Healthy Changes Add Up

Wellington-Napolean R-IX Elementary School showcases how small changes in daily practices can add up to a healthier school environment for all! See the examples below.

• Enhanced a popular school-community event with the addition of a wellness fair for all ages.
• Increased from 0% to 100% the number of school events and vending machines offering healthy options.
• Changed from offering high-fat, high-sugar treats, which kids purchase as “extras” on the cafeteria cart, to only healthy foods 100% of the time.
• Switched from classroom rewards of candy, gum, and soda to using nonfood rewards 100% of the time! As a result, because extra recess time was given as a reward, more minutes of motion have been added to the day!
• Increased healthy options at monthly parties from 0% to 100% of the time.
• Summer science class curriculum changed to teach healthy lifestyle choices and add minutes of motion daily…a change from 0% to 100% of the time!
• Initiated staff support and training for wellness using HKC’s WOWS weekly E-newsletter. Before, 0% of staff received WOWS, and now 100% receive it weekly!
• At least 50% of staff integrated healthy eating into their classroom lessons.
• For the first time, included healthy tips in all monthly family newsletters.
• Increased participation in a staff wellness walking program from 5% to 30% --good for staff health and role-modeling to students! In addition, increased role-modeling by having lunch with students from 10% to 100% of staff one day a week.

   

CIGNA Showcase School, Wellingon-Napolean R-IX Elementary School, Wellington, MO, Tanja Kubis, 6th grade teacher

“Our experience as a Showcase school has been really good! It made us look at healthy choices in a way that we may not have before. I’ve learned how to incorporate health and wellness into my everyday classroom practices. We’ve set many ideas into motion that are easy to implement and maintain. This program has also helped me focus on this effort being school-wide and not just in my classroom.”