A debate on health dominated the June 7 Leander ISD board meeting, during which the School Health Advisory Council delivered its annual update on districtwide wellness initiatives.
Representatives from SHAC focused on a "culture of wellness" at the district level. SHAC Coordinator Ray Langlois, who also serves as LISD's assistant director of athletics, health and wellness, said the group was inspired by one of the district's missions—closing the achievement gap.
"We wanted to look at how health disparities affect the achievement gap, and we saw this as an opportunity for us as a group to provide support and guidance in preparing our students for college, career and beyond," Langlois said.
The SHAC is moving in a positive direction, he said. The council wants to support existing successful initiatives on the campuses while influencing parent engagement.
"Healthier students make better learners. There's research out there that supports that," he said. "School health programs do have an impact on academic achievement."
The Texas Education Code requires all school districts establish a SHAC. Its duties include providing advice on the district's coordinated school health program and its impact on student health and learning, and providing recommendations to specific changes to a school's health education curriculum and instruction.
The current SHAC is composed of 23 members, including four parent or community members, and has met four times this year.
The board also discussed adding a new series of medical courses to the some high school course catalogs, starting with a pilot program at Vandegrift High School. The sequential elective biomedical science classes introduce students to topics including physiology, genetics, microbiology and public health.
Camille Clay, director of career and technology education, said health science is a top career choice for many LISD students. With fewer students being allowed into Austin Community College's phlebotomy and other medical programs, Clay said the pre-med–focused courses allow students to pursue desired medical careers while receiving college credit.
"They can come away with college credit, similar to advanced placement," Clay said. "It allows for our students to take a test at the end, and some colleges have approved the coursework for credit."
The classes include principles of biomedical sciences, human body systems, medical interventions and biomedical intervention. Through activities such as dissecting a heart, students examine the processes, structures and interactions of the human body, often playing the role of biomedical professionals. They also explore the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, working collaboratively to investigate and design innovative solutions to the health challenges of the 21st century such as fighting cancer with nanotechnology.
Clay said there are no plans to do away with current health programs, but the district would need to evaluate if existing course offerings and the new sequence could coincide at the same campus.
