Welcome to the Wellness section of the website. On this page, you will find resources to help personnel and students and their families to connect with our department. We hope that this page continues to grow and to be as interactive as possible.

The health and physical well-being of students directly affects their ability to learn. Childhood obesity increases the incidence of adult diseases occurring in children and adolescents such as heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. The increased risk carries forward into their adulthood. Research indicates that a healthy diet and regular physical activity can help prevent obesity and the diseases resulting from it. It is understood that the eating habits and exercise patterns of students cannot be magically changed overnight, but at the same time, the Board of Directors believes it is necessary to strive to create a culture in our schools that consistently promotes good nutrition and physical activity.

The problem of obesity and inactivity is a public health issue. The Board of Directors is keenly aware that it has taken years for this problem to reach its present level and will similarly take years to correct. The responsibility for addressing the problem lies not only with the schools and the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE), but with the community and its residents, organizations and agencies. Therefore, the District shall enlist the support of the larger community to find solutions that improve the health and physical activity of our students.

To assist the SNPAAC in ensuring that the District fulfills the requirements of this policy, a District level School Health Coordinator (Designated District Official) shall be appointed.

To enhance the district’s efforts to improve the health of our students, a School Nutrition and Physical Activity Advisory Committee (SNPAAC) shall be formed. It shall be structured in a way to ensure age-appropriate recommendations are made that correlate to the District’s grade configurations.

The SNPAAC shall have the powers and responsibilities delegated to it by statute and Rule and are incorporated into this policy by reference.2The overarching goal of the committee shall be to promote student wellness by monitoring how well the District is doing at implementing this policy. The SNPAAC shall use modules 1, 2, 3, 4, 10 and 11 of the Centers For Disease Control’ (CDC) School Health Index as a basis for annually assessing each school’s progress toward meeting the requirements of this policy. The results of the annual assessment shall be included in each school’s ACSIP, provided to each school’s principal, and reported to the board. Goals and objectives for nutrition and physical activity shall also be included in the ACSIP.

The SNPAAC shall be made up of Individuals from the following groups to the extent interested persons from each group desire to be included in the development, implementation, and periodic review of the District's wellness policy:

• Members of the District’s Board of Directors;

• School administrators;

• School nutrition personnel;

• Teacher organizations;

• Teachers of physical education;

• Parents;

• Students;

• Professional groups (such as nurses);

• School health professionals (such as school nurses, school counselors, and social workers); and

• Community members.

The SNPAAC shall provide written recommendations to the District’s Child Nutrition Director concerning menus and other foods sold in the school cafeteria. Such recommendations shall be based, at least in part, on the information the Committee receives from the District on the requirements and standards of the National School Lunch Program and from menus for the National School Lunch Program and other food sold in the school cafeteria on a quarterly basis.

The SNPAAC will meet at least quarterly. Meeting dates for the SNPAAC will be placed on the District’s calendar.

• GPSD Wellness Plan and Related Information

• GPSD Website Wellness Center Forms and Documents

• GPSD COVID-19 and ESSER Information