Click on the picture for celebration and party guidelines!

Nutrition Education and Promotion

Saint Philip Neri School aims to teach, encourage, and support healthy eating habits by students. School will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that:

is offered at each grade level as part of a sequential, comprehensive, standards-based program designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect their health;
is part of not only physical education classes, but also classroom instruction in subjects such as math, science, language arts, and social sciences.
includes enjoyable, developmentally-appropriate, culturally-relevant, participatory activities, such as contests, promotions, taste testing, family participation activities
encourages eating fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, healthy food preparation methods, and health-enhancing nutrition practices;
emphasizes caloric balance between food intake and energy expenditure (physical activity/exercise);
links with school meal programs, other school foods, and nutrition-related community services;
includes training for teachers and other staff.
includes providing teachers and staff with appropriate nutrition based lessons and resources.

Saint Philip Neri School will aim to achieve these goals over the next three years. This policy will change as needs arise or as guidance is provided.

2006-2007

Acquire teacher resources through PANA and NRG and other resources available through the school wellness policy website. Introduce resources for nutrition to teachers

http://www.schoolwellnesspolicies.org/WellnessPolicies.html

Develop a SPN website link to educate students and parents about the wellness policy at Saint Philip's with additional resources for lunch, snacks and celebration recommendations
Provide visual promotional materials throughout the school to promote the wellness policy, such as posters and slogans

2007-2008

Establish a contract for parents/students at the start of the school year to educate/insure a healthy eating environment during the school day
Integrate nutrition education throughout the curriculum: computer education, art, library and physical education as well as the regular classroom subjects. Nutrition based resources and lesson plans will be incorporated into a systematic approach for students and teachers at each grade level. 30 minutes per week will be utilized in the curriculum to teach nutrition awareness
Pursue nutrition education awareness opportunities from outside agencies for classes...MCIU, local hospitals, and local businesses.
Pursue a student/family nutrition awareness activity as a family-fun night

2008-2009

A Saint Philip Neri Nutrition Education Curriculum binder will be formulated including guidelines and lesson plans to facilitate teachers in the teaching of nutrition.
Evaluate and pursue additional avenues to increase student/family awareness of nutrition

Physical Activity

Saint Philip Neri School's primary goal for physical activity is to provide opportunities for every student to develop the knowledge and skills for specific physical activities, to maintain physical fitness, to regularly participate in physical activity, and to understand the short and long term benefits of a physically active and healthy lifestyle.

Saint Philip Neri School will aim to achieve these goals over the next three years. This policy will change as needs arise or as guidance is provided.

2006-2007

Teachers and/or school personnel shall not withhold opportunities for physical activity (i.e. recess, physical education class) as punishment
School provides structured physical education program that is in accordance with curriculum guidelines (classes are sequential, building from year to year in content/ability) where students participate at a moderate to vigorous level one time per week
Physical Education staff is properly trained and participates in continuing education
Students receive 30 minutes of formal physical education class in Kindergarten; 45 minutes in grades 1-4; and 55 minutes in grades 5-8 where a safe environment, adequate equipment, and a wide variety of activities are provided
Focus is on "doing your best" rather than on "results"
All students have, at least, 20 minutes a day of supervised recess, preferably outdoors, where the school encourages moderate to vigorous physical activity through the provision of space and equipment
Extracurricular physical activity programs are available including intramural and CYO programs
After school child care provides and encourages, through the provision of space, equipment, and activities, daily periods of moderate physical activity for every child

2007-2008

Faculty to serve as role models (i.e. participating in school events, encouraging physical activity "breaks" during classroom hours)
Institute pedometers in gym class to be used as a learning tool (gauge fitness goals) and as an assessment tool (amount of vigorous activity during class- at least 30 minutes or required amount of steps/distance)
School shall partner with parents/guardians and community members to institute programs that support physical activity (i.e. Fun Runs, Jump Rope For Heart, Walk and Talk Club, Walk to School Day)

2008-2009

Initiate health education in addition to physical activity (i.e. heart rate, metabolism, aerobic vs. anaerobic)
Evaluate and pursue additional avenues to teach lifelong health and fitness skills

Nutritional Standards

Saint Philip Neri School will incorporate nutritional standards that will facilitate the voluntary adoption of nutrition related behaviors conducive to the health and well being of our students. This will include influencing students' eating behaviors.

Saint Philip Neri School will aim to achieve these goals over the next three years. This policy will change as needs arise or as guidance is provided.

2006-2007

Form a committee comprised of physical education teacher, nurse, principal, health/exercise professionals and parents to discuss, plan and write the wellness policy
Distribute a preliminary survey to determine the nutritional awareness of students in grades 2-8. This survey will also provide a general knowledge of the students' likes and dislikes for lunch choices
Enroll in nutritional awareness programs such as PANA and Keystone as well as register with NGR and Team Nutrition to obtain materials for teachers and parents

2007-2008

Incorporate into the committee's contract for parents/students a request to eliminate fast foods delivered to school by parents during lunch. This contract will eliminate all sodas from school snacks and lunches. The committee will use this contract as communication tool to train parents about healthy alternatives for AM snacks and lunches. This communication will also establish that food will NOT be used as punishment or reward.

2008-2009

Explore Food Service Providers and determine the feasibility of hiring and outside vendor to provide lunches to Saint Philip Neri School
Establish standards for parties, celebrations, or meetings and communicate these standards to parents and teachers. The school website will be a resource to provide alternative ideas and planning for these varied activities
Establish standards for school programs, field trips and school events and communicate these standards to parents and teachers