III 111th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 478 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 13, 2010 Mrs. Hagan submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions RESOLUTION Expressing support for designation of March as National Whole Child Month.

Whereas each student should be able to enter school healthy and learn about and practice a healthy lifestyle; Whereas, according to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, the percentage of overweight children ages 6 to 11 years has doubled and the number of overweight adolescents has tripled over the last 2 decades; Whereas each student should be able to learn in an intellectually challenging environment that is physically and emotionally safe; Whereas according to the Indicators of School Crime and Safety report of 2009, 32 percent of middle and high school students reported being bullied during the 2007 school year; Whereas each student should be able to be actively engaged in learning and connected to the school and broader community; Whereas a study on high school student engagement conducted by the Center for Evaluation & Education Policy at the Indiana University School of Education found that half of high school students feel they are an important part of their school community; Whereas each student deserves access to personalized learning and to be supported by qualified, caring adults; Whereas the Indiana University study found that more than 20 percent of students reported that there is no adult at their school who cares about them and knows them well; Whereas each graduate deserves to be challenged academically and prepared for success in college or further study and for employment in a global economy; Whereas according to the most recently published information from the Condition of Education on the availability of advanced courses in high schools in United States, more than 25 percent of students do not have access to a single advanced course in mathematics, English, science, or foreign language in their high school; Whereas another student drops out every 9 seconds in the United States; Whereas the objective of the ASCD whole child approach to education ensures that every child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged; and Whereas March would be an appropriate month to designate as “National Whole Child Month”: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1)supports the designation of March as “National Whole Child Month”; (2)recognizes that ensuring all children are healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged is a national priority; and (3)encourages parents, educators, and community members to support and provide a whole child approach to education for each student.