The Wellness Committee borrowed the school focus of "Ready to Learn" as they made plans for Wellness Week this year. What helps a student be "Ready to Learn"? The following is a brief summary of our activities as well as some parent resources.

Breakfast is Brain Food

Surprising the students with a Grab-n-Go breakfast as they arrived Monday was meant to emphasize the importance of the first meal of the day. Since we generally don't eat during our sleeping hours, breakfast does "break the fast". Without nutrients to fuel our body and especially our brain overnight, it is crucial that students begin their day with a "3 out of 5" meal. It is recommended that every meal should include at least 3 of the 5 food groups -- fruits, vegetables, dairy, grains, protein. This combination gives us quick energy and also sustains us until our next meal. Our Grab-n-Go breakfast fit the bill by including milk, a Nutri-Grain bar, and a choice of banana or apple slices. The meal required no time at a table, no utensils, and cost only $0.87 per student. Research evidence shows that making breakfast part of the morning routine benefits all students.

Here are a few ideas:

"23 Easy, Healthy Breakfasts Your Kids Will Love"

"Ready, Set, Breakfast!"
"Super Healthy Kids Breakfast"

Wild for Water Wednesday

Water is the additional "nutrient" to be included in a healthy daily plan. Students learned to calculate their daily water needs (body weight divided by 2 = ounces of water needed daily) and were reminded that bringing a full water bottle to school is not only permitted, but encouraged!

Students sampled strawberry infused water during their lunch period. The flavor of fresh or frozen fruit added to water can make it more interesting. The students did notice that fruit- infused water is not as sweet as they expected, but a refreshing change. We will offer fruit-infused water at lunch on Wednesdays for students to try.

Here are the two short videos shown to students during lunch:

"Why Is Water Important For Our Bodies?" 

"Fitman TV Episode 5: Importance of Drinking Water"

Our very own "Fitman" dressed in costume (Mr. Yeazell) visited the students in class Thursday afternoon to drop off water and remind students of the importance of drinking enough water every day.

Sleep for Success

After enjoying Family Night on Thursday (no homework to provide time for a family activity), students should have been able to get "a good night's sleep"... what does that mean? Children age 6-13 years require a minimum of 9-11 hours of sleep per night. This can be difficult in the lives of our busy children, but is another essential component of being Ready to Learn. Sleep allows our brain to store knowledge learned during waking hours and prepare for more learning and problem-solving during the new day. Electronics can prevent or interrupt valuable sleep for many students. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics makes some important recommendations for parents in the following articles:

"Bedtime Routines for School-Age Children" 

"Children with Smartphones Sleep Less"

The Wellness Committee thanks all parents who were able to capture and share pictures of their sleeping children and pets.They were great! The students enjoyed a light-hearted laugh as they saw themselves and their friends on the screen while eating lunch on Friday. It was a fun and educational week!