Orchard Health Council Meets

The Orchard Public School Health Advisory Council met on Tuesday, Nov. 13, at 4 p.m. in the OPS library. Members of the council in attendance were Principal Cathy Cooper, Advisory Board president and parent Candice Hoke, elementary teacher Cheryl Schwager, cook Anita Tabbert, health and P.E. teacher Lindi Ferguson, administrative assistant and lunch supervisor Bailey Schwager, and parent Kerry Wickersham. School nurse Christy Knutson was not in attendance.

Anita Tabbert provided information about school lunches, the fruits and vegetables program, and the Eat Smart to Be Smart class meals. Members of the OHS Student Council requested that salt and pepper be provided on the tables, but Anita explained that federal guidelines do not allow this.

This year Orchard qualified for the federally funded fruits and vegetables program for the kindergarten through fourth grade students. Mrs. Cooper said that the fifth and sixth grade teachers requested that this program be extended to their students as well, but after checking with the Nebraska Department of Education, this program cannot be extended beyond fourth grade this year. When the application for this program is prepared next year, fifth and sixth will be included. Some issues with the program are finding enough of the different types of fruits and vegetables and getting them at the right time so that they do not go to waste.

Mrs. Ferguson gave a few highlights of what is happening in PE and health classes at OPS. Heart monitors were purchased and are being used by the fourth through sixth grade students; they not only use the monitors as they jog but also manually check their own pulses and calculate their heart rates. This encourages the kids to push themselves to attain the appropriate heart rate while exercising. Workout Wednesdays are also a part of the PE program. During these days, students participate in relays. Hula hoops were purchased this year, which have added a fun new twist to some of these relays.

Mrs. Schwager shared some of the things that elementary teachers are doing within their classrooms to
promote being active. She stated that research indicates putting movement with song increases learning. Go Noodle videos are widely used in the elementary classrooms to get kids active, but many of these are also learning videos as well. Standing desks and wobble chairs have also been added to several classrooms, which accommodate students as well. Following lunch and prior to recess, rather than students sitting in the bleachers, they now are encouraged to walk laps around the gym, and some
teachers even lead games such as Simon Says.

Other innovations that are helpful to increase healthy practices were also discussed. Monday Morning Motivation, which was started last year. Every Monday at 8:05 a.m., all students and staff go to the gym for a motivational activity such as knockout, line dancing, games, videos, etc., led by staff members and students. One goal is to develop activities that will motivate junior high and high school students more.

The Beef in Schools Program is up and running, and the grilled burgers kick-off was a big success. Mrs. Cooper is working on getting a banner created to hang in the lobby and organizing a way to auction off the prime cuts from the first critter to fund the program. She is also in the process of trying to get another beef donated or sold to the school at a reduced cost to keep the program going.

The OHS Student Council purchased another water-filling station like the one in the main lobby to be put on the fountain by the new locker rooms. Students constantly use the current one, so another will be a great addition.