School Health Guidelines
to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity

A: Strategies include:

• Require the hiring of physical education teachers, health education teachers, and nutrition services staff members who are certified and appropriately prepared to deliver quality instruction, programs, and practices.
• Provide school staff with annual professional development opportunities to deliver quality physical education, health education, and nutrition services.
• Provide annual professional development opportunities for school health, mental health, and social services staff members, and staff members who lead or supervise out-of-school time programs, recess, and cafeteria time.

A: This ensures students receive quality instruction. Research shows that certified physical education teachers teach longer lessons; spend more time developing students’ motor and movement skills; provide more knowledge; and provide more moderate and vigorous physical activity than do other classroom teachers with little or no specialized training in physical education.

A: Professional development opportunities should be provided to improve the school environment. Positions that should receive professional development include:

• Health, mental health, and social services staff members
• Staff members who lead or supervise out-of-school-time programs, recess, and cafeteria time
• Physical education and health education teachers
• Nutrition services staff members

A: Professional development can improve the school nutrition environment by training staff on activities such as implementing new federal nutrition standards, making school meals more appealing, increasing student participation in the school meal programs; planning menus for healthy meals; preparing fresh fruits and vegetables; ensuring food safety; and using the cafeteria for nutrition education.