Paupack’s Path to Lifelong Wellness

On June 30, 2004, the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act, P.L. 108-265, was signed into law. P.L. 108-265 includes a mandate for all public and private school sponsors of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) to have local wellness policies in place by July 1, 2006. These policies must include:

1. nutrition guidelines for all foods available on every school campus during the school day;
2. goals for nutrition education;
3. goals for physical activity; and
4. goals to promote student wellness in other school based activities.

In response to this mandate, the Wallenpaupack Area School District has begun to develop the district’s wellness policy. The health committee includes members from the school board, administration, school nurses, health and physical education teachers, and the director of food services. Once the wellness policy is adopted by the school board, building level committees will meet to identify the goals for the items previously identified. The building-level wellness committees will also include members from the community, parents, and students.

Much of the district’s focus will be on improving the nutrition and physical activity of our students and staff, since these are issues of prime concern for the health of our school community. Pennsylvania’s childhood obesity rates are even higher than the national averages and the district wants to work to help address the problem. Local concerns will be identified, priorities established, and the district will promote health in our schools.