Approximately 1/3 of the children in the United States are overweight or obese. Children in Mississippi have the highest rate of obesity among all other states. The outcome of this epidemic presents an increase in poor health. To address the problems associated with overweight and obesity among children, schools in the U.S. were required to develop school wellness policies. School principals were identified as key individuals in overseeing the development and implementation of the policies. Existing research studies show a strong relationship or association between student health and academic achievement. The purpose of this research study was to investigate elementary school principals' perceptions related to the implementation of school wellness policies. The study sought to examine principals' perceptions regarding physical activity, child nutrition, health education, and general beliefs about school health policy implementation. A web-based survey was sent to 670 elementary school principals with 123 (18%) responding. The majority of the respondents were White females who had served four or more years as principals, had average enrollments of 500 students at their schools, and had school ratings of successful or high performing. Positive weak correlations were found to exist between school accountability ratings and principals' beliefs that physical activity promotes improved test scores and that physical activity and healthful nutrition promote increased school attendance. Positive weak correlations were also found between school accountability ratings and principals' beliefs that physical activity, child nutrition, and health education promote improved classroom behavior.
Schools are the ideal place to promote and apply the recommended accumulation of 60 minutes of daily physical activity. But until now, it has been difficult to bridge the gap between research in this area and day-to-day practice in order to establish solid programs. That’s where Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs: Putting Research Into Evidence-Based Practice comes in. CSPAP Model Brought to Life The comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) model, originally outlined as a 2008 position statement by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education to promote physical activity throughout K-12, is brought to life through this comprehensive, all-in-one resource. In the decade since that position statement, CSPAP has been spreading through numerous initiatives, which have mobilized a CSPAP field of study and a national framework for physical activity and physical education. CSPAP acts as a hub, supporting physical activity through multiple components that can include physical education; physical activity before, during, and after school; staff involvement; and family and community engagement. Moreover, each CSPAP component can serve to strengthen and reinforce the academic goals of physical education. Accommodates Needs of Diverse Audiences Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs, published in association with SHAPE America, accommodates the growing needs of academic researchers, school practitioners, district coordinators, educators, advocates, organizations, university faculty, and students who want to learn more about CSPAP or undertake ways to increase daily physical activity opportunities in and around schools. The Text’s Strengths This text does all of the following and more: Synthesizes all the foundational and emerging research, theory, and practice on CSPAP Synthesizes all the foundational and emerging research, theory, and practice on CSPAP Provides a higher- and deeper-level look at the CSPAP model, as opposed to short reports and position papers, which contain limited strategies for schools Offers much more in-depth coverage of the CSPAP model by delving into assessment, evaluation, advocacy, policy, partnerships, international perspectives, technology, and more Diverse and Renowned Team of Contributors Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs was written by a diverse team of pioneers and leaders in the CSPAP field. This team brings national and international perspectives on all aspects related to implementing and maintaining CSPAP in K-12 schools. These recognized experts provide incisive guidance in, and understanding of, the most prominent concepts, issues, and developments in the field. Book Organization The text is organized into six sections: Part I provides the historical and foundational perspectives and policy landscapes of the CSPAP approach. Part II outlines internal, external, and psychological factors to consider in program design, implementation, and sustainability. In part III, the contributors examine and interpret the research on the effectiveness of established programs and previous interventions. Part IV highlights special considerations for effective programming within urban and rural settings, reviews current and ongoing international CSPAP initiatives, and addresses the application of the model to alternative contexts beyond the K-12 school setting. In part V, the contributors focus on using assessments to determine the physical activity promotion needs of a school community, on the instruments and procedures for measuring school-wide programming, and on the processes for evaluating and advocating for CSPAPs. Part VI examines current reform efforts within preprofessional programs in teacher education, reviews the tools and future potential for using technology to deliver and assess CSPAP efforts, and looks at future directions for the disciplines of study that inform the CSPAP knowledge base. Each chapter uses a format that opens with a review of current research, offers knowledge claims based on the research, notes knowledge gaps and directions for future research, offers evidence-based recommendations and applications, and concludes with questions to consider for discussion and case examples to demonstrate the practical recommendations. An Invaluable Resource The rapid growth of the field and the increasing number of diverse and exceptional scholars (many of whom are contributors to this book) are indications of the need for this resource. Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs offers unique perspectives about how to generate and sustain successful initiatives to increase youth physical activity and promote long-term engagement in active behavior. It provides access to leading thought, invaluable tools, and challenging questions that will propel the CSPAP field to its next level of depth and clarity.
The purpose of this study was to explore attitudes and perception of stakeholders (teachers, principals, nutrition service directors, nutrition service supervisors, school nurses, nutrition specialists and administrators) toward the implementation of the local school wellness policy in public schools within Kent County, Michigan. The subjects of interest were stakeholders from more than 300 schools and 20 public school districts within the Kent Intermediate School District. Subjects responded to a survey assessing their perspectives regarding the implementation of the local school wellness policy pursuant to the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 an Obama-era policy, the results were then examined using ANOVA and theoretical foundations of Policy Implementation Framework (PIF), Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF), and Multiple Streams Model (MSM). In this study, the author identifies the perceptions of stakeholders to bring about a more effective understanding of the consequences of an unfunded mandate that fuels local school wellness policy in Kent County. This study fills a gap in nutrition policy literature at the local/district level and demonstrates that there is a perception that school employees/staff responsibilities were negatively impacted by the HHFKA and that local school wellness policy lacked proper implementation due mostly to lack of training for stakeholders.
Schoolwide Physical Activity: A Comprehensive Guide to Designing and Conducting Programs offers K-12 teachers and administrators the tools to plan and administer programs that go beyond PE class. These activities are integrated in the classroom, on playgrounds, in before- and after-school programs, in intramural programs, and in community programs.
Introduction. Recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have established comprehensive frameworks to promote and maintain student health. One method, school-site health and wellness, seeks to enhance the health and well-being of school personnel. Existing research offers that health and wellness opportunities for staff contribute to student health by enhancing teacher interest in and competence for health. Purpose. This inquiry sought to investigate the association between the perceived availability of school-site health and wellness opportunities, personal health-related factors, and role perceptions pertinent to student health. Methods. A 107 item online questionnaire was utilized to collect data from a sample of Missouri teachers (n = 104). Hierarchical multiple regression was used to identify the predictive value of available health and wellness opportunities, personal interest in health, and perceived health competence on teacher role perceptions for student health. Results. Significant correlations between teacher personal health-related variables and teacher role perceptions for student health were identified. Most importantly, teacher personal interest in health significantly explained approximately 7% of the variance associated with teacher role breadth for student health. Implications. This study suggests that teacher personal interest in health may serve as a viable mechanism to enhance teacher role breadth for student health. Such a relationship also highlights the need for continued investigation regarding how school-site health and wellness may impact student health, the value of healthy teachers within schools, and the complex formation of teacher roles pertinent to actual engagement in student health promoting behaviors.
Illinois Public Act 94-0199 established the Illinois School Wellness Policy Task Force which was to submit specific reports to the General Assembly and the Governor: (1) identification of barriers to developing and implementing school wellness policies and recommendations to reduce these barriers by Jan. 1, 2006; (2) recommendations on statewide school nutrition standards by Jan. 1, 2007; (3) evaluation of five to ten school districts on the effectiveness of school wellness policies by Jan. 1, 2008.
The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the perceptions and concerns of elementary teachers and principals toward the implementation of a school-wide positive behavior support (SWPBS) innovation. In addition, the study explored the factors that elementary teachers and principals perceived positively or negatively influenced the implementation and sustainability of SWPBS. The study was conducted in three elementary schools in two school districts in southeastern Pennsylvania. A total of sixty-three elementary teachers and three principals participated in the study by completing two online survey instruments. The researcher also interviewed some of the participants to gain additional knowledge about the implementation of SWPBS. The results of the study indicated that many of the elementary teachers reported having concerns related to the implementation of SWPBS and how it affects them personally and professionally. The specific concerns varied depending upon the participant's knowledge, use, and experience with implementing SWPBS; however, the data revealed that both teachers and principals are concerned with the management of SWPBS in terms of time, effort, and data collection responsibilities. Furthermore, the results suggested that the perceptions and concerns of elementary teachers and principals toward SWPBS can have a significant impact on the implementation and sustainability of this innovation.
