June 19, 2007

McGuinty Government Recognizes Stratford School For Healthy Eating and Active Living Initiatives

Healthy Schools Recognition Program Improving Student Health in Ontario

STRATFORD — Health Promotion Minister Jim Watson and John Wilkinson, MPP for Perth-Middlesex, visited Anne Hathaway School to officially recognize the collective efforts of students and staff to make the school environment healthier in support of the government’s Healthy Schools Recognition Program.  

“I am particularly proud of Anne Hathaway School who worked with Paul Finklestein from Northwestern Secondary School’s Screaming Avocado to develop their new healthy eating initiatives,” said Wilkinson. “We are proud of what our Stratford schools have achieved together and congratulate both of them for their collaborative efforts and leading the way to making our schools healthier places to learn.”

In accepting the government’s Healthy School Challenge, Anne Hathaway School implemented the following programs during the 2006/2007 school year:

• Focused monthly staff and student council meetings on the importance of healthy eating
• Sold healthier snacks at school events 
• Provided Recess Racks in hallways to provide equipment for physical activity before school and during recess breaks.

“Not only did this school answer our call to develop a program to encourage healthy eating and active living, they came up with three inspiring initiatives that have boosted physical activity levels and improved healthy eating habits for students and staff at Anne Hathaway School,” said Watson.  “It’s rewarding to see how accepting a simple challenge can empower children and youth to improve their own health within their learning environment.”

“The partnership between elementary schools and the healthy foods program at Stratford North Western Secondary School is recognition of the fact that healthy schools need to pay attention to both fitness and nutrition if they are to succeed in helping students establish good habits for a lifetime,” stated Geoff Williams, Director of Education, Avon Maitland District School Board.”

"Our school community has only just begun to look at all the Healthy Living Initiatives that we could put into place," said Helen Brockman, Principal, Anne Hathaway Public School. "The students have benefited from having recess racks full of equipment, a commitment to having healthy snacks in the breakfast bins, a mandate to have juice and water and no pop at our school's special events and our investigation of healthy alternative lunches and healthy snacks prepared by the Screaming Avocado. The new accessible playground is the icing on the cake. Our next push is to ensure that our food fundraisers are healthy."

The McGuinty government has a variety of initiatives at work in Ontario’s schools to make them healthier places to learn, including:

• Asking elementary schools to remove junk food from vending machines
• Requiring 20 minutes of daily physical activity
• Introducing a comprehensive bullying prevention strategy
• Requiring every school board to have an anaphylactic policy in place (per Sabrina’s Law)
• The Ministry of Health Promotion was established to improve and deliver programs that contribute to healthy living and wellness in this province.  Key priorities include Ontario’s Smoke-Free Strategy, healthy eating, active living, sport and recreation, injury prevention and mental health promotion.

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For further information:

Adam Grachnik
Minister’s Office
416-326-8497

Julie Rosenberg
Ministry of Health Promotion
416-326-4833

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