Nutrition

RATIONALE

God has given us the ability to make healthy choices in accordance with His original plan for mankind which consists of fruit, nuts, legumes and vegetables.  Our school recognises that in order to achieve its mission statement we must provide and encourage a healthy and safe environment.  We acknowledge that students and staff who follow healthy, nutritious practices will create a foundation for future achievement and abundant lifestyle. 

Healthy eating patterns are essential for students to achieve their full potential: full physical, spiritual and mental growth and lifelong health and well being.  In addition, staff and students are encouraged to model healthy eating as a valuable part of daily life.

Therefore, Southland Adventist Christian School will:

1. Reinforce healthy eating practices across the school curriculum.  This includes not only opportunities that exist in Physical Education and Health but also Social Studies, Food Technology, Science and Bible

2. Encourage children to be responsible for their own health by making healthy choices

3. Ensure that students receive clear, consistent messages about the importance of healthy eating

4. Provide a food service that offers food choices that are consistent with the Food and Beverage Classification System (FBCS) in as much as these do not conflict with the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s health message which supports a vegetarian diet

5. Be supportive of the health requirements of students with special dietary or cultural health needs

Goals

1. To ensure nutrition messages are consistent across the entire school.

2. To create an environment where water is the only drinks available to students whilst at school.

3. To promote healthy eating and physical activity to students and their whānau.

STRATEGIES

Southland Adventist Christian School will ensure that:

1. All food will be prepared and sold in a clean and smoke free environment

2. Students will be encouraged to take responsibility for their own health through classroom nutrition education sessions

3. Food choices made available in the school canteen will be based on Healthy Heart Award recommendations inasmuch as these do not conflict with the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s health message which supports a vegetarian diet and will support and reinforce what students learn about nutrition in the classroom

4. Students will not be permitted to leave school grounds during the school day to purchase food or beverages

5. The community will be encouraged to select food that is consistent with the Nutrition Policy of the school through consultation and the school newsletter

6. Staff are encouraged to promote and model healthy eating habits

7. Where possible, foods available for school fundraising, at school camps, festivals and sports day will be consistent with this policy

8. Occasional foods will be limited to special events or celebrations

9. A review of the Nutrition Procedure will be completed every three years in consultation with students, staff and community

10. Water is the only beverage available to students at school

11. Children are encouraged to drink water throughout the day, including in class

12. Nutrition information is available for parents/whanau through healthy snippets in the school newsletter or through posters displayed at school

13. All food packaging rubbish and food scraps will go home in student lunchboxes

Our school is water-only

RATIONALE

We care about the health of our students

Sugary drinks are one of the most significant causes of poor oral health and contribute greatly to childhood obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

We care about their achievement

Sugary drink consumption is associated with problem behaviours. Studies have found poor diet and nutrition are associated with lower academic achievement.

OUR COMMITMENT

We will ensure parents and students receive clear, consistent messages about the importance of healthy choices and impact of sugary drinks by:

• continuing to educate students about the importance of healthy drink choices and the benefits of consuming water

• actively promoting water as the best option in school publications

• ensuring staff commitment to model healthy drinking habits

And we will create an enabling environment by:

• actively discouraging sugary drinks being brought to school by students

• providing water as the only drink option for students

• allowing students access to water during class time (having personal water bottles in class)

• not associating our school with programmes that promote sugary drinks

• ensuring school lunch options do not include sugary drinks

• ensuring sports teams will only use water as their source of hydration

• not selling sugary drinks as part of sausage sizzles, the school gala or other celebrations