School Wellness Programs

Wellness means being healthy in mind and body. New York City public schools offer  a wide range of wellness programs. Also, DOE's Wellness Policies and initiatives, including expanded programs under the New York City Obesity Task Force Plan, are part of a larger commitment to raising student achievement levels and combating the childhood obesity epidemic. 

Student success depends on a blend of academic skills, good health, and physical and mental fitness. For quick reference guides on health and physical education requirements in our schools, as well as standards, recommended resources, and more, click here. Also, a recent report indicates that school-based physical activity may help improve students’ grades and test scores and positively affect other factors that influence academic achievement. The report also concludes that adding time during the school day for physical activity does not appear to take away from academic performance.

Fitness and health activities in school encourage students to:

• Be physically active.
• Learn to make healthy decisions and develop a healthy lifestyle.
• Experience traditional and non-traditional health-related fitness activities.

OSWP’s fitness and physical education program focuses on a health-related fitness education curriculum; integration of NYC FITNESSGRAM, a standardized fitness assessment tool drawn from decades of research and designed specifically for New York City public school students; and a physical activity program for adolescents, the CHAMPS Middle School Sports and Fitness Program.

Comprehensive health education, beginning in elementary school and continuing through high school, includes age-appropriate lessons on injury prevention; mental and emotional health; nutrition; tobacco, alcohol and other drugs; family health and sexuality; HIV/AIDS; and personal and consumer health. Mandatory HIV/AIDS lessons for kindergarten through 12^th grade are supported by a curriculum which offers age-appropriate lessons.

What's new in wellness

• The 2013 School Wellness Poster Contest winners and runners-up have been selected!  From each grade level - elementary, middle, and high school - a winner and three runners-up designed posters that effectively promotes the physical and mental health benefits of eating nutritious food, being physically fit, and having adequate sleep. An awards ceremony honoring these students is scheduled on June 5, 2013.  Click here for more details.  
• The HIV/AIDS Curriculum, 2012 Edition, has been released! Click here for an overview of what's been updated.  Sign up for free health education and HIV/AIDS trainings for teachers available on ProTraxx or request a free "At Your School" training for 15 or more teachers.  Brochures and sample parent letters translated in 8 different languages are available here.
• Thanks to new Obesity Task Force initiatives, 125 schools/sites will be awarded a $2,500 School Wellness Council grant this year, including 13 mentoring schools. Stay tuned for this year's awarded schools!
• The Move-To-Improve Fall schedule of workshops is open for registration, so sign your K-5 teachers up today!
• Click here to review the School Wellness Weekly archive and learn how to sign up.
• As you consider raising money this school year, take a look at DOHMH's A+ Fundraisers for High Schools guide and other toolkit resources at the Healthy High Schools website.