North
Carolina: Healthy Active Children Policy
On January 9, 2003,the State Board of Education passed the Healthy Active
Children policy HSP-S-000.
Section
1. LOCAL SCHOOL HEALTH ADVISORY
COUNCIL
(a)
Each school district shall establish and maintain a local School
Health Advisory Council to help plan, implement, and monitor this policy.
(b)
The local School Health Advisory Council shall be composed of
community and school representatives from the eight areas of a coordinated
school health program mentioned in Section 4 (a), representatives from the
local health department and school administration.
Section
2. PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY
(a)
To address issues such as overweight, obesity, cardiovascular
disease, and Type II diabetes, each school district shall require students
enrolled in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and grade level below high
school to participate in physical activity as part of the district's
physical education curriculum. Elementary schools should consider the
benefits of having 150 minutes per week and middle schools should consider
having 225 minutes per week of physical activity including a minimum of
every other day of physical education throughout the 180-day school year.
(b)
The physical education course shall be the environment in which
students learn, practice and are assessed on developmentally appropriate
motor skills, social skills, and knowledge as defined in the North Carolina
Healthful Living Standard Course of Study and should be the same class size
as other regular classes.
Section
3. RECESS
(a)
Structured recess and other physical activity shall not be taken away
as a form of punishment.
(b)
Appropriate amounts of recess and physical activity shall be provided
for students.
(c)
The physical activity required by this section must involve physical
exertion of at least a moderate intensity level and for a duration
sufficient to provide a significant health benefit to students.
Section
4. COORDINATED SCHOOL HEALTH PROGRAMS
(CSHP)
(a)
The State Board of Education shall make available to each school
district a coordinated school health model designed to address health issues
of children. The program must provide for coordinating the following eight
components:
(1)
safe environment;
(2)
physical education;
(3)
health education;
(4)
staff wellness;
(5)
health services;
(6)
mental and social health;
(7)
nutrition services; and
(8)
parental/family involvement.
(b)
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction shall notify each
school district of the availability of professional development
opportunities and provide technical assistance in implementing coordinated
school health programs at the local level.
Section
5. This
policy shall be fully implemented by the 2006-2007 school year.
(a)
Each local school district shall develop an action plan prepared in
collaboration with the local School Health Advisory Council to assist in the
implementation of the policy. This action plan shall identify steps that
need to be taken each year to fully implement the policy by the 2006-2007
school year and shall include a review and appropriate modification of
existing physical education and health curricula.
(b)
Action plans shall be submitted to the North Carolina Department of
Public Instruction by July 15, 2004.
(c)
Progress reports shall be submitted to the North Carolina Department
of Public Instruction by July 15, 2005 and 2006.
(d)
Beginning July 15, 2007, each local school district in collaboration
with the local School Health Advisory Council shall prepare a report
annually which will include the minutes of physical education and physical
activity received by students in each school within the district.
(e)
The report shall be completed by July 15th each year and remain on
file for a period of 12 months to be provided upon request of the North
Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
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You
can access the HSP-S-000 policy online at http://sbepolicy.dpi.state.nc.us.
For
more information on the Healthy Active Children policy or technical
assistance, call:
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