The following criteria are ways in which a school may obtain Sun Safe School status:

 

Sun Safety Education:

 

Include skin cancer and sun protection education in school curricula:

 

• Integrate sun safety education within both general and health education curricula; and
• These curricula shall be focused on influencing student’s knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors while outdoors.

 

Promotion of Sun Protection Measures:

 

Promote outdoor measures to decrease UVA and UVB exposure:

 

• Encourage students to wear hats, sunglasses, and protective clothing while outdoors;
• Provisions to require or allow students to wear hats to protect the face, neck and ears (a no-sharing education component must be implemented in order to protect from infectious problems, such as head lice);
• Encourage students to seek shade, and limit sun exposure during peak hours of sun intensity (this shall not include the elimination or reduction of outdoor physical activity programming); and
• Provisions to require or allow students to bring sunscreen to school and wear it outside.

 

Sun Safety for School Staff:

 

All schools shall develop a worksite sun safety component to ensure that all school staff, especially those who work outdoors a majority of the time, are adequately educated about the following topics:

 

• The harmful and beneficial effects of the sun;
• The relationship between unprotected skin exposure to the sun and skin cancer, as well as premature aging and wrinkling of the skin;
• Ways to protect the skin, including the use of protective clothing, hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, and lip balm, as well as limiting exposure when possible and practical, during peak intensity times; and
• The importance of modeling healthy sun-safe behaviors to students.

 This training may happen at a quarterly staff meeting, or during New Employee Orientation.

 

Evaluation:

• Annual assessment of student sun safety practices and sun burns via the Wyoming Sun Safety Survey;
• Ongoing evaluation of policy development, program implementation, and program outcomes.

 

Family & Community Involvement:

           

Families shall be provided information about:

 

• The causes of skin cancer and ways it can be prevented;
• The sun safe school program;
• Sunscreen sensitivity and allergies;
• The importance of children wearing hats and other protective clothing (also a no-sharing policy pertaining to head lice); and
• Ways that families can reinforce the school-based sun safety program with activities at home; and
• Ways that families can become involved with and support the sun safety program.

 

 

Wyoming schools that meet are determined a Sun Safe School of Distinction and meet various criteria identified below will receive a plaque, a mention in the news, and be listed on the Wyoming Comprehensive Cancer Control Consortium website. Once every school within a district is deemed a Sun Safe School of Distinction, the School District will be honored and obtain a district plaque/award. Schools at every grade level (K-12) are encouraged to participate. If you have any questions please contact Jessica Perez at (307) 777-7362 or jessica.perez@health.wyo.gov