Children spend at least half their day at school, and the environment they experience there shapes eating and exercise habits that can last a lifetime. PHLP introduces two new tools to help communities nationwide take easy steps to create healthier schools.
With the new model PTA Childhood Obesity Prevention Resolution, state and local parent-teacher associations can show their support for new policies to promote student health. PTAs can tailor this model to urge any number of strategies – strengthening school nutrition and PE standards, eliminating “junk food” advertising on school grounds, implementing Safe Routes to School programs, making recreational facilities available to the public after school hours, and more.
Meanwhile, the federal government recently issued guidance on how schools can comply with new requirements to make free drinking water available to students during lunch. To help schools and community advocates, we’ve developed a “policy package” with a set of model goals and actions for schools to incorporate into their wellness policies, as well as examples of how schools across the country have funded drinking water programs. They also have a new fact sheet filled with innovative strategies for schools and ways for community members to get involved.