FAQs Asked By Schools

Making the Case for School Wellness

It isn’t unusual to have questions when considering further implementing school wellness into your community! Here are a few frequently asked questions we’ve received from our faculty partners and our answers:

Q: How do we incorporate wellness programs without it interfering with obligations already on our hands?

A: When partnering with Creating Healthy Schools and Communities (CHSC), work is done with school faculty to ease the burdens of implementing new programs. In fact, CHSC takes care of day-to-day tasks, such as scheduling meetings and bringing in outside resources, all at the convenience of your needs and schedules. Due to this, the most important action needed from you is supporting CHSC goals, which in turn supports our community. An important note: these wellness programs benefit the entire school community – children, faculty, and family – by relieving stress for all!

Q: Some individuals have expressed concern over CHSC’s programs taking away from core academics. How do we choose which to prioritize?

A: Be assured that the implementation of wellness programs will not undermine or compete with academics in any way. In fact, there are many ways CHSC can integrate physical activity and nutrition education into classroom lessons. In the past, for example, programs such as Math and Movement, Active Academics, Brain Breaks, and Energizers have been successfully implemented into classrooms. Check out the evidence-based research section to learn more about the benefits of incorporating physical activity with learning!

Q: The current traditions of our community are already so well accepted. How do we get our school, specifically the children, ‘on board’ with changing the things they love and look forward to?

A: Using the school’s current wellness policy as a starting point, CHSC will help to create new and improved traditions for our school.

A goal of CHSC is to help your school/school district implement healthy changes in a way that is as seamless as possible and with new wellness policies, programs, and activities, we can better align teaching our kids healthy lifelong habits. One way to accomplish this goal is by making subtle changes over time without interrupting routines. For example, CHSC will work to “crowd out” unhealthy food options by encompassing healthier, more appealing options. In time, your revised wellness policy will help establish new norms that will become welcomed traditions.