March 1, 2017
Present: Barri Rosenbluth, Tom Rosen, Katie Wolf, Jackie Platt, Michelle Smith, Lesa Walker, Alex
Mancevski, Teresa Graziani, Vivian Ballard, Michele Rusnak, Pete Price, Pat Werner, Stephen Pont, Sally
Freeman, Benjamin Silva, Chelsee Greer, Kate Wheeler, Ronda Rutledge, Kathy Green, Alma Mena, Laura
Gold, Melody Carlton, Toni Rayner, Andrew Wiggins, Julie Cowan, High Simmons, Alda Santana.
Alex: The Health Through Science (HTS) Initiative is a student-run community service project that was
launched in October last year, after months of preparation and approvals, targeting 16 Title I schools
around LASA high school. HTS sponsors are SHAC, Dell Medical School and Dr. Pont’s Texas Center for
the Prevention and Treatment of Childhood Obesity. Other supporters are the LASA Science Fair Club
and Austin Energy Regional Science Fair organizers.
HTS has been successful because volunteers could go during class time and talk to whole classes and
grades about health topics they could use as science fair projects. Schools opened their doors because
science fair is one of the toughest topics in the 4th and 5th grade curriculum, when teachers have to help
each student develop an individual project for the first time so teachers welcomed LASA volunteers’
help. HTS volunteers helped in anything science fair, even if it wasn’t a health-related project, but
always used health topics when explaining each portion of the science fair rubric.
January and February were really busy because we were helping with three things:
1) the elementary school scholars were wrapping up their science fair projects
2) recruiting judges for the school science fairs and science nights
3) recruiting, training, and judging Special Awards at the Austin Energy Regional Science Festival
(AERSF)
Everyone is invited to participate in the 5K and 1K fun drive at Dell Children’s Medical Center on April
8th. For more detailed information on the HTS Initiative please see attached “March SHAC Report” from
Alex. The SHAC would like to thank Alex and all of the volunteers for their excellent work!
This program is working to take care of our teachers for the health of our children. Employee Wellness is
part of a whole school, whole community, whole child approach. Why is workplace wellness important?
Intended to reduce stress, for teachers to feel appreciated for retention and burnout prevention.
Healthy employees save the district money. AISD pays the highest healthcare costs among districts in
the state. Our program started in 2004. In 2012-16 a Wellness Specialist was hired to help collect and
track data on employee health. In 2016 Employee Wellness and Employee Assistance were combined,
growing and engaging more employees. Our costs are increasing each year. Women cost more due to
more doctor visits and pregnancy-related costs.
Melodie shared data from 2015-2017 on employee wellness including cigarette use, depression, high
blood pressure, and diabetes. Their perceived health status is better than their actual health status.
Members are confident they can change their risk factors to increase their health. EWellness Program
Core Components include Physical, Nutritional, Emotional Wellness and Tobacco Cessation. The
Wellness Program partners with national and local initiatives including National Obesity Awareness
Week, Weight Watchers, and others. The HealthyWage Challenge was a 12-week challenge engaging
multiple districts September- December, 2016. Overall this initiative saved the district almost $6,000 in
costs related to employee weight loss. Harris Elementary including the principal won the challenge and
$1,500 for their campus. Maintain No Gain Challenge was a 6-week weight management challenge over
the holidays. 70% of participants stayed within 2 pounds of their starting weight. The Onsite Prevention
bus provides mobile mammography. A partnership with HEB provided flu shots to 2, 248 employees,
more than last year. Seton Brain & Spine Institute helped employees prevent injury by teaching
stretches and back care.
RediMD allows employees to Skype with a doctor with no copay. RediMD Program Numbers—we have
200 registered members who saved the district $23,581 in 2016 and $4,207 so far in 2017. Conditions
being treated in this manner include colds, cough, allergies and earaches, flu, urinary tract infections.
English, Spanish and Vietnamese are available. Six pillars of a successful, strategically integrated
wellness program: Multi-level Leadership, Alignments, Scope, Relevance and Quality, Accessibility,
Partnerships, and Communications. Current priorities are Multi-level Leadership, Accessibility and
Communications.
Next steps for Wellness: onsite biometric screenings, wellness platform, disease management classes,
wellness workshops. The Alliance Work Partners is our employee assistance program, serves employees
and any family members who live with the employee. Services are strictly confidential, available 24/7.
Services include short term counseling, legal consultations, financial consultations, support groups,
childcare, health/wellness, safe ride and crisis intervention. Yoga is provided at 12 campuses.
Proclamation on Support of All Students was passed by Board to help make all students feel welcome
and safe.
FABPAC is engaging the community and working to write a facility master plan with the goal of a
potential bond package in November.
Dan Huberty, Chairman of House Public Ed is supportive of public education. Julie asked that we
encourage our legislators to support public education. The House members are our champions.
Next Monday the Board is focusing on strategic plan goals and student outcomes.
District Reports:
PE and Health: Pat reported that they are revising curriculum. An intern is working to identify gaps in
meeting the TEKS and looking to eliminate duplication of content across departments. Cap 10K is in
April.
Food Service: Anneliese reported that 80K+ meals per day were served in Feb. We are serving 29% of
enrollment for breakfast in the classroom. YumYumi is a mobile app we are using with info on menus
and a feedback tool. “Share” tables are happening at every campus—result of policy change at the fed
and state level that allows students to share unopened food items with others. National School
Breakfast Week next week –the focus is on encouraging breakfast. Smoothie events happening a
Gorzycki and at Dobie in response to student requests. A drawing to win a bike or a Fitbit will be
happening for kids who eat breakfast. To learn more and see photos www@isdfood. A pig was raised at
Lanier and will be served on the food truck in tacos.
SEB: Hugh Simmons reported that he has been in touch with SHACs from other local districts which are
in varied states of development. He is trying to coordinate a consistent message among SHAC’s, create
an opportunity for mutual support and technical assistance. He was encouraged to contact Megan
Cermak, with Central Health.
Student Health Services: We continue to monitor attendance. Flu is declining. We are preparing for
Sports physicals for middle and high school-age youth. A food allergy poster was updated in English and
Spanish and we created a new poster to welcome all students to use the health room.
Community Comments:
Michele Smith announced Action for Healthy Kids Week—go online everykidhealthyweek.org to register
your event. Austin Ed. Fund and Food Bank Amplify Austin, kick off on Monday morning at 8 a.m.
Double dollars benefits-- Lone star card can be used at some farmers markets to buy fresh produce.
Barri reported that Toolkits were distributed to local campuses for National Teen Dating Violence
Awareness and Prevention Month in February containing a poster campaign, morning announcements,
a proclamation, and classroom lessons to promote safe and healthy dating and prevent dating abuse.
The Changing Lives Youth Theatre Ensemble launched its 2017 Tour at Webb MS with the show Level
Up. The Ensemble, a collaboration with Creative Action,, can be booked for middle schools and for youth
summits and conferences.