Making the Mind-Body Connection Through nearly three decades of educating children, Dr. Vivian Baker has seen first hand that physical health is the foundation for academic performance.
"Having taught at the elementary school level with different types of children, my experience validated that the healthiest students were the most well-adjusted," she said. "They were also the ones who could achieve at their highest ability. Their emotional and social adjustment was also better."
For that reason, Dr. Baker, superintendent of the Belton Independent School District, has thrown her full support behind such initiatives as the district's Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) program and the School Health Advisory Council (SHAC).
All the schools in her district now teach CATCH curriculum to help students form healthy habits.
"Oftentimes our students learn behavior that they saw at home or through commercials and don't have a good understanding of healthy eating habits," she said.
Because she feels it's important to practice what she preaches, high-fat, high-sugar foods are no longer served at board meetings, staff meetings or school events. For example, the "Donuts for Dads" fundraiser has been replaced with a more waistline-friendly theme.
As a jogger, Dr. Baker also has a special interest in the role that exercise plays in physical fitness. Last year her district was awarded a large grant to strengthen its physical education program. In addition to providing resources, the grant funded training for teachers and classroom instruction for children.
"P.E. isn't just kids doing drills," said Dr. Baker. "They need to understand how exercise is connected to nutrition and overall health."
Dr. Baker says her success is due in part to community support, including the efforts of the district's SHAC.
"The SHAC has been a great collaborative effort," said Dr. Baker. Thanks to input from the committee, which includes local physicians and parents, the district recently revised its nutrition policy. Dr. Baker said that collaboration worked well because everyone shared the same philosophy. "We all agreed that dealing with childhood obesity needs to begin with us. We shouldn't make it someone else's problem."
