The Nevada Healthier School Project was conceived by Nevada Action for Healthy Kids, the only nonprofit organization formed specifically to address the epidemic of overweight, undernourished and sedentary youth by focusing on changes at school. We work to improve children's nutrition and increase physical activity, which will in turn improve their readiness to learn.
The Nevada Action for Healthy Kids team is currently working on the Nevada Healthier Schools Project, which aims to support schools in their efforts to implement effective school wellness programming. The project has five distinct but interrelated components.
Executive Summary
As Nevada schools are required to implement School wellness policies, they are in great need of meaningful support, applicable training, and resources. The Nevada Statewide School Wellness Policy represents a significant opportunity for Nevada’s public schools to sustain efforts to positively impact the physical activity and nutritional behavior of school-aged children. Support is needed in order to increase the potential for schools to successfully implement the new policy.
The Nevada Healthier Schools Project, conceived by Nevada Action for Healthy Kids, intends to provide meaningful support, applicable training, and creative resources to all Nevada public schools as they implement the Statewide School Wellness Policy. The Nevada Healthier Schools Project is comprised of five distinct but inter-related components which are described below.
Nevada School Wellness Resource Binder
The resource binder will consist of cutting edge educational material to assist school wellness teams in recruiting support and assistance from administration, faculty, staff, students and parents toward developing a healthier school environment. The binder will have a wealth of information organizational structure ideas which address how the eight components of Coordinated School Health can work together to create a healthier school environment (See Table of Contents). All Nevada public schools will be provided with a binder and may utilize the resources to support their school wellness efforts.
[The concept of the binder was built around the need for a practical Nevada-based working resource to assist individual school wellness coordinators in their efforts to create a healthier school environment. The resource is a Nevada document because the practical ideas which comprise it are from educators in Nevada’s schools.]
Regional Training
All Nevada school wellness coordinators will be invited to participate in regional training. School wellness coordinator training sessions will be conducted in Reno, Elko and Las Vegas. Training will consist of the following topics:
- Introduction to the Health status of Nevada school aged children and impact on academic performance.
- The use of the Nevada School Wellness Resource Binder and contents.
- Training on the Components of Coordinated School Health.
- Using untapped resources.
- Nevada school wellness program mode
Nevada School Wellness Test Sites
Nevada School Wellness Test sites will be sought out across the state. Once test sites are identified, a coordinated school wellness program will be administered with the help of support provided by Nevada Action for Healthy Kids. This portion of the project seeks to directly impact the physical activity and nutrition behavior of over 4,000 public school students across the state of Nevada.
Web-based Learning Modules
Web-based learning modules will be designed to help increase knowledge and awareness of students and parents about the importance of physical activity and healthy nutrition. All Nevada public schools will be invited to provide a link to the learning modules from their school webpage. Nevada Action for Healthy Kids web site will also provide a link.
Area-based Volunteer Support
A database list of wellness support volunteers will be identified to assist schools in need of additional personnel. Volunteer training will consist of an introduction to physical activity and physical activity equipment, utilization of space, ensuring student safety and before, during and after school physical activity programming. Once individuals have completed training, the list of trained volunteers will be posted according to the school district and city in which they reside and made available via the Nevada Action for Healthy Kids website.
