Members of the High County School District number 1 wellness policy committee told the board they had found gaps between the district's written wellness policy and what students are actually taught, particularly for health education.

"We can't sign off on this saying that we're meeting it when we're not doing this," said Speaker 4, a committee participant, describing the committee's conclusion after reviewing the ADI policy and current instruction. Committee members said nutrition standards are being met but that health education and health-related instruction are "really short," and in many grades are offered only as electives.

Why it matters: The committee said the district must choose whether to change local practice to comply with state standards or to alter policy language to match current delivery. Speakers emphasized that the district will need curriculum mapping, teacher certification, and funding to restore K'12 health instruction with fidelity.

Committee discussion and findings: Members traced the decline of required health classes to staffing and budget decisions. "It was a funding issue," said Speaker 8, explaining the program was cut after a retire­ment and the position was not filled; PE teachers then prioritized PE instruction. The committee also noted that middle-school offerings have been reduced to a small number of elective sections serving fewer than 20 students in some grades.

State standards and timing: Speakers said the state reduced the number of statewide standards (PE standards from 117 to 30 and health standards from 226 to 38) and that those remaining standards must still be taught and mapped into the district's assessment system. Committee members raised the state's timeline for curricular updates and implementation and said the district should begin curriculum planning now to meet those requirements.

Policy assessment and next steps: The committee recommended documenting current deficits as an explicit goal and reconvening with a leadership team of PE teachers, counselors and curriculum staff to map standards and determine who will teach which grade-band content. Speaker 10 read the district requirement that "the district must conduct an assessment of the wellness policy to be shared publicly every 3 years at a minimum," and staff said they would confirm the approved policy is posted correctly.

What comes next: The committee will return with proposed goals and a plan for curriculum development, staffing needs and cost implications. The board was asked to consider whether to require a separate health course, embed health content into PE, or adopt an essential vs. comprehensive curriculum model. The district did not record a vote on policy changes at this meeting.