Before- and after-school opportunities for physical activity and nutrition education give students even further opportunities to practice making healthy choices, which is especially important in under-resourced communities that often lack opportunities outside school. By working with after-school programs (for example, childcare programs), existing clubs or programs, or establishing new before- or after-school opportunities, the program provides an array of resources and supports to promote physical activity and healthy eating during out-of-school time, including:

• Access to a clearinghouse of fun walking activities, fun and inclusive games and nutrition education activities
• Financial resources to support existing before- or after-school programs to enhance the activities they are able
  to offer students, including creating a new stand-alone club if other opportunities are not available
• Funding to provide healthy snacks during before- and after-school programs
• Funding to support a mileage club or special interest physical activity program (for example, Girls on the Run)

Schoolwide health initiatives are excellent ways to meet the needs of students and families and play an important role in creating a supportive and healthy environment. The program provides support for schoolwide wellness events and challenges that encourage collective action toward healthy environments, including:

• Support for PTA/PTO initiatives, such as family health fairs or family yoga nights
• Support in forming and maintaining school wellness committees.
• Funding for wellness events and schoolwide challenges to help build a culture of health that extends beyond classrooms. These initiatives foster collaboration among families, staff and community, encouraging lasting engagement and collective action toward health.

We recognize that food service is an important part of healthy school communities as it provides students with the nutrition needed to stay energized, focused, and get ready to learn! Increasing the food quality, school meal participation and efficient delivery of school meals is critical to supporting children’s health, especially in under-resourced communities with increased food insecurity. The program provides support to food service teams by offering resources and guidance to strengthen meal programs and improve efficiency, including:

• A healthy school meal resource toolkit with strategies for optimizing food service systems and healthy food promotions
• Support with grant applications to provide equipment and resources as enhancements to the school food system

Please contact your school’s BHC coordinator if your district is interested in a deeper evaluation of food service practices beyond the School Meals Tool Kit.

In schools, staff wellness is often overlooked and not always viewed as essential to a school’s overall health environment. Prioritizing staff wellness is crucial for promoting healthy, engaged teachers that set powerful examples for their students. The program offers funding and tools to help schools prioritize staff well-being by making it an integral part of their overall wellness culture, including:

• A robust staff wellness toolkit
• A menu of diverse staff wellness challenges and incentive structures

Professional development for school staff on topics such as classroom physical activity, social emotional learning, mindfulness practices, nutrition education, trauma sensitive teaching, inclusive education and self-care are essential for creating a thriving school environment. Highly educated and empowered teachers are better prepared to integrate health focused practices that embrace student learning and overall school success. The program offers a tailored menu of professional development options-offered virtually or on site-that can help equip educators with the knowledge and strategies to support student’s physical, emotional, and academic well-being while fostering their own resilience and effectiveness.