Running head: COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

Hannah Smith-Madeya
Comprehensive School Assessment
Arizona State University
PPE 310
February 7, 2016
Dr. Hesse

COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

Assessment Results

Physical activity and healthy eating habits are extremely important patterns for young
students to get into. We know that not all students are allotted the same opportunities for healthy
eating, and daily activity, and by assessing the school we are currently at, and looking at patterns
that are currently taking place, we are able to evaluate where changes can be made. Setting good
habits when students are young is the best way to make a positive impact towards a healthier
generation.

COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

Sierra Verde Elementary School is located in the Deer Valley District, and according to
the School Assessment Tool, it is has a very poor rating in its opportunities to promote healthy
habits and physical activity. Sierra Verde has is considered a STEM school, and has put an
emphasis on their academics. They pride themselves on being an A+ school, but unfortunately,
that has led to a disregard in health and physical activity.
I believe my school does not allow for enough physical activity for all students, and
through observing classrooms, most teachers are not embedding physical activity in the
classroom. Each grade level is given a 35-minute lunch and recess break in the middle of the day.
This small amount of time is the only opportunity the students are given to eat, and have recess.
Because they are only given a small window, you would find most students are rushing through
their lunches to have that needed physical activity time. This is causing many issues for the
students. I have observed the negative effects this has on the students and their focus in the
classroom. The students who are purchasing the school lunches have to take extra time in the
school lunch line, and are getting very minimal outdoor playtime.
The school could improve this by adding in a recess for the students in between getting to
school, and their lunch. Allowing for a 15-minute recess could have such positive benefits for the
classroom, and would also help the students set positive activity patterns in their daily life. This
could be used as a bathroom break, and physical activity break which would lead to fewer
distractions in the classroom, and fewer students leaving the classroom during academic
instruction. It is such a small chunk of time in the daily schedule, but would head positive
benefits for classroom focus, and behavior.
Another way the school is lacking is in healthy habits is the ways it is supporting healthy
eating. There are currently no regulations, or school education on what healthy eating habits are,

COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

and its positive effects on the body. The lack of school regulations regarding the students, who
pack their lunches, means students can bring in whatever they want for lunch, and the school will
not say anything about it. I have observed a student bringing in a lunch that consisted of chips,
two pieces of candy, a soda, and an apple for lunch. The lack of regard for what a student is
eating is promoting unhealthy habits at home, which are transpiring into the school setting.
By adding in regulations for school lunches, students would be forced to bring in
healthier options for lunch. By enforcing healthy options, students would be exposed to a healthy
balanced meal at least once a day. This could lead to healthy habits that transpire outside of the
school as well. Health education is imperative in enforcing school lunch restrictions, and by
embedding some sort of health nutrition into every classroom; it would make for an easier time
regulating what is being brought to school. I think a lot of the poor nutrition comes down to lack
of information, and by arming our students with appropriate information, healthy habits would
come.
Though Sierra Verde has not made an emphasis on health, some of the school regulations
that are currently in place may help promote some sort of healthy habits. The school allows for a
Physical Education class twice a week for the students, and this helps get the students up and
moving. Though this is still a small amount of time, it is allowing movement at the school, which
the student might not be getting at home. Students have expressed that P.E. is their favorite
special, and look forward to the time they are not in the classroom. The school also has healthy
options for lunch, and this forces the students who purchase the school lunch to have exposure to
a healthy lunch. According to the school policy, the students are required to take two options
from the salad bar, which would help a child reach their daily health requirements for the day.
There is no regulation on what a student actually eats, but the options are there for the students.

COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

As a school, I think it would be beneficial for the students and family involved for a
healthy newsletter to be sent home each month. According to the Assessment Tool provided,
home-school communication could be the key in promoting a healthier lifestyle. This newsletter
could be a fun way to get the parents involved, and you could even add a small homework
section on the newsletter, that would help the students engage in physical activity at home with
their parents. By promoting health education, and physical activity at home, it can lead to a
healthier lifestyle for all involved.
This information can help guide my signature assignment, by looking at the current need
for health education at the school level. I cannot force a student to make healthy choices at home,
but by giving them the appropriate information, when they are in my care, it could lead to a
healthier lifestyle choice by the student. Allowing the student to have access to physical activity
is also something that will help guide my assignment. I think the main reason for low activity
rates of students is a direct result of lack of opportunity. By giving students an opportunity to
engage in fun physical activities, we are promoting a healthier lifestyle.
Information
I am currently at Sierra Verde Elementary School, which is a public school located in the
Deer Valley Unified School District. It is a Kindergarten through 8th grade school that would feed
into Mountain Ridge High School. In 2014, there were an estimated 963 students who attended
the school, and a classroom ratio of 20 students, to one teacher. Of these students approximately
74% of the students are white, 2% are African American, 8% are Asian, 12% are Hispanic, and
the remaining 4% are a mix of multiple ethnicities. In that same year, about 18% of the school
qualified for free of reduced lunch, and is not considered a Title 1 school.

COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

Sierra Verde is a suburban school, with a majority of its population being from a married
household with multiple kids.

COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

References
Gopher. (n.d.). Retrieved April 03, 2016, from
http://www.gophersport.com/resources/active-healthy-schools/
SchoolDigger.com. (n.d.). Retrieved April 01, 2016, from
http://www.schooldigger.com/
Zip Codes and Zip Code Maps. (n.d.). Retrieved April 03, 2016, from
http://zipcode.org/

COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL ASSESSMENT

Criteri
Exemplary: Points (5)
a
Assess A minimum of 2
ment
strengths and 2
weaknesses were
SCOR
described
E:
Assessment was

completed online and

posted to your
EPortfolio
Suggestions to
improve school
policies were clearly
stated
At least 2 suggestions
to engage stakeholders
were provided
School
Contex
t
SCOR
E:

School context
contained detailed
information on
grade levels
% free/reduced lunch
enrollment,
proportion ELLs
average class size
urban/rural/suburban,
ethnic makeup
state test scores
AYP status
All of the following
are listed in the file
document name
submitted
Lastname.firstname.as
signment#.course#
This rubric was added
to the last page of the
document submitted

Proficient: Points (3)

A minimum of 1
strength and 1
weakness was
described
Suggestions to
improve school
policies were stated
but lacked sufficient
detail
At least 1 suggestion
to engage stakeholders
was provided
Assessment was
completed online and
not in your EPortfolio
School context
contained some
detailed information
on
grade levels
% free/reduced lunch
enrollment,
proportion ELLs
average class size
urban/rural/suburban,
ethnic makeup
state test scores
AYP status
Most of the following
are listed in the file
document name
submitted
Lastname.firstname.as
signment#.course#
This rubric was added
but not at the end of
the document
submitted

Unsatisfactory: Points
(1)
Assessment was not
completed online or in
your EPortfolio
Strengths and
weaknesses were not,
or poorly described
Suggestions to
improve school
policies were not
stated
No suggestions to
engage stakeholders
were provided

School context
contained little
detailed information
on
grade levels
% free/reduced lunch
enrollment,
proportion ELLs
average class size
urban/rural/suburban,
ethnic makeup
state test scores
AYP status
Few of the following
are listed in the file
document name
submitted
Lastname.firstname.as
signment#.course#
This rubric was not
added to the document
submitted