An Update From Director of Food Services, Marilyn McSpiritt

NUTRITION AND WELLNESS POLICIES... WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT???
 

School districts throughout the United States are in the process of adopting nutrition and wellness policies.  These policies are designed to address the nutrition and physical activity of all students. School districts are setting goals for nutrition education, physical activity, campus food provisions and other school related activities to promote student health and well-being. School districts are in a unique position to address the childhood obesity epidemic in the United
States, because children spend such a large portion of their day in school or school related activities. These policies are based on sound scientific principles taking a balanced approach in promoting wellness and overall health. The federal legislation established minimum requirements, but left specific language in the control of local school districts.

Over the past two decades, the weight of children, ages 6-11 have more than doubled and weight increases in ages 12-19 has more than tripled.  The number of children at risk for becoming overweight is also rising. Physical inactivity, a sedentary lifestyle coupled with excessive calorie intake are the predominant causes of childhood obesity. Whether they are overweight or not, many children are over fed thus increasing the risk for chronic disease later in life.           Children need access to healthful foods and opportunities to be physically active in order to grow, learn, and thrive. Good health fosters student attendance, enhances academic performance with higher test scores, and better classroom participation.

Food and physical activity choices affect your health and how you feel today as well as tomorrow. Having the knowledge to make the right choices can have a positive outcome on the health of our students. Building a student’s knowledge and healthy eating behaviors is most successful when partnered in the classrooms as well as the cafeterias.

In the Roxbury School District cafeterias, we are following the direction of the Child Nutrition Program in implementing changes to the foods and beverages available to the students. Expanding healthful food and beverage choices encourages students to enjoy new selections. These changes in the cafeterias will be implemented throughout the current school year, with the total change completed by September 2007.

The Roxbury Township Public Schools will provide nutrition education and physical education programs, consistent with the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards, that foster lifelong habits of healthy eating and physical activity. We will establish linkages between health education, school meal programs, and related community services.  Lincoln Roosevelt and Eisenhower Middle School students have partnered with Project Fit America at Morristown Memorial Hospital.  Project Fit America is a program designed to incorporate physical activity into their daily lives.

We are committed to promoting these food and health standards to students, parents/guardians, school administrators, teachers, nurses, coaches, advisors, PTA, booster groups, and the community at large so they have the knowledge and guidance they need to support and reinforce healthy eating habits by our students both in school, in school-related activities, and in their daily lives

Creating a focus on healthful eating and making good food choices is my primary goal as Director of Food and Nutrition Services. Please visit our website www.roxbury.org/foodservices which is designed to enhance our program, keep you up to date on the latest school food service trends and how these trends impact the foods served in our cafeterias as well as the positive impact of optimal nutrition on health.