Strategies that support guidelines 9 (employ qualified persons and provide professional development opportunities for physical education, health education, nutrition services, and health, mental health, and social services staff members, as well as staff members who supervise recess, cafeteria time, and out‐of‐school‐time programs) include:

• Require the hiring of physical education teachers, health education teachers, and nutritionservices staff members who are certified and appropriately prepared to deliver qualityinstruction, programs, and practices.
• Provide school staff with annual professional development opportunities to deliver qualityphysical education, health education, and nutrition services.
• Provide annual professional development opportunities for school health, mental health, andsocial services staff members, and staff members who lead or supervise out‐of‐school timeprograms, recess, and cafeteria time.

Physical education teachers should be certified because this ensures students receive quality instruction. Research shows that certified physical education teachers teach longer lessons; spend more time developing students’ motor and movement skills; provide more knowledge; and provide more moderate and vigorous physical activity than do other classroom teachers with little or no specialized training in physical education.

Professional development opportunities should be provided to improve the school environment. Positions that should receive professional development include:

• Health, mental health, and social services staff members
• Staff members who lead or supervise out‐of‐school‐time programs, recess, and cafeteria time
• Physical education and health education teachers
• Nutrition services staff members

Professional development can improve the school nutrition environment by training staff on activities such as implementing new federal nutrition standards; making school meals more appealing; increasing student participation in the school meal programs; planning menus for healthy meals; preparing fresh fruits and vegetables; ensuring food safety; and using the cafeteria for nutrition education.