Curie Elementary Health Policy

Nationwide, more students than ever are obese, and school environments/priorities have played a role in that rise.  In addition, the rise in diabetes and food allergies has led to the need for policies to provide safe and healthy environments for all students.  Research has proven that students who are active and maintain healthy diets are better prepared to learn!  With the strong support of teachers and parents over the past several years, Curie has made a number of positive changes as we move towards a healthy environment.  

These changes include:

  • Elimination of ALL day-to-day food rewards; research shows the direct link to obesity
  • A nationally recognized district wide lunch program offering healthy choices
  • Dedicated times for entire grade levels to walk and jog together weekly
  • Monthly Walk-to-School Days
  • A school garden that teaches students where food comes from
  • Staff, parent, and student education regarding student health
  • Hats and sunglasses allowed for sun protection
  • Classrooms instituting healthy non-food celebrations
  • A traversing wall

Curie believes in educating students to be healthy and active, so that they carry these habits with them for the rest of their lives.  Thank you for partnering with us in the education of your healthy child!

Each Classroom is allowed a maximum of THREE parties/other celebrations per year in which “non-healthy” items are served.

  • Schoolwide celebrations (to include only the Jog-a-Thon, Multi-Cultural Fair, and end-of-school parties on the last two days of school), do not count against a class’s “three event” total.
  • Everything else counts towards limit of three: Class reward parties, field trips, birthdays, holidays, Valentines Day, Halloween, etc.), etc. etc., in which unhealthy items are served.  (It’s the “etc.” that really adds up over a year!)  Even at these events, healthy or non-food items are encouraged.
  • This policy allows teachers flexibility to accommodate different ages; teachers can also place additional limits, as many teachers have been encouraging healthy choices for years.

Guidelines for “Healthy” Celebrations (no limit), if not to be included in “maximum of three” rule:

  • Healthy snacks ONLY (fruit, veggies, juice, etc.).  NO chips, cookies, cake, soda, brownies, donuts, etc.
  • Teachers MUST be told in advance if you are sending any food (protects students with allergies).
  • Alternative (non-food) ideas for celebrations strongly encouraged (already in place in many classrooms!)  Please check with your child’s teacher about these or any ideas you might have: 
    • Send a wrapped book for your child to unwrap and share/read, then the child can “gift” it to the teacher’s library (some classes already doing, and kids LOVE this!)
    • Promote social awareness through a small donation to an organization (e.g., UNICEF, Habitat for Humanity, Heifer.org, EdUCate!); child can show/tell the class about the organization
    • The class can sing happy birthday, but the child has the party at home

Additional Notes:

  • Sports/energy drinks are not allowed, as they are loaded with sugar, and students do not need them for school activity levels.  Note that many items that are OK (such as juice) can still be loaded with sugar, so there will never be a perfect policy.  Read the labels with your kids and teach them to THINK HEALTHY!

 

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