School Health Advisory Council
SHAC
Growing strong, healthy youth into successful, fit adults serves as the foundation of the Lake Travis ISD’s Healthy Lifestyles Program. Whether focusing on the 40 Building Blocks that target developing the life tools that kids need to be socially, emotionally and academically successful, or the Comprehensive Health Plan that targets fitness, personal wellness and drug/alcohol prevention, the Healthy Lifestyles Program encompasses each child’s successful development into adulthood.
Health Education is taught through Physical Education (PE) classes at the Elementary Level and in 6th Grade P.E., as well. At the High School Level, one semester of Health is required for graduation.
Human Sexuality-Curriculum at Lake Travis High School in Health Classes:
Health topics range from nutritional information, to human development, to drug and alcohol prevention topics. For a full listing of the Texas Education Agency’s Health TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) go to www.tea.state.tx.us
The physical fitness side of development creates another large focus under the Healthy Lifestyles umbrella. Marathon Kids will be implemented at all the elementary campuses this year, as well as focusing on isolated skills such as stretching, abdominal muscles, shoulder-strength and cardio fitness. At Lake Travis Elementary, students will be involved in physical activity three times a week as the campus pilots a new idea: collaboration of all the specials (music, theater and P.E.) to create an integrated approach to health education.
FitnessGram, a TEA required physical assessment through Senate Bill 530, administered yearly to students in grades 3-12, demonstrates how fit our students are currently. Our elementary students performed to the highest potential on last year’s FitnessGram with between 98-100% of all elementary students (a total of 1360 students) tested achieving the “healthy fitness zone” (HFZ) when demonstrating certain fitness tests (i.e., back-saver sit and reach, trunk lift, push up, etc.) Our middle schools, with 1340 students tested, also demonstrated exemplary fitness levels with 99-100% of students reaching the HFZ on individual fitness tests. With the 216 high school students assessed, 98-100% attained the HFZ in all categories of testing. For more information regarding the FitnessGram assessment tool, go to www.fitnessgram.net.
The Lake Travis ISD’s School Health Advisory Council focuses on meeting quarterly to make decisions regarding the appropriateness and effectiveness of all health-related curricula.
