Student Health & Covid-19 2020 - Citizens Supporting South Kitsap School District

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Student Health & Covid-19 2020

A School Based Health Clinic may be coming to South Kitsap School District Campus

South Kitsap School District is going into partnership with Peninsula Community Health Services to open a school based health clinic on SKSD land. SKSD has stated they have been awarded a grant of $309,000 to construct this clinic. It was said that it will be a portable building. It is expected that SKSD will be responsible for both building maintenance and associated utilities and services to operate the building. The medical services will not be paid for by SKSD. SKSD children, teachers, staff, and employees will all be entitled to use the services provided by PCHS. These services will not be free, but some costs may be subsidized. Currently Peninsula Community Health Services has opened School Based Health Centers in the following locations: Esquire Hills Elementary, Fairview Middle School, Mountain View Middle School, and North Mason School District. Currently all of these other medical care centers/clinics are temporarily closed.

More detailed information is expected to be coming for South Kitsap School District once this plan has been made public. Monthly and annual costs of building operations and maintenance will be the responsibility of our school district with PCHS providing all of the doctors to provide medical, dental, and behavioral health services. Some of these services may be offered at reduced costs since PCHS is a non-profit private company.

Is a 20-minute lunch period healthy for the kids?

Research shows that hunger negatively impacts a student’s health, well-being, and ability to focus and learn at school. Currently schools allow 20 minutes for lunch. Which begs the question, would a 30 minute lunch for school children be healthier for the kids?

Administrators agree that findings of studies suggest longer lunches would be better, but don't want legislated mandates. The believe recommendations that are evidenced that on best practices would be more helpful. They are essentially saying, thanks, but no thanks to more regulations.

What is the attitude of our administrators in South Kitsap school? Should this even be an issue these days? A 20 minute lunch appears to barely leave children enough time to sit down, relax, and then eat. Perhaps extending lunch breaks to 30 minutes would be better, healthier for the kids.

Here is the article that appeared in the Kitsap Sun on October 18, 2019: