On the Road to Wellness – A Policy for Shelbyville Central Schools

Mark Millis, Assistant Superintendent

Click here to download Shelbyville Central's Wellness Policy (PDF document)

If you happened to see filmmaker Morgan Spurlock’s documentary, Super Size Me, you saw a humorous, yet vivid portrayal of the consequences of eating too much fast food. In this documentary, Morgan eats fast food every meal for 30 days (he super sizes his meal if asked). The end result is a double-digit gain in pounds and a general deterioration in health (his cholesterol skyrockets and his liver becomes toxic). Although the premise is exaggerated, a “Hollywood” program such as this does get the general public’s attention.

Indeed, there are signs everywhere that Americans are overweight and unhealthy. A recent report from Trust for America’s Health, an advocacy group promoting public health programs, reports that 29.5 percent of adults in the United States are obese, which is an increase of 1.1 percentage points from last year (data are derived from a BMI, or body mass index). Dr. Philip James, British Chairman of the International Obesity Task Force calls it a worldwide pandemic that is going to “overwhelm every medical system in the world.” The most disturbing part of this picture is the issue of obesity among American youth, and the picture is not promising. The Surgeon General has raised a call to action for families and schools to prevent and decrease obesity. According to Health and Human Services Statistics, the prevalence for obesity has tripled for adolescents in the past two decades. Type II diabetes, previously considered an adult disease, has increased dramatically in children and adolescents. Certainly, educators here in Shelbyville Central Schools have become concerned with more evidence of childhood obesity among children.

The problem with negative news is that most people turn it off and go on with their daily lives. This thinking probably applies especially to this problem: people have busy schedules, too little time to exercise and often settle for a quick bite to eat with fast food. In other words, everyone is at risk. To some degree, America’s schools have mirrored society by readily providing soft drinks, snacks, and taking a sometimes-passive approach to nutrition and daily physical activity. In 2004, the Federal Government through the Child Nutrition WIC Reauthorization Act required any school system receiving any federal funding for school meals (most do) to develop and implement a wellness policy that addresses nutrition and physical activity by the 2006-2007 school year. Indiana also passed legislation requiring a community-based committee to address such issues as soft drink machines (both what they offer and when they are available), required daily physical activity, nutrition education, school lunch offerings, and snacks at school.

Last spring, a community-based committee of Shelbyville teachers, parents, medical doctors, nurses, students, administrators, nutritionists, and a school board member met several times to decide what would be an appropriate first-time wellness policy. Several sub-committees met to decide what language should exist to assist educators with their already crowded plate of standards, testing, etc. Using a policy template from a couple of organizations, each statement was weighed carefully. What resulted from this healthy dialogue was a document geared towards nutritional education, a few more restrictions, and recognition for more physical activity. It was designed to be a document of encouragement versus a “shall not” edict – awareness, education and a few changes in practice it was felt, would be a good way to begin.

Due to evolving politics at the national level concerning ve nding machines, the SCS Board adopted a separate policy to address this important issue (recent studies say that high consumption of soft drinks is the leading cause of childhood obesity). No longer will elementary students have soft drinks available during the day and only “healthy beverages” will be available; middle school and high school students will have to select from an offering of 50% healthy beverages and food items, which would translate to diet drinks, water and 100% juice drinks. The soft drink companies have agreed to further restrictions that will eventually eliminate sugar from all soda machines available at schools. Our food services program, which has to be self-supporting financially, will offer more fruits and vegetables as well as reduce portion limits to no more than 210 calories. The super sized chocolate-chip cookie cannot exceed a 2-ounce limit. Thus, no more super sizing!

Probably the most important thing accomplished in this process was a community/educational consensus and dialogue for making our schools healthier places for Shelbyville’s children. For example, some health professionals advocated a daily period of physical education or vigorous activity, but the dictates of No Child Left Behind and Indiana’s State Law 221 and accountability measures make that goal a challenge to squeeze time into the day. A compromise was decided upon where daily recess will now be written down in corporation policy for all students at the elementary level as well as a weekly period of physical education – not a big change, but a promise backed by policy (some school corporations have eliminated recess completely). In an era of standards in math and language arts, there will still be time in the day to work off excess energy. That should be good news for kids! A two-year evaluation of the policy will take place, beginning with baseline BMI data being gathered at all schools. Last year, several schools took BMI’s (body mass index) and our students were right at the national averages of 29% obese or at risk of being overweight. Obviously, we have our work cut out for us, but we hope that more healthy messages and behaviors will begin to have an impact both at school and at home. If you are a parent who is concerned about your child’s weight or health, please call your doctor, school nurse or a school counselor and someone will get in touch to discuss some solutions. For more information on these issues, you may download the policy at www.shelbycs.org . For information on the State law, see www.doe.state.in.us/food and for general ideas on schools and nutrition see www.schoolnutrition.org .

Wellness Committee - Shelbyville Central Schools

Community and Professional Members 

Dr. Greg Howard, Physician, Major Sports and Musculoskeletal Care 

Dr. John Fleming, Physician, Shelby County Health Dept. 

Dr. Carrie Lipp, Shelbyville Pediatrics 

Lisa Schnepp, Dietician, Major Hospital 

Kay Jackman, Nurse, Shelby County Health Dept.

Shelbyville Middle School Students 

Anthony Comstock 

Jordan Achenbach 

Ryan Hadley

Shelbyville High School Students 

Leslie Durbin 

Kaleb Kerans

Parents 

Marti Coffey 

Susan Remington 

Marlou Kirk

Shelbyville Central Schools

Dr. James Rees, SCS School Board 

Denny Ramsey, Shelbyville Middle School Principal 

Michelle Herbert, RN, SCS Corporation Nurse 

Vickie Coy, SCS Asst. Director of Food Services 

Sharon Reese, Dietetic Technician, Loper Elem. School Cafeteria

Angie Carson, BRSEC Teacher, Coulston Elementary 

Terri Nigh, RN, BRCP Health Careers Teacher 

Sandi Fitzgerald, Loper Elementary Teacher 

Brian Muckerheide, Shelbyville Middle School Physical Education Teacher 

Trish Bennett, Shelbyville High School Family and Consumer Science Teacher 

Karen Bowman, Shelbyville High School Physical Education Teacher 

Belinda Cooper, Coulston Elementary Physical Education Teacher 

Jan Asher, Loper Elementary Physical Education Teacher 

Mark Millis, SCS Assistant Superintendent 

Betsy Flores, Registered Dietitian, SCS Food Services Director (added 2006-2007) 

Peggy Boyd, Hendricks Elementary Teacher (added 2006-2007)