All is well
New school policy takes aim at combating childhood obesity
By CHRISTIAN LEHMAN

For school children across Union County summer is rapidly drawing to a close as the new school year approaches. The 2006-07 school year is going to bring some lifestyle changes to the students while they are at school. The Union County school system has adopted a new "Wellness Policy" effective this school year for all public schools within the county.

The new policy is due to a federal mandate that is designed to help fight childhood obesity, which is seen as one of the nations greatest health risks to children. While the federal government has set guidelines the details and implementation of the new rules is left to individual school systems.

The Union County school system has put together a Wellness Committee made up of parents, school principals, and school board members with input from students, representatives from the food service industry and the public all under the direction of Union County School Superintendent Tommy Stephens. The Wellness Committee will provide a yearly report to Mr. Stephens on the implementation and progress of the new policy.

According to school board policy for the Wellness Program, the new policy shall follow the Child Nutrition Act and the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act as they apply. In conjunction the "schools shall provide nutrition education consistent with federal and state requirements" also, "all students in grades K-12 shall have opportunities, support and encouragement to be physically active on a regular basis." The Wellness Policy is designed to provide both nutritional education and physical activity as a means of gearing children into more healthy lifestyles.

The Wellness Committee has set a variety of guidelines to help accomplish the goals of the new policy. Among them is scientifically based nutritional information available in the cafeteria and supplemented by health education in the classroom. Out of school physical activity will be "encouraged in students' lives" and school facilities will be made "available outside the school day for school sponsored activities and recreational department activities." Physical education classes will include "individual activities as well as competitive and non-competitive team sports."

School meals present the biggest challenges and will see many changes. Only 2% milk will be served, a salad entre will be made available, many menu items that are usually fried will now be baked, French fries will not appear more than three times

a week and free drinking water will be available to students throughout the day.

Other details of the Wellness policy include removing sodas, candy bars and other "junk food" out of vending machines and replacing them with sports drinks, flavored water and in high school iced tea will be available. Healthier whole grain snacks will also be available. Physical fitness and nutritional education will be stressed among school staffs as well; health screening and flu shots will be made available to staff as needed and staff will encouraged to "improve their personal fitness." The school the child attends can answer any questions referring to the policy.