Schools reaching wellness goals

Wellness Guidelines look at nutritional guidelines, health and nutrition education, physical education and activity.

The DOE's Wellness Guidelines state all students should have at least 20 minutes a day of supervised recess, during which students are encouraged to participate in moderate to vigorous physical activity.

News Release from Hawaii DoE April 16, 2015

​​​​​​HONOLULU – The Hawaii State Departments of Education (DOE) and Health (DOH) today released findings from the Safety and Wellness Survey (SAWS) for all Hawaii public (non-charter) schools for the 2013-14 school year. Results indicate a consistently high level of achievement with all survey respondents meeting an average of 79 percent of the DOE Wellness Guidelines.

"We know healthier students are more alert and conscious about the benefits of eating well and exercising," said Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi. "Teaching our students about health, nutrition and physical activity has become an important component of public education in Hawaii."

Highlights of the survey results show that during the 2013-14 school year:

• ​All school meals met or exceeded U.S. Department of Agriculture nutrient standards;
• 95 percent of schools promoted positive nutritional messages on campus;
• 93 percent of schools integrated nutrition education into multiple areas of the curriculum such as math, science, and English language arts;
• 95 percent of schools reported having required physical education classes aligned with state standards (Hawaii Content and Performance Standards III for Physical Education); and
• 78 percent of schools have a committee that oversees wellness at school.

Principals reported the greatest challenge for Hawaii schools is ensuring only nutritious foods and beverages are sold or provided to students outside the cafeteria, with only 43 percent of schools meeting this requirement in 2013-14.

This year, 46 Hawaii public schools have been recognized with "Excellence in Wellness Awards" for meeting 90 percent or more of the Wellness Guidelines in the 2013-2014 school year.

The Wellness Guidelines include nutrient standards for foods and beverages, school-based wellness committees, health and physical education, and other practices that support student health. All Hawaii public (non-charter) schools have been required to meet the DOE Wellness Guidelines since 2011. The annual SAWS is administered in the spring.

The Safety and Wellness Survey Data Report for School Year 2013-14 is available here​.

Previous years' SAWS indicators are included in the Superintendent's Annual Report.