What is a School Wellness Policy?

A School Wellness Policy is a written document that provides the rationale, goals, and standards for the activities that an individual school or district will implement to promote healthy lifestyles among students and staff.  Wellness Policies may outline the responsibilities of individuals and the school, budgetary requirements and the rules of operation.  The following steps will help guide the development of your policy.

Step 1 - Recruit School Health Council members

Identify school and community representatives committed to improving school health. Be sure to involve parents, students, representatives of the school nutrition program, the school board, school administration and the public. Include both likely and unlikely allies. Likely allies are those who you may naturally think of being interested in student health, such as school nurses, physical education teachers, health teachers, students and representatives from a nearby hospital, county health department or a nearby college or university. Unlikely allies may be business professionals within the community, community organizations and clubs, media and community leaders. Invite members to the table with clear cut timelines, goals, and expectations for the School Health Council’s activities. 

Click here to access a chart showing the resources different groups can "bring to the table" of your School Health Council.
 

Step 2 - Assess existing situation

Prepare by determining what policies already exist related to wellness and clarify the need for a new policy.   Existing policies can be located in your school district’s board policies and/or student handbook.  Click below to access discussion questions to help determine current status of students' nutrition, nutrition education and physical activity.

  Introductory questions

  Nutrition questions

  Nutrition Education questions

  Physical Activity questions

Step 3 - Inform local school board members

Keep the school board informed about the discussions and goals of your School Health Council.  By doing this, the school board will become more aware of your council’s efforts toward making your school a healthier place for kids to learn.  The board will also know who to contact with any questions or concerns they may want to address regarding health.  A school board member should also be actively involved in your School Health Council.

Step 4 - Review KSDE's Model Wellness Policy Guidelines

Kansas law requires each local school board to consider the State Board of Education’s wellness policy guidelines.  These guidelines were developed by the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) with input from health teachers, physical education teachers, school administrators, nurses, food service directors and leaders of health and education organizations across the state.  The State Board of Education approved the guidelines in August 2005.  Click here to access a booklet that provides background information and the Kansas Model Wellness Policy Guidelines.

Step 5 - Complete KSDE's online Wellness Policy Builder

KSDE's Wellness Policy Builder tool is available in two formats:  paper and online.  Use the paper versions for School Health Council work sessions.  Complete the online version to: (1) document compliance with State law (SB154) that requires school districts to consider KSDE's model wellness policy guidelines and (2) to automatically generate the district's wellness policy.

Click below to access the PAPER versions of the Wellness Policy Builder:

Part 1. Nutrition

Part 2. Nutrition Education

Part 3. Physical Activity

Click below to access instructions for using the ONLINE version of the Wellness Policy Builder.

Wellness Policy Builder - Quick Reference for Sponsors

Wellness Policy Builder - Quick Reference for Guest Users

Step 6 - Present proposed policy to local school board

When presenting new wellness policies to the school board, provide facts about the importance of adopting the proposed policies to back up the reasons healthy change is needed.

Step 7 - Submit adopted policy to KSDE using online "Wellness Policy Builder"

Go to Step 5. to access the Quick Reference instructions for using the online version of the Wellness Policy Builder.

Step 8 - Develop implementation plan for wellness policy

Click here to access a menu of templates for wellness policy implementation plans.  A written plan should be on file for any new goals or those that are in progress.

Step 9 - Communicate and implement wellness policies

Policy changes are most effective when all persons involved (e.g. teachers, students, school food service staff, nurses and community members) are aware of the new policy, the reason for the new policy, and participate in creating the healthy change.  It is important to stress that wellness policies are developed to provide more healthful opportunities for the school’s students and staff.

Step 10 - Monitor and evaluate policy implementation

As with any policy, a plan should be in place to monitor implementation.  This includes identifying the steps to take if the policy is not followed, and the individual responsible for successful implementation. 

Documentation and evaluation are an important part of a policy change because they can lead to additional or revised policies to improve student health.   Collect the following baseline information before the changes occur and at the end of a year:

• Perceived benefits:  Change in academic performance, healthier students

• Acceptance of change:  Student and teachers’ opinions, observations and attitudes about the policy changes before and after implementation

• Perceived barriers:  Impact on school revenue (i.e. school meal participation, vending sales, etc.)