Healthy Schools Brooklyn: Giving schools a helping hand to implement school wellness policies

Background: School districts participating in the National School Lunch Program are required to adopt wellness policies to increase physical activity and healthy eating opportunities to combat obesity. In 2010-2011, approximately 20.7% of New York City K–8th graders were obese, with higher obesity rates in low-income neighborhoods. The New York City Health Department launched Healthy Schools Brooklyn (HSB) in 2010 to help schools in low-income communities with high obesity rates implement wellness policies. In 2011, HSB convened health and education department staff, students, parents, and community stakeholders from Brownsville and East New York to form a Policy Advisory Committee (PAC). Purpose: The PAC assessed the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) School Wellness Policy, identifying its strengths, as well as sections which would benefit from greater specificity. The PAC drafted a document to inform local school administrators of the wellness policy and created a set of SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time Bound) steps to guide implementation. Significance: While a comprehensive NYCDOE Wellness Policy exists, many school administrators lack awareness of the policy; more support is needed for implementation. This collaborative document provides a step-by-step process to aid schools in implementing policies to improve health. Conclusions/Recommendations: Wellness policies provide clear guidelines for schools to shape a healthy environment for students, staff, and parents. Challenges faced at the school level, particularly in low-income communities, prevent many school administrators from implementing policies. Lessons learned from PAC recommendations a useful model for other districts to adopt in implementing wellness policies.