School Health Advisory Council

SHAC serves a vital role in strengthening the connection between health and learning.

According to Texas law (Texas Education Code, Title 2, Subtitle F, Chapter 28, Subchapter A, §28.004), every school district is required to establish a School Health Advisory Council. This council is composed of representatives from various segments of the Waxahachie community, appointed by the school district and Board of Trustees, to address district-level needs. SHAC’s primary role is to advise on coordinated school health programming and its impact on student health and academic success.

The SHAC provides a streamlined and effective framework for developing and implementing health education programs that are age-appropriate, sequential, and supported by local families and community stakeholders. Additionally, it focuses on early intervention and prevention strategies. 

The mission of the Waxahachie ISD SHAC is to collaborate with staff, parents, and the community to guide the Waxahachie ISD Board of Trustees in promoting coordinated school health programming. This includes fostering healthy lifestyles for all students. 

If you are interested in joining the School Health Advisory Council as a parent or community member, please email Melissa Bousquet or Ginger Robinson. Your input is highly valuable and appreciated. For further details or clarification, feel free to contact the Director of Health & Wellness.
 

The Waxahachie ISD School Health Advisory Council  adopts the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model, a framework developed by the CDC to promote health in schools. This student-centered model highlights the vital role of community support in schools, underscores the link between health and academic success, and prioritizes evidence-based policies and practices within educational settings.

The WSCC framework helps to promote learning and health.

The WSCC framework has 10 components: 

1. Community Involvement: Encouraging community partnerships to support school health initiatives.
2. Health Education: Delivering comprehensive and age-appropriate health instruction.
3. Physical Education & Activity: Promoting physical fitness through structured programs and activities.
4. Nutrition Environment & Services: Ensuring access to nutritious meals and fostering healthy eating habits.
5. Health Services: Providing medical care and resources to address student health needs.
6. Counseling, Psychological & Social Services: Supporting mental health and social well-being through professional services.
7. Social & Emotional Climate: Fostering a supportive and inclusive school environment.
8. Physical Environment: Maintaining safe and healthy facilities.
9. Employee Wellness: Promoting the health and well-being of school staff.
10. Family Engagement: Strengthening family involvement in students' education and health.

WISD school counselors play an essential role as representatives of the School Health Advisory Council, contributing to decisions that impact student well-being. The district counseling team is committed to providing prevention and intervention services that support students' mental, behavioral, and social-emotional health, fostering their academic success.

Their services include both direct and indirect interventions aimed at addressing psychological, academic, and social challenges to learning. These may involve individual or group counseling, consultations, and referrals to school or community support services as necessary.

WISD school counselors actively participate as committee members in the SHAC. These committees are responsible for gathering information, analyzing data, and making informed recommendations to SHAC, which then passes these recommendations to the school board for final decision-making.

One of the responsibilities of the School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) is to recommend appropriate grade levels and methods for delivering human sexuality instruction.

The WISD school board, in consultation with the SHAC, shall determine all instructional content related to human sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). This instruction must adhere to the following guidelines:

1. Present abstinence as the preferred behavioral choice for unmarried individuals of school age.
2. Prioritize abstinence over all other behaviors in terms of instructional focus.
3. Emphasize that abstinence is the only method that is fully effective in preventing pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS infection, and the emotional consequences associated with adolescent sexual activity.
4. Encourage adolescents to adopt a behavioral standard in which abstinence before marriage is recognized as the most effective way to avoid pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV/AIDS infection.
5. Provide instruction on contraception and condom use based on practical human use rates rather than theoretical laboratory rates, if such topics are included in the curriculum.

The WISD school board has approved the following curriculum programs to be taught by the WISD counseling team:

• Play It Safe curriculum for students in grades PreK-5
• Choosing The Best curriculum for students in grades 6-9

These curricula have been developed to ensure they are age-appropriate for each specific grade level. Parents may review these instructional materials by contacting the WISD Teaching, Learning, and Instruction Department.