HIN Health Action e-Bulletin

June 8, 2006

Help Your School Wellness Policy

Is your school system developing a Wellness Policy as legally required for its participation in the USDA National School Lunch or Breakfast Programs? Since 96 percent of US elementary and secondary schools participate, there is a good chance your school system has to meet the June 30, 2006 deadline for policy and the 2006-2007 school year start time for implementation.

We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition) has materials that schools can use to implement their plans and that support USDA School Wellness Policy goals for:

Nutrition education, physical activity and other school-based activities that are designed to promote student wellness
Community involvements, including parents, students, and school representatives

We Can! Help with School Curricula

For classroom or after school programs, We Can! showcases three science-based curricula for youth:

Catch Kids Club - for grades K-5
Media Smart Youth: Think, Eat, Be Active - 10 sessions for ages 11-13
Student Media Awareness to Reduce Television (S.M.A.R.T.) - for 3rd and 4th grade

They focus on healthy nutrition, increased physical activity, decreased screen time, and the media's role in food marketing. Be sure to click through all the links to learn more about each program.

Gain Benefits By Becoming a We Can! General Site

Schools that use specific We Can! materials to satisfy key parts of USDA Wellness Policy, can gain extra benefits. They are recognized as a We Can! General Community Site and receive a free starter kit of materials. General Community Sites are encouraged to complete at least two of the following three activities within one year of signing up:

Implement at least one We Can! youth curriculum
Implement the We Can! parent curriculum part of the We Can! Energize Our Community: Toolkit for Action at least once.
Hold at least one community outreach event. Use the We Can! poster to promote your event!

For details on how to become a community site, please see
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/
wecan/get-involved/communities.htm

Archived page, reproduced from a 2008 copy. It is reference material, not current guidance.