West Virginia

West Virginia is seeking to increase the percentage of schools that provide parents and families health information to increase parent and family knowledge of HIV prevention, STD prevention, and teen pregnancy prevention.

Activities

• Develop Web-based information and resources for all audiences.
• Increase parents’ knowledge of HIV, STD, and pregnancy prevention through multiple media outlets and the provision of educational materials and information.

Status

Percentage of secondary schools that provide parents and families health information to increase parent and family knowledge of HIV, STD, or teen pregnancy prevention Table [pdf 4.2M] | Map† [ppt]

West Virginia is seeking to increase the percentage of schools in which the lead health education teacher received professional development during the past 2 years on all of the following:

• Describing how widespread HIV and other STD infections are and the consequences of these infections.
• Understanding the modes of transmission and effective prevention strategies for HIV and other STDs.
• Identifying populations of youth who are at high risk of being infected with HIV and other STDs.
• Implementing health education strategies using prevention messages that are likely to be effective in reaching youth.

Activities

• Through the provision of professional development events (i.e., Health and Physical Education Academies), build leadership capacity among health educators to deliver high-quality, science-based sexual health education, and provide leadership to local wellness councils regarding evidence-based practices to reduce HIV, STDs, and unintended pregnancies.
• Use data (e.g., Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Health Education Assessment Project, School Health Profiles) to assist local education agencies to make data-driven decisions to address HIV, STD, and pregnancy prevention.
• Develop Web-based information and resources that allow local wellness councils to make data-driven decisions related to HIV, STD, and pregnancy prevention.

Status

Percentage of secondary schools in which the lead health education teacher received professional development during the 2 years before the survey on four key HIV prevention topics Table [pdf 4.2M] | Map† [ppt]

West Virginia is seeking to increase the percentage of schools that have a policy or policies that address all of the following issues:

• Attendance of students with HIV infection.
• Procedures to protect HIV-infected students and staff from discrimination.
• Maintaining confidentiality of HIV-infected students and staff.

Activities

• Conduct a review of all HIV, STD, and sex education laws and policies to determine identify revisions and additional policies needed.
• Use existing data to assist local education agencies in making data-driven policy and program decisions related to HIV, STD, and pregnancy prevention.
• Develop and present reports using appropriate data sets to support policy change and recommendations.

Status

Percentage of secondary schools with a policy on students or staff who have HIV infection or AIDS that addresses attendance of students with HIV infection, procedures to protect HIV-infected students and staff from discrimination, and maintaining confidentiality of HIV-infected students and staff Table [pdf 4.2M] | Map† [ppt]

Physical Activity

West Virginia is seeking to increase the percentage of schools that offer intramural activities or physical activity clubs for all students, including those with disabilities.

Activities

• Build leadership capacity of health and physical education teachers to deliver high-quality instruction and assessment.
• Use existing data (e.g., School Health Profiles, Health Education Assessment Project, FitnessGram) to assist local education agencies to make data-driven policy and program decisions related to physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco.
• Develop Web-based information and resources for local wellness councils to make data-driven decisions for improving physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco.

Status

Percentage of secondary schools that offered opportunities for all students to participate in intramural activities and/or physical activity clubs Table [pdf 4.2M] | Map† [ppt]

Nutrition

West Virginia is seeking to increase the percentage of schools that do not sell the following foods and beverages anywhere at school outside the school food service program:

• Baked goods that are not low in fat (e.g., cookies, crackers, cakes, pastries).
• Salty snacks that are not low in fat (e.g., regular potato chips).
• Candy (i.e., chocolate or non-chocolate candy).
• Soda pop or fruit drinks that are not 100% juice.

Activities

• With funding from the Office of Child Nutrition, train regional specialists in selected counties to ensure policy implementation as it relates to food and beverage sales in schools.
• Monitor policy implementation through the online School Health Profiles survey.
• Participate in the ongoing Robert Wood Johnson Foundation study assessing policy implementation factors in 50 schools across the state.

Status

Percentage of secondary schools that did not sell less nutritious foods and beverages anywhere outside the school food service program Table [pdf 4.2M] | Map† [ppt]

Tobacco

West Virginia is seeking to increase the percentage of schools in which the lead health education teacher received professional development on tobacco-use prevention education during the past 2 years.

Activities

• Provide professional development events on the evidence-based program Life Skills Training to middle school staff and others serving on local wellness councils.
• Through the Health and Physical Education Leadership Academies, provide professional develop events on quality-based classroom instruction and assessment as it relates to physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco.

Status

Percentage of secondary schools in which the lead health education teacher received professional development during the 2 years before the survey on tobacco-use prevention Table [pdf 4.2M] | Map† [ppt]

West Virginia is seeking to increase the percentage of schools that have a group (e.g., school health team) that helps plan and implement school health programs, with representation from 10 or more of the following:

• School administrators.
• Health education teachers.
• Physical education teachers.
• Mental health or social services staff.
• Nutrition or food service staff.
• Health services staff (e.g., school nurse).
• Maintenance and transportation staff.
• Student body.
• Parents or families of students.
• Community.
• Local health departments, agencies, or organizations.
• Faith-based organizations.
• Businesses.
• Local government.

Activities

• Assess needs identified in local wellness council plans.
• Provide professional development events for school staff and others serving on local wellness councils.
• Develop an electronic coordinated school health planning template to be used by 55 local wellness councils as to build their capacity to implement specific, effective policies and practices to improve quality school health programs.

Status

Percentage of secondary schools that had one or more groups (e.g., a school health council, committee, or team) that offers guidance on the development of policies or coordinates activities on health topics with representation from at least 10 of 14 groups Table [pdf 4.2M] | Map† [ppt]

West Virginia is seeking to increase the percentage of schools that have ever assessed their policies, activities, and programs by using the School Health Index or a similar self-assessment tool in any of the following areas:  

• Physical activity.
• Nutrition.
• Tobacco-use prevention.

Activities

• Conduct an annual review of all coordinated school health and physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco-related data for indications of needed policy change.
• Provide a report to the Governor’s Healthy Lifestyles Coalition and the West Virginia Board of Education on the results of data attained from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the Youth Tobacco Survey, FitnessGram, the Health Education Assessment Project, School Health Profiles, statewide Physical Education Plans, and local wellness council plans.
• Use existing data infrastructure to assist local education agencies to make data-driven policy and program decisions related to coordinated school health and physical activity, nutrition, and tobacco.

Status

Percentage of secondary schools that ever used the School Health Index or other self-assessment tool to assess their policies, activities, and programs in physical activity, nutrition, or tobacco-use prevention Table [pdf 4.2M] | Map† [ppt]

West Virginia is seeking to increase the percentage of schools that provide parents and families health information to increase parent and family knowledge of any of the following health issues:  

• Tobacco-use prevention.
• Physical activity.
• Nutrition and healthy eating.

Activities

• Develop Web-based information and resources for all audiences.
• Assess needs identified in local wellness council plans.
• Provide leadership to local wellness councils regarding evidence-based practices to reduce chronic diseases and associated risk factors.

Status

Percentage of secondary schools that provided parents and families health information to increase parent and family knowledge of tobacco-use prevention, physical activity, or nutrition and healthy eating Table [pdf 4.2M] | Map† [ppt]