Developing a healthy mindset at Barker Central School

Barker Central School District
Barker, New York
Niagara County (Western Zone)
East of Niagara Falls along Lake Ontario

About 1,000 students

Issue

Obesity has tripled among teenagers and doubled among children 6 – 11 years old in the last 20 years. Students are becoming more sedentary and exhibit poor eating habits. Obesity increases the risk of many chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers. Diets high in saturated fat, excess calories and sodium can contribute to the development of chronic diseases.

 

Method

The Healthy Schools Leadership Institute (HSLI) is a five-year, professional development program that focuses on building organizational capacity for healthier schools; effectively advocating for healthier schools; using assessment strategies to evaluate the school environment; leading and motivating others responsible for school health promotion; managing coordination of healthier schools; and, soliciting resources for this initiative. HSLI recruits schools to participate in the initiative. The Barker Central School District is one of nineteen that the HSLI has worked with since 2005.

Barker CSD joined the HSLI in the spring of 2005. Shortly after, they formed a District Wellness Committee consisting of teachers, administrators, food service personnel, the school nurse, parents, and the Assistant Superintendent. The first order of business for the committee was to complete the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's School Health Index, a self-assessment and planning tool to improve school health and safety, in all three school buildings in the district. The Committee found that health promotion for staff and family and community involvement were areas in need of improvement. The District Wellness Committee then completed a district-wide action plan focusing on improving their school health environment. Barker CSD has updated their action plan yearly since 2005 and tracks their progress twice each year.

 

Impact

Since 2005, Barker CSD:

Developed a comprehensive wellness policy that limited the sale of a la carte items and beverages with little nutritional value;
Teamed with Medina Memorial Community Alliance in 2006 to conduct a wellness screening for staff, which included cholesterol levels, glucose, height, weight, and body fat percentage;
Implemented a number of staff health promotion programs, including, a morning basketball group, 10,000 steps program, a walking/running club, Corporate Challenge, and Weight Watchers;
Expanded the weight room hours for staff;
Restructured the cafeteria choices to include lower sugar/fat choices;
Highlighted fruit and vegetable choices through multiple programs (Fit and Fun);
Introduced a salad bar available seven days a week at the middle/high school level;
Made only low fat/fat free milk available;
Phased out Little Debbie cakes and made snack portions smaller;
Provided healthy snack vending machines;
Expanded Community Education courses to include: senior swim, family swim, hallway walking, volleyball, basketball, and access to the fitness room;
Partnered with the Niagara County Cooperative Extension on Glow Germ Hand Washing, Theraband Exercise, incentives for American Heart "Start" program, received a Body Mass Index scale and blood pressure monitor for faculty and staff use, Wellness Fair; and
Partnered with Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Western NY on the Alive and Lively Program, Health Risk Assessment survey, National Walk at Lunch day for both students and staff, Walking Works, and Wellness Fair.


Importance of Impact

Superintendent Roger Klatt said, "The healthy mindset is one from which we can all benefit." He added, "Healthier living helps alleviate stress not only on the health care system, but improves everyone's ability to enjoy activities without added strain and stress. Also, healthier children means improved attendance at school where we not only feed our minds, but also our bodies." Barker CSD has recognized the connection between mind and body and has provided students and staff with the tools to develop this healthy mindset.

 

Keys to Success

Completion of the School Health Index helped secure buy-in at all levels in the Barker CSD from the beginning. This was critical in fostering the mentality that student health is everyone's responsibility and fostered teamwork in all buildings. The partnerships developed at Barker CSD were also a key component of their success. Reaching out to the local community helped them find free materials and sometimes financial support for programs.

 

Future Plans

Barker CSD plans to involve their community more in health and wellness initiatives in their schools. They also plan to sustain the programs they have put in place with a limited amount of resources. Finally, they will work to gather new ideas from research and networking with other schools to implement other best practice programs for health and wellness.
Words of Wisdom

"A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools." Spanish Proverb


For more information about health and wellness at Barker Central School District, contact:

Gail Damon, Physical Educator

Dave Carson, Health Coordinator/Athletic Director

Barker Central School District

1628 Quaker Road

Barker, NY 14012

Phone: 716.795.3201

E-Mail: gdamon@barkercsd.net OR dcarson@barkercsd.net

 

For information about the Healthy Schools Leadership Institute, contact:

Stephanie Gray, Program Director

Healthy Schools Leadership Institute

NYS Association for Health,

Physical Education, Recreation and Dance

Phone: 518.568.5764

E-mail: sgray@nysahperd.org