education recently renewed this call for all districts to have a Wellness Policy in place as well as a Wellness Coordinator.  This matches the national effort that is picking up steam to work to improve the health outcomes and obesity levels of our children.  It is an effort being lead on the national level by First Lady Michelle Obama among many others, and it is a message whose time has come.

In Caddo Parish the good news is our district was an early mover in establishing a Wellness Policy.  The Caddo Wellness Policy was approved by the Caddo School Board in October 2007 and we are now in year three of the first five-year Strategic Plan.  Caddo’s plan is built around three key Strategic Goals of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Healthy Behaviors.  It builds on a fundamental belief that we can imbed Wellness into all aspects of school activity.  And the research from California and Texas studies indicates this type of an approach does lead to better educational outcomes.  Locally, Sabine Parish just south of us has made a major commitment to “Healthy Schools” or “Coordinated School Health” as it is often referred to in governmental speak, and it is paying off big time for Sabine. 

The key component to date in the Caddo Wellness Plan is the introduction and now expansion to all Caddo schools of the Fitness Gram testing.  All children in grades 4-12 should be receiving a pre and post Fitness Gram test.  A report of the wellbeing of the student is sent home to parents to help them better understand the health status of their child and the data gained as a school site and district can be used to review and improve the programs in place at the various schools sites.  This is a vital process that will help bring focus, accountability and consistency to Caddo wellness programs. 

At the Alliance For Education we are very interested in the concept of using wellness to improve educational outcomes.  As stated above, the data available indicates healthy children perform better academically.  As the District PTA and other community partners of the district we should be asking how we can better support the healthy outcomes for our children.  Does your school have a functioning Wellness Team?  Is your PTA helping promote healthy activity for your children in terms of physical education, health instruction, and dietary choices.  Are you reaching our through health fairs, parent information meetings and other ways to help your parents better understand the data being provided them on the Fitness Gram reports.  At the Alliance For Education we are working to revamp many of our projects including the Walk For Education to place more focus on fitness and less on fundraising.  We hope to have some exciting announcements soon on the Walk changes and would like to encourage all local PTA’s to begin to focus on the wellness of the children of their school as a strategy to improve learning.  We would be happy to come speak to any PTA on school wellness or would encourage you to contact the Caddo Wellness Coordinator Kay Cochran directly at the School Board office who is also available to come speak to your PTA.  By improving the health and fitness of our children we all win.  And the big winners will be the children.