Lee Pulaski, lpulaski@shawanoleader.com
The Shawano School Board gave its stamp of approval on a revised wellness policy earlier this week and offered suggestions on ways to improve student wellness.
In November, Dr. Carey Grieves, the district’s wellness consultant from ThedaCare, reported that childhood obesity rates in the United States have tripled. In Shawano, the obesity rate for children in kindergarten through second grade is 31 percent, she said, noting that rate is the same for grades K-12 in the state.
Grieves recommended the wellness policy be updated and that a committee be formed to look at additional actions the schools can take.
School Board members had some suggestions of their own.
Board member Derek Johnson, a physician with ThedaCare, recommended that the district do more to encourage better health and nutrition at home, noting that there is only so much that can be addressed in the schools themselves. He recommended that the schools reach out and offer classes for the adults addressing proper nutrition and lifestyle choices.
“Simple things that you do can make a difference in the long term,” Johnson said. “I think, ultimately, the families in the community have to change how they eat. That’s the crux of the issue.”
Grieves said she has looked into the issue of adult health classes, but the question has been how to get attendance. Some classes offered through the district’s Community Education program have been cancelled due to low enrollment.
“Do we pair it with another event and try to look at that?” Grieves said.
Johnson also suggested having monitors at lunch at the elementary schools to make sure students are eating their vegetables. He recalled having a particular dislike for green beans in the third grade and stuffed them in his empty milk carton to make it look like they were eaten.
Troy Edwards, Hillcrest Primary School principal, said he would look at the idea of providing additional monitors, noting that staff at his school do keep an eye on the students at lunch.
Board member Michael Sleeper recommended that steps be taken to keep the idea of good health in the older grades, as well. He expressed concern about Shawano Community High School students being required to take only 1 1/2 years of physical education while the elementary and middle school students are required to participate every year.
“They can have those done in their sophomore year, and if they don’t participate in sports, they could spend those last couple of years without any formalized physical activity,” Sleeper said.
The School Board will annually receive a report on the health of the students and staff from Grieves and the new committee.
