Removal of Fryers, Soda Part of District Wellness Policy

Recess before lunch, a breakfast program, and removing fryers from the middle school and high school kitchens are just a few of the initiatives that have been implemented with the help of Wissahickon School District’s Nutrition and Wellness Committee.

The committee, made up of board members, parents, students, community members and teachers, has worked to create a Wellness Policy for the district, as well as implement the policy on a day-to-day basis at the school level.

Merri Walkenstien, nursing coordinator, said the district adopted a nutrition policy in 2006. In 2005, the district began taking body mass index tests on all students between kindergarten and 12^th grade.

One of the largest concerns of parents has been soda being served at the high school, and while the fryers have been removed from the high school’s kitchen, Wissahickon is the only district in the county that serves soda in the cafeteria. The food service proposal for the 2011-12 school year removes the soda machines from the high school cafeteria.

Other issues that arose during the Wellness Initiative Presentation at Monday’s School Board meeting was the need to revise the birthday treat policy and to better enforce the new policy once in place.

Chartwell, the district’s food service provider, has an option for parents to order birthday treats from the cafeteria at reasonable prices, and all the treats are healthy snacks. However, according to Walkenstien, not many parents have taken advantage of this option.

The next School Board meeting will be held May 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the .