School Health Advisory Council

Why do we have a SHAC?

Title 2, Chapter 28, Section 28.004 of the Texas Education Code requires school districts to establish School Health Advisory Council to assist the district in ensuring that local community values are reflected in the district’s health education instruction.
 

What is the role of the SHAC?

The LISD SHAC serves as an advisory council that provides recommendations, changes, and/or additions to the school’s health education curriculum and instruction for consideration by the Board of Trustees.

The council will look at and discuss issues and concerns that impact the entire district, not just individual campuses.

Responsibilities include:

• Serving at the pleasure of the Longview ISD Board of Education, submitting recommendations to trustees as needed.
• Fielding health education concerns from the community and bringing them to a SHAC meeting for discussion.
• Ensuring that local community values are reflected in our health education instruction.
• Providing leadership for health education concerns.

Duties include recommending:

• Curriculum appropriate for specific grade levels designed to prevent obesity, cardiovascular disease, and Type 2 diabetes through coordination of: health education, parental involvement, physical education and physical activity, and instruction to prevent the use of tobacco;
• Strategies for integrating the curriculum with the following elements in a coordinated school health program for the district: school health services, school employee wellness, counseling and guidance services, and a safe and healthy school environment; 
• Appropriate grade levels and methods of instruction for human sexuality instruction; and
• The number of hours of instruction to be provided in health education;
   

What is a Coordinated School Health Program?

Coordinated School Health (CSH) programs consist of eight (8) interactive components that assist students through the promotion of healthy behaviors. An effective, CSH program can improve academic performance, decrease absenteeism, increase the practice of good health habits, and decrease health care costs. Schools cannot do this alone the community must, and should, be involved in the CSH program.

The eight (8) components of a Coordinated School Health Program include: 

Meetings for the current school year are:
Jan. 8, 2024 at LISD administration building (1301 E. Young Street)
April 15, 2024 at LISD administration building (1301 E. Young Street)

SHAC Meeting Agendas and Minutes
n/a

Audio recordings
Nov. 29, 2022

Article I: Name and Purpose

Section 1

The name of the organization shall be Longview ISD School Health Advisory Council

Section 2

The Longview ISD SHAC is organized for the purpose to establish and maintain a School Health Advisory Council authorized by the LISD Board of Trustees following the requirements set forth by Chapter 28.004 of the Texas Education Code and guided by the LISD SHAC bylaws. Chapter 28.004 states “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.”

Article II: Membership

The LISD Board of Trustees shall annually appoint members to the LISD SHAC.

Section 1

To become a member of LISD SHAC, potential members must meet the following requirements: 

• Custodian parents or guardians serving on the council must have a student currently enrolled in the district and be living within the district.
• A majority of the appointed members must be persons who are parents of students enrolled in the district and who are not employed by the district.
• SHAC will strive to reflect the geographic, ethnic, gender, and economic diversity of the district.
• Members should have a strong commitment to the health and well-being of students, staff, and community members.
• Each trustee may appoint up to five individuals to serve on SHAC. 
  • The board also may appoint one or more persons from each of the following groups or a representative from a group other than a group specified. Classroom teachers employed by the district, school counselors, school administrators, district students, health-care professionals, the business community, law enforcement, senior citizens, clergy, nonprofit health organizations, and local domestic violence programs.

Section 2: Terms of Service

Membership of LISD SHAC shall be one year beginning with the first meeting of the school year.  The term of service for a member shall be for one year, with each term beginning with a new school year.  Trustees may allow members to serve multiple terms. (Max 3 consecutive terms)

Article III: Officers

Section 1:

The Chair

• Parent or guardian meeting guidelines described in membership
• Presides at all meetings of SHAC unless absent
• Appoints committees as necessary
• Presents the annual report to the Board of Trustees

Co-Chair

• Parent or guardian meeting guidelines described in membership
• In case of absence of the Chair, the parent co-chair will preside
• Assist Chair in responsibilities directed by district policy and direction of the board

Secretary

• Presides at meetings when both the Chair and Co-Chair are absent
• Prepares meeting notices, minutes, and communications to be sent to the SHAC members.
• Provide staff support in the development and submission of SHAC’s annual report
  
  Interested members will submit their names to the SHAC Facilitator and if multiple members submit, a vote by all SHAC members will take place. 

SHAC Facilitator

• An employee of LISD
• Ensures that adequate facilities arrangements and staff support are secured for all meetings.
• Providing members and support staff with agendas and background materials prior to meetings.
• Serving as a custodian of all SHAC records.
• Providing staff support in the development and submission of SHAC’s annual report.
• Providing such other assistance as requested in accordance with the SHAC authorizing statute, district policy, and the direction of the Board of Trustees.
• Not a voting member

Article IV: Committees

Committees shall be formed on an as-needed basis by volunteers or by appointment. 

Article V: Decision Making

Members shall attempt to reach decisions by consensus. However, if a clear consensus cannot be obtained, members shall decide by majority vote. Proxy voting shall not be permitted. However, members in virtual attendance may vote.

Article VI: Meetings

Meetings will be held at least four times per year. The dates will be established by the Chair and posted.

A quorum will be the members present at the meeting with a minimum of 10 members present. Meetings may be held without a quorum for presentations, research, or discussion.  No voting may take place without a quorum.

Article VII: Communication

SHAC shall submit to the Board of Trustees annually a written report that includes:

• Any SHAC recommendation concerning the school district’s health education curriculum and instruction or related matters that the council has not previously submitted to the board.
• Any suggested modification to a council recommendation previously submitted to the board.
• The report shall include a comprehensive summary of the viewpoints expressed during SHAC discussions.

The Annual Report to the Board of Trustees will be submitted by the Chair of the School Health Advisory Council with assistance from the SHAC Facilitator.

Article VIII: Amendments

The procedure for making changes to the by-laws shall be a two-thirds vote of the voting members described in a quorum present in an established meeting set by the Chair with board approval.

SHAC Executive Board

Chair: NAME
Vice Chair: NAME
Secretary: NAME
Parliamentarian:  NAME
Membership:  NAME
Education/Communications:  NAME

District Representative: NAME
Contact the SHAC Board at ask@lisd.org
 

SHAC Members

NAMES GO HERE

• Longview ISD Districtwide Wellness Policy
• Whole School/Community/Child Model
• Texas Youth Risk Behavior Survey
• School Health Advisory Councils
• Social and Emotional Resources
• Coordinated School Health