SHAC

WELCOME to the Asheville-Buncombe NC School Health Advisory Council (SHAC)

The Asheville-Buncombe NC SHAC exists to provide a supportive bridge between community health and wellness resources and each of our 49 schools. We work with each school to implement the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Model, and to help address and overcome the challenges of creating a Coordinated School Health Program to improve the health of young people and enhance their capacity to learn through the support of families, schools, and communities working together.

At its core, a successful Coordinated School Health Program is about keeping students healthy over time, reinforcing positive health behaviors throughout the school day, and making it clear that good health and learning go hand in hand.

To learn more our organization or the WSCC model, visit our About Us page.

Check out our News and Events and join us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on SHAC events, news and information.

Asheville-Buncombe NC SHAC Recommendations For Schools:

1) In order to facilitate health and wellness, our local SHAC along with Prevention Partners of Chapel Hill (and the CDC and ASCD) strongly recommends that every school create a Health and Wellness Team.  It is SHAC’s vision (based on the recommendations of the above mentioned groups and other research) that each school’s team, working with their district Healthy Living Coordinators, will be a communication and support link to SHAC so that the WSCC model can continue to grow and be effective.

2) It is recommended that each school’s Health and Wellness Team be composed of ONE main Team Leader/Chair who is passionate about health and wellness. This person could be given time in his/her written job description to take part in this role. This Team Leader should have one “assistant” that is also passionate about health and wellness that will support the Leader. The Team would overall comprise of at least one parent, one administrator, one teacher, two students (high school), and one student (middle school and elementary).

3) At least once during the school year, the Team Leader or other team member are encouraged to attend a SHAC meeting to share their successful wellness projects as well as to discuss any concerns, challenges, and changes in these areas.

4) The Wellness Teams, the Healthy Living Coordinators, and SHAC will work together to improve in any area needed. If any changes are recommended by SHAC, these changes, if needed, will be brought to the attention of the specific Board of Education for the district in which the recommendations are made. (See the SHAC Working Action Model.)

5) Each Fall, SHAC sponsors a Wellness Opportunity Workshop (W.O.W.) to train and motivate the Wellness Team members to function at a high level within their schools. Each spring, SHAC also hosts a Health and Wellness School Celebration for the Wellness Teams, where they celebrate their individual progress and accomplishments, as well as recognizing other areas of accomplishment within the WSCC Model.

6) It is SHAC’s goal to support each school in completing a needs assessment to further their potential for success. At this time, we are in the process of determining with each school what that assessment may be.

SHAC In Action: 

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