SHAC

School Health Advisory Council

2021-2022 SHAC Committee Members (*pending Board Approval in August)

Administrators

  • Dr. Brandon Enos, Superintendent
  • Shane Smelley, JHHS Principal
  • Stefani Jackson, Elementary Principal

CISD Teachers:

  • Candi Procell
  • Dee Cruz
  • Jennifer McClure
  • Leslie Nichols
  • Walter McGarrett

CISD Students:

  • Alexis Moore
  • Alexandria Nichols
  • Brandon French
  • Dalton Leutwyler

HealthCare Professional:

  • Brandi Arreguin

CISD Cafeteria Manager:

  • Brenda Marshall

CISD Parents:

  • April Smith
  • Jennifer LoStracco

Business Community Member:

  • Charley Jackson

Law Enforcement:

  • Davis Ross

Senior Citizens:

  • Sandra Williamson
  • Debra Jones

Clergy:

  • Pastor David Snelson

Non-Profit HealthCare Provider:

  • Charity Alvy

Meetings

All meetings will take place at the CISD administration board room located at 1088 W. Bearkat Drive.

Meeting Dates

  • October - TBA

  • November - TBA

  • March - TBA

  • May - TBA

What is SHAC?

The School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) is a group of individuals representative of segments of the community, generally appointed by the school district to serve at the district level. They provide advice on coordinated school health programming and its impact on student health and learning.

SHACs provide recommendations specific to changes and/or additions to the school's health education curriculum or instruction that impact the entire school district, not just individual school campuses.

Texas law requires that every public school district establish a School Health Advisory Council. Membership is comprised of parents, district staff, community agency representatives and professionals. By law, the majority of council members must be parents who are not employees of the district.

Mission Statement

The CUSHING ISD SHAC Committee will advocate for and support the community, staff and students in making good decisions to self-manage their physical, social and emotional health needs.

Vision Statement

All CUSHING ISD students will reach their full potential through knowledge gained in health education classes, active lifestyles, and good nutrition.


CISD School Health Advisory Goals

  • Monitor Fitness-Gram assessment implementation and outcomes.

  • Increase education of the community regarding the purposes and function of the SHAC.

  • Review abstinence education curricula and make recommendations to administration.

  • Promote good nutrition for staff and students.

  • Support Wellness Committees at each campus.

  • Promote Coordinated School Health Programs at all levels.

  • Provide recommendations to the Board of Trustees regarding all eight components of the Coordinated School Health Program.

Benefits of a School Health Advisory Council

Effective school health councils can:

  • Be instrumental in improving student health and creating healthy schools
  • Help schools meet community expectations
  • Support school-health staffed programs
  • Provide a way for community members to work together with school personnel to accomplish school district goals
  • Utilize and make the most of community resources and assets
  • Influence more people within a community than a single institution could
  • Be a credible, collective voice of support for healthy children and youth
  • Provide a range of advice and perspectives
  • Foster personal satisfaction and help members understand their roles in strengthening their community
  • Foster cooperation by building trust and consensus among grassroots organizations, community segments, and diverse citizens.

Texas Law Regarding SHACs

Every independent school district is required by law to have School Health Advisory Council. The following text is from Title 2, Chapter 28, Section 28.004 of the Texas Education Code, the state statute that governs public schools in Texas. This section outlines the law regarding SHACs. For more information, the entire Texas Education Code can be obtained on line by going to www.capitol.state.tx.us/statues/ed.toc.htm.

CHAPTER 28.0004. LOCAL SCHOOL HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL AND HEALTH EDUCATION INSTRUCTION.

  1. The board of trustees of each school district shall establish a local school health advisory council to assist the district in ensuring that local community values are reflected in the district's health education instruction.

  2. A school district must consider the recommendations of the local school health advisory council before changing the district's health education curriculum or instruction.

  3. The local school health advisory council's duties include recommending:

    1. the number of hours of instruction to be provided in health education;

    2. curriculum appropriate for specific grade levels designed to prevent obesity, cardiovascular disease, and Type 2 diabetes through coordination of:

      1. health education;

      2. physical education and physical activity;

      3. nutrition services;

      4. parental involvement; and

      5. instruction to prevent the use of tobacco;

    3. appropriate grade levels and methods of instruction for human sexuality instruction; and

    4. strategies for integrating the curriculum components specified by Subdivision (2) with the following elements in a coordinated school health program for the district:

    1. school health services;

    2. counseling and guidance services;

    3. a safe and healthy school environment; and

    4. school employee wellness.

  4. The board of trustees shall appoint members to the local school health advisory council.

  5. A majority of the members must be persons who are parents of students enrolled in the district and who are not employed by the district. The board of trustees also may appoint one or more persons from each of the following groups or a representative from a group other than a group specified under this subsection:

    1. public school teachers;

    2. public school administrators;

    3. district students;

    4. health care professionals;

    5. the business community;

    6. law enforcement;

    7. senior citizens:

    8. the clergy; and

    9. nonprofit health organizations.

  6. Any course materials and instruction relating to human sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, or human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immune deficiency syndrome shall be selected by the board of trustees with the advice of the local school health advisory council and must:

    1. present abstinence from sexual activity as the preferred choice of behavior in relationship all sexual activity for unmarried persons of school age;

    2. devote more attention to abstinence from sexual activity than to any other behavior;

    3. emphasize that abstinence from sexual activity, if used consistently and correctly, is the only method that is 100 percent effective in preventing pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, infection with human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, and the emotional trauma associated with adolescent sexual activity;

    4. direct adolescents to a standard of behavior in which abstinence from sexual activity before marriage is the most effective way to prevent pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and infection with human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immune deficiency syndrome; and

    5. teach contraception and condom use in terms of human use reality rates instead of theoretical laboratory rates, if instruction on contraception and condoms is included in curriculum content.

  7. A school district may not distribute condoms in connection with instruction relating to human sexuality.

  8. A school district that provides human sexuality instruction may separate students according to sex for instructional purposes.

  9. The board of trustees shall determine the specific content of the district's instruction in human sexuality, in accordance with Subsections (e), (f), and (g).

  10. A school district shall notify a parent of each student enrolled in the district of:

    1. the basic content of the district's human sexuality instruction to be provided to the student; and

    2. the parent's right to remove the student from any part of the district's human sexuality instruction.

  11. A school district shall make all curriculum materials used in the district's human sexuality instruction available for reasonable public inspection.

  12. A school district shall publish in the student handbook and post on the district's Internet website, if the district has an Internet website:

  1. a statement of the policies adopted to ensure that elementary school, middle school, and junior high school students engage in at least 30 minutes per school day or 135 minutes per school week of physical activity; and

  2. a statement of:

  1. the number of times during the preceding year the district's school health advisory council has met;

  2. whether the district has adopted and enforces policies to ensure that district campuses comply with agency vending machine and food service guidelines for restricting student access to vending machines; and

  3. whether the district has adopted and enforces policies and procedures that prescribe penalties for the use of tobacco products by students and others on school campuses or at school-sponsored or school-related activities.

Note: This represents only a small portion of the law regulating schools in Texas. Additional information on laws, regulations and policies related to schools can be accessed through the following sites and is addressed in detail in the Resources section of this guide on pages numbered 21-24. * Texas Education Code: www.capitol.state.tx.us/statutes/ed.toc.htm * Texas Child Nutrition Policy: http://www.squaremeals.org/ * Texas Education Laws and Rules: www.tea.state.tx.us/educationlaw.html * Texas Health and Safety Code: www.capitol.state.tx.us/statutes/hs.toc.htm

Human Sexuality Instruction

Annual Notification

As a part of the district' s curriculum, students receive instruction related to human sexuality. The School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) makes recommendations for curriculum materials, and the school board adopts the materials and determines the specific content of the instruction.

Before a student receives human sexuality instruction, the district must obtain written consent from the student' s parent. Parents will be sent a request for written consent at least 14 days before the instruction.

As a part of the district' s curriculum for certain classes, students in grades 6-12 will receive instruction related to human sexuality. The School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) makes recommendations for course materials.

State law requires that the district provide written notice before each school year of the board' s decision to provide human sexuality instruction.

State law also requires that instruction related to human sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS):

  • Present abstinence from sexual activity as the preferred choice in relationship to all sexual activity for unmarried persons of school age;
  • Devote more attention to abstinence from sexual activity than to any other behavior;
  • Emphasize that abstinence, if used consistently and correctly, is the only method that is 100 percent effective in preventing pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections and the emotional trauma associated with adolescent sexual activity;
  • Direct adolescents to abstain from sexual activity before marriage as the most effective way to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases; and
  • If included in the content of the curriculum, teach contraception and condom use in terms of human use reality rates instead of theoretical laboratory rates.

Per state law, here is a summary of the district' s curriculum regarding human sexuality instruction:

The District shall address controversial topics in an impartial and objective manner. Teachers shall not use the classroom to transmit personal beliefs regarding political or sectarian issues. Students and educators shall ensure that, to the extent possible, discussions are conducted fairly and courteously. (EMB(LOCAL))

A parent is entitled to review the curriculum materials. In addition, a parent may remove his or her child from any part of the human sexuality instruction without academic, disciplinary, or other penalties.

A parent may also choose to become more involved with the development of this curriculum by becoming a member of the district' s SHAC. (See the campus principal for details.)

In accordance with state law, a parent may:

  • Review, receive a copy of, or purchase a copy of curriculum materials depending on the copyright of the materials.
  • Remove his or her child from any part of the human sexuality instruction without academic, disciplinary, or other penalties.
  • Become involved in the development of this curriculum by becoming a member of the district' s SHAC or attending SHAC meetings. (See the campus principal for details.)
  • Use the district' s grievance procedure concerning a complaint. See Complaints and Concerns (All Grade Levels) on page 60 and FNG(LOCAL).
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