Leadership for Healthy Communities - School District Profiles

School District Profiles

Superintendent Roel Gonzalez, Rio Grande City Consolidated Independent School District

Roel Gonzalez, superintendent of Texas's Rio Grande City Consolidated Independent School District, looked around and felt distressed. Many of the 10,000 students in his school district were overweight and physically inactive.

A passionate children's advocate, Gonzalez wasted no time. He quickly got to work implementing a series of remarkably successful changes, such as measuring students’ body mass indices, increasing exercise time at school, and expanding food offerings by including salad bars in elementary school.

Superintendent Thomas R. Lockamy, Jr., Savannah-Chatham County Public School System

Thomas B. Lockamy, Jr., Superintendent of the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) and Savannah, Ga. Mayor Otis Johnson are creating healthier communities and motivating their residents to live more active lives. In recent years, both policymakers have benefited from technical assistance provided by grantees of the Leadership for Healthy Communities program, the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) and the National League of Cities Institute for Youth, Education, and Families (NLC). Through leadership academies and site visits from AASA and NLC, the policymakers developed the tools to lead the Healthy Savannah program, which aims to increase opportunities for Savannah’s citizens to engage in physical activity and eat a nutritious, balanced diet.

School Board Member Cynthia Matus Morriss, Patagonia Elementary School District, Arizona

Known as a “small town with a large sense of community,” Patagonia, Ariz., is a peaceful, rural town with a population of nearly 1,000 residents. Despite the desert climate, the town is known for its green land and beautiful lake. In addition, the locally owned businesses and restaurants, friendly residents and easy-to-manage traffic are frequently touted as valuable town features.

The Honorable Cindy Matus Morriss, born and raised in Patagonia, was elected in 1989 to serve as a school board member for the Patagonia Elementary School District. Throughout her public service, Morriss has worked to ensure the district is a safe, unique, and healthy place for children to learn.

President Perry Newman, Lavaca Public Schools Lavaca, Arkansas

Perry Newman, president of Lavaca Public Schools and former president of the Arkansas School Boards Association, has been a strong supporter of active living and healthy eating in his community. His commitment is apparent in his active participation in the Leadership for Healthy Communities (LHC) program through the National School Boards Association and their 2009 Peer Leaders Committee, the year-long National Association of School Boards of Education-National State Board of Administrators (NASBE-NSBA) state team and a participant at the 2009 LHC Childhood Obesity Prevention Summit.