At Woodland, we will focus specifically on:

• Healthy Snacks – Snacks can make a positive contribution to children’s diets and health.

• Healthy Rewards – Woodland staff will be encouraged not to use foods or beverages as rewards for academic performance or good behavior.

• Healthy Fundraising – To support our children’s health and school nutrition-education efforts, school fundraising activites are encouraged not to involve food or will use only foods that are supportive of healthy eating.  Woodland will encourage fundraising activities that promote physical activity.

• Healthy Celebrations – At Woodland, we want to introduce greater balance into the school food environment by increasing the proportion of healthy items available to students during the school day.

• Brain Breaks – Classroom teachers will incorporate opportunities for physical activity into other subject areas.  Studies show that children are more attentive if allowed to have a break for physical activity.

• Daily Recess – At Woodland Elementary School students will have 15-30 minutes per day of supervised recess during which students will be encouraged to be physically active.  The first recess will be before lunch.  Research has shown that students who have recess before lunch eat better, waste less food and drink more milk.

• Physical Education – Schools are in the business of teaching skills needed for life, and learning how to be physically active is an important part of that process.  There is a positive link between physical activity and increasing test scores and a positive relationship between academic achievement and fitness levels of students.

• Physical Activity Opportunities – Woodland Elementary School will offer extracurricular physically active programs outside of the school day for students and families.

Visit the Olathe Public Schools website for more information on building a healthier student body.