Summit Prevention Alliance works with the Summit School District to promote healthy eating, active living (HEAL) in the elementary schools, middle and high school. SPA uses the school district’s Wellness Policy and Nutrition Policy to guide HEAL activities. SPA works with the school district to implement the Coordinated School Health program, this coordinated school health framework centers around eight critical, interrelated components: health education, physical education, health services, mental health and social services, nutrition services, healthy and safe environment, family and community involvement, staff wellness. Individually, each of these components can contribute to students’ health and well-being. However, when all of the individual components work together to support the adoption of health-enhancing behaviors, students’ health and learning are improved.

Summit School District’s Wellness Policy: SSD Wellness Policy

Summit School District’s Nutritious Foods Policy: SSD Nutritious Foods Policy

School Wellness Teams

Wellness Teams strive to increase physical activity and improve nutrition in schools. This could be during the school day, or part of a before or after school program. Teams typically include a school administrator, physical education teacher, nurse, food service employee, classroom teachers, parents, and students when appropriate. Once a team has been created, the members work to develop a vision, assess the school environment, and develop and implement a plan. The school wellness teams help provide additional healthy eating, active living resources for the current school curriculum, engaging students through various activities, events and educational components. Some examples that are being implemented are: community gardens, introduction of brain gym(whole brain learning) in classrooms for students and teachers, bike/walk to school day, healthy snack choices for students and trying new foods for students.

The following schools have school wellness teams in Summit School District:

Dillon Valley Elementary

Frisco Elementary

Silverthorne Elementary:

The Silverthorne Elementary School Wellness Team was implemented in January 2011. The Wellness Team is a branch off of the PTA (parent teacher association) and consists of 3 active members/parent volunteers. Renee Rogers, Catherine Kirkwood-Smith and Amy Usalavage comprise the team. Since receiving a mini-grant from Summit Prevention Alliance, the team has sponsored some wonderful “wellness” events. In April, they “changed” the “Cake Walk” event for the annual Spring carnival to an “Activity Walk.” The kids won jump ropes, kites, sidewalk chalk, bubbles and other outside toys instead of pastries as in years past. On May 13, they challenged all students to try sugar snap peas and hummus. It was a huge success with about 90% of students trying the “new” foods. They had 10 students participate in the Summit Reads “Healthy, Hearty Fun” poster contest and awarded additional prizes along with those from the county . On May 26, the wellness team organized a bike or walk to school day with over 50 students participating, including principal, Dr. Hulbert. Field Day was on June 1 and the wellness team served up fresh watermelon for a refreshing, healthy treat. The kids LOVED it, coming back for seconds and thirds. Also, Brain Gym (whole brain learning) was introduced to the teachers in a short seminar provided by Ben Way with plans to implement Brain Gym in an all school assembly with the students and teachers in the 2011-12 school year. The Silverthorne Elementary wellness team is excited to continue to offer healthy snacks, activities and events to promote healthy eating and active living in Summit County.

Summit Cove Elementary School

Summit Cove parents, teachers, staff and kids are working hard to support healthy choices in the school. By starting a Wellness Team in October 2011, the team has set up the following Summit Cove Wellness Team Goals:

Survey kids & staff on the status of nutrition and physical activity regularly.
Work the healthy fruit & veggies into the PYP monthly assembly and host food tastings to increase awareness of native foods.
Create a Healthy Snack Recipe and Tips guide for parents to involve their kids in picking and preparing healthy snacks with whole veggies and fruits.
Increasing fruit or veggies for snacks in the classroom.
Look into participating and gaining funding for classroom programs like the “Food Friends” Program in the P-K and K classrooms.
Have friendly competitions in classrooms to track how many fruits & veggies are eaten.
Look into taking kids to the greenhouses for field trips in spring and fall to see the full cycle.
Educating parents, teachers and staff about reduction of processed and pre-packed foods in the classroom snacks (and at home).
Encourage kids to take and eat whole fruits and veggies at each meal, specifically trying to get at least half of their plate consisting of fruits and veggies.
Increase awareness & use of Pita & Hummus “option 3” on the Lunch menu.
Work with the school Cafeteria Fuel Up to Play 60 program to utilize updated messages in the cafeteria.
Work with Chartwells staff for all school wellness programs in the food service in the school.
Increase physical activities by looking for more afterschool programs for little or no cost to supplement the great programs like “Girls on the Run”, Soccer, Basketball etc. We are looking into getting Nordic skiing, Volleyball, etc.
Promote more physical activity in the classroom and playground to get kids moving more throughout the day.
Summit Middle School

Upper Blue Elementary

School wellness teams are recruiting participation by parents, staff and students! Please contact Kari Read to get involved in a School Wellness Team at Kari@SummitPreventionAlliance.org or 970-668-2077.