SHAC Members in Central Texas Want Candy Out of Schools

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Members of the School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) at Hutto Independent School District (HISD), a 40.5% Latino district in central Texas, recently approached school board members to discuss recommended changes to the district’s Wellness and Nutrition policy. The policy is aimed at reducing junk food consumption by keeping schools from selling candy to students until 30 minutes after the end of the school day.

According to The Hutto News, members of the SHAC and the district’s director of health and safety services Denise Kablaitis, presented two recommendations at the meeting: (1) that sales of candy be prohibited from midnight until 30 minutes after the end of the school day; (2) that automobiles no longer be allowed to idle around campuses.

At the meeting, board members expressed their reservations about the no candy policy and questioned how this might impact fundraisers for school organizations. They asked the SHAC to gather more information and to report their findings at the next board meeting in February.

These policy recommendations come as a result of USDA Food and Nutrition Services Division’s expectations for schools to develop nutrition and wellness goals in collaboration with the local SHAC. According to the article, the district is to follow age appropriate Smart Snack guidelines for food and beverages offered during classroom parties and fundraising activities.

By law the HISD must ensure that “all foods available on each campus are in accordance with the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy.”

Kablaitis explained to the school board members that USDA requirements would eventually become standard practice and that all districts would have to implement and monitor the implementation of such nutrition policies. She said it’s a step toward combating childhood obesity.

Read more about this here.