June 22, 2011
06/23/11 Riverside Intermediate School was honored this month with a bronze level award from the Action for Healthy Kids organization for their efforts in responding to the nationwide epidemic of overweight, sedentary, and under-nourished children and adolescents.
Nationwide, it is estimated that one of every three children is considered obese.
On June 7, Riverside Principal Donna Burroughs received a letter of acknowledgement from Indiana Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman. Skillman said, “I personally wanted to congratulate you. It is so important to instill health habits at the early age and you should be applauded for setting an excellent example for your students as a “Healthy Hoosier School”.
Burroughs said Riverside Intermediate and all of the schools in the Plymouth system bought into the Wellness Policy set by the school board several years ago. The policy was adopted after months of planning by Plymouth administrators, Gloria Burnham, (Food Service supervisor) and the Marshall County Purdue Extension Office. Also making up the discussion team on the policy were several parents.
Among other things, the policy limits the number of food related events that can be used during the school year by replacing them with non-food rewards. The schools continue to offer more choices of fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables.
The Plymouth Schools are part of a nationwide program that provides both breakfast and lunch at no cost throughout the summer to any child age 1 through 18 in order to help make sure area children have access to nutritious foods.
The National Association of State Boards of Education issued the following, “Health and success in school are interrelated. Schools cannot achieve their primary mission of education if students and staff are not healthy and fit physically, mentally, and socially.”
Carol Anders Correspondent