School Health Advisory Committee urges wellness-policy updates, expands 'Hope Squad' and flags nearby data-center health risks

The School Health Advisory Committee (SHAC) presented its annual report and recommendations to the Stafford County School Board, urging edits to the division’s wellness policy, continued investment in the JED suicide-prevention framework, expansion of a student peer-support “Hope Squad,” and attention to potential health risks from proposed data centers sited near several schools.

Dr. Amanda Harvey, vice chair of the SHAC, described a year of program development and community events. The committee piloted a combined community health-and-wellness fair with roughly 300 attendees and expanded the Hope Squad peer-support teams to three or four high schools this year, with plans to place them in all high schools next year. “Even one student was able to say, ‘Hey, I’m in crisis mode. This is how I can get some help,’” Dr. Harvey said, noting that the program’s early use was a sign of success.

The committee reviewed the wellness policy and reported updates to physical-education and activity sections, plus edits informed by staff and the Rev Your Bev effort to ensure access to drinking water in schools. Dr. Harvey said the revised sections should be submitted to governance before the division’s next triennial assessment so current practices are reflected in the policy.

SHAC also reported initial data from Hazel Health, a grant-funded teletherapy service launched in March; Dr. Harvey said 38 students have enrolled so far and emphasized the service will be available through the summer. “It is free at-home talk therapy available to all of our students,” she said.

The committee flagged a separate local concern: publicly proposed data centers that, according to the committee’s map, are sited within a few miles of schools. Dr. Harvey warned about published health factors tied to some data-center sites (air pollutants, noise and potential respiratory impacts) and recommended the board coordinate with Stafford County’s Board of Supervisors and planning department about siting measures near schools.

Board members thanked the committee for its work and asked staff for follow-up on policy edits and the Hazel Health rollout. SHAC requested a summer or fall check-in on wellness-policy revisions and on expanded Hope Squad and JED evaluation steps.

Next steps: governance review of proposed wellness-policy edits; continued evaluation of JED-year-two implementation; outreach to county planning on data-center siting concerns; more robust sign-up and public information about Hazel Health teletherapy.