Changes for healthy living good for school

HEALTHY LEARNING: Kaitao Middle School health promotion team students Grace Grammer Cobham (left), Dylan Williams, teacher Te Arohanui Waikato and Sebastian Taramai. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER 111213SP2

Kaitao Middle School has received a bronze standard accreditation award in recognition for promoting healthy living in their school.

During an assembly last week, the school was presented with a framed certificate and official signing by the Bay of Plenty and Lakes District Toi Te Ora, Health Promoting Schools Team.

The accolade acknowledged Kaitao's proactive approach to making healthier changes within the daily lives of its students.

"We are the first intermediate school in the Bay of Plenty to get this. It means that we are doing health education and all of these things are coming together. It's been a long process and there been several stages to get through," principal Rory O'Rourke said.

"One of the things we did was a needs assessment survey with our students, teachers and the community."

One issue identified was that students were arriving at school hungry. Breakfast is now provided with milk and Weet-Bix supplied by Fonterra, bread donated by Ngongotaha Four Square and condiments supplied by the school.

"We would have 70-80 kids every morning eating breakfast," Mr O'Rourke said. "We've seen improved behaviour right across the school. Our values programme have also helped but we've had the lowest number of disciplinary incidents in the history of the school. Only 12 incidents this year have been referred to senior management."

Kaitao Middle School has also closed its canteen and for two days a week offers healthy food options for sale.

Te Arohanui Waikato, teacher in charge of the school's health promotion, said the award set a high standard for the students to follow. "We are now aiming for gold and would like to be even more involved in the community, such as help build a community garden, clean up public areas, tidy the environment and even offering to wash windows."