Tierrasanta Elementary Families,
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, TES has made (and will continue to make) a number of healthy changes as we move towards a healthy environment. These changes include:
- Elimination of all day to day food rewards (to be implemented for the 2016-2017 school year)
- Dedicated time for running club and P.E. weekly
- A nationally recognized districtwide lunch program offering healthy choices
- Interactive school gardens that teach students where food comes from
- Hats, sunglasses and sunscreen recommended for sun protection (outdoors only)
- Classrooms instituting healthy non-food celebrations (including birthdays)
TES 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 children by following these guidelines!
1. THREE classroom parties or celebrations with no food restrictions permitted each year
a. Each classroom is allowed a maximum of THREE parties or celebrations per year in which the food will not be restricted. Teachers will choose which three holidays or events will be unrestricted - for example, Thanksgiving, Halloween, class reward parties, winter holiday party, Valentine's Day, etc. Even at these events, healthy food items are strongly encouraged.
i. This limitation does not include school-wide celebrations like jog-a-thon, Colonial day, Pizza With the Principal, and end-of-year celebrations.
b. This policy allows teachers flexibility to accommodate different ages; teachers can continue to set additional limits, as many teachers have already been encouraging healthy choices.
2. All other celebrations will have food restrictions
a. As a general policy, TES classrooms will allow healthy snacks only (fruit, veggies, water, etc.). No cupcakes, chips, cookies, cake, soda brownies, donuts, juice etc.
b. Alternative, non-food ideas are strongly encouraged. These are already in place in many classrooms.
c. Birthdays- Each teacher will determine how birthdays will be celebrated in his/her classroom (i.e, birthday crown, birthday song, special helper/privileges etc.). Please notify the teacher a week in advance if your child is having a birthday and please do NOT bring in any food for your child's birthday.
Additional Note: There will never be a perfect policy since the "healthiness" of many food items may be somewhat subjective (i.e. many parents see juice and yogurt as healthy while others view them as unhealthy as they may be loaded with sugar). The best thing we can do for our kids is read labels with them and teach them to THINK HEALTHY so that they make good choices for themselves! Thank you for your support in teaching our children healthy habits!