Live reporting: School Wellness Advisory Council

Sally Winslow
affectionately referred to as the 'SWAC"

a standing committee
wide variety of groups represented
administrators, educators, students, community members
3rd full year as a group
goal to bring the 'local wellness policy' into compliance

meet four times per year
assessment, and goals to meet needs
present to the School Committee (as is this tonight)

multi-disciplinary approach to provide support for students

Goals for 2014-15

1. mental health
2. physical activity
3. nutrition

in year 2 of developing curriculum
work to ensure social emotional curriculum across the grade levels

first year with middle school guidance counselors

high school, developed and delivered 4 seminar classes to each grade

decrease in nurses visits seen as a result of the work done in middle and high school

BOKS program

partnerships with other community groups
Patriot Place, Adirondeck Club

increases in both formal athletic and physical activities

multiple garden models being worked to tie in academic curriculum as well as healthy eating habits, and understanding the food life cycle

MetroWest Health Survey data just came out

O'Malley
a comprehensive and well developed program
unscheduled visits can be the most important visits
need to be careful with setting the goal and reporting accordingly

Sabolinski/Winslow
data had been gathered and strategies developed to work with the student and either get them back to class or to the right resources for help

Trahan - kids needed help to figure out how to cope, it wasn't to prevent visits, those visits are open and available

kids need explicit instruction on what to do and how to deal with something with it comes up; coping skills

O'Malley
we have trained councilors, let them make the decision

Jewel
some of the students learn in different ways
how are the teachers dealing with students that have different ways of learning?

Sabolinski/Winslow
there is the instructional support team
as well as special education assistance as needed

Jewel 
I want to encourage students to excel where they can and to do really well
to push that level where they normally would

Sabolinksi
absolutely, we have some gifted students in the schools
we use whatever is available to help
enter the course of study where they are pushed to succeed

Mullen
would like to see something on guidence in the next couple of months