Rhode Island Healthy Schools Coalition Annual Breakfast

The Rhode Island Healthy Schools Coalition breakfast was a great success. On September 23, 2008, attendees were greeted at the registration table, given their packets and then went on to have a healthy breakfast. Once the program started participants were anxious to hear what new information was to be presented. The RI Nutrition Regulations were presented by Debbie Turner and Jane Vernagni and the progression of where and when school lunch began to where it is now was a topic of interest.

New laws were discussed and in particular the amendment to the RI Health and Physical Education mandate was made known to all. The amendment states that all school districts in RI must use the RI PE Standards and Frameworks in designing curriculum and units/lessons by 2012. The Health Education Frameworks are already mandated for use! To this point, RIAHPERD will be sponsoring a series of workshops that will incorporate the use of the RIPE Standards. The first workshop will take place Thursday, October 23, at Portsmouth Middle School in lovely Portsmouth, RI, from 5-8 pm. Information and registration materials can be found at this link:

Kristen Coutoulakis and Deb Ranaldi presented information to the district leaders letting them know what they should see when they look into a gymnasium, or go out to the fields to check out what is happening. The information presented included information that is expected in every other discipline in school. Word Walls, standards on the walls, criteria charts, rubrics, assessments, etc. should be practiced on a daily basis. The Principles of Learning were also placed in the attendee packets.

Shawna Southern presented the activity this year. Since the attendees were sitting listening to everything that was happening it gave her the opportunity to have them monitor their heart rate, breathing, and mood before the activity began. The activity consisted of the attendees using specific actions with specific people. It moved them round their re which elevated their heart rate, respiration rate, and also their moods! The room was buzzing! It gave the attendees the opportunity to actually see how much sitting down has an affect on how ready we are to learn, and in retrospect they found out how adding activity to learning makes us more ready to learn.

The keynote speaker was Dr. JoAnne Owens-Nauslar, former AAHPERD President. Dr. Jo is a wonderful speaker. She is witty, intelligent, energetic, insightful, and the list can go on and on! Her keynote, "Secure Your Own Mask First," let the attendees know that they have to take care of themselves first, before they can go on to help others! The keynote speech motivated the district leaders and hopefully sent them on their way to help make school communities healthier.

The RIHSC Award was presented to the South Kingstown School District! Congratulations to the SK School District for their fabulous work they have done to help make all students, staff, and faculty more healthy!

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Important Information

Join Your School District’s Wellness Subcommittee...

And help the children in your town to learn how to eat healthier and become more physically active for life!

Did you know that a new “district wellness” law was signed by Governor Carcieri last June? The new law mandates that all RI district school committees “address the health and wellness of students and employees” by establishing a standing District Wellness Subcommittee that is chaired by a member of the school committee. And… all Wellness Subcommittees must be made up of 50% or more individuals who are NOT employed by the district.

So… for all of you who want to get more involved in helping your school district improve the nutrition and increase opportunities for meaningful physical activity for your town’s children, you now have a district subcommittee that needs you! The RI Healthy Schools Coalition, a group of over 115 members representing over 73 RI organizations, including 10 RI school districts, urges you to inquire about your district’s wellness subcommittee, contact the chair, and offer your support and/or participation. A successful subcommittee will have broad-based representation from the school community including, most importantly parents and students, as well as community professionals such as dietitians, physicians, dentists, nurses and other health professionals, physical activity and education specialists, in addition to district staff.

Here’s your chance to join in on the conversation and help your district develop its Wellness Policy and Wellness Strategic Plan. For more information about the new law and its requirements or to find out about who to contact in your district, please feel free to call or e-mail:

Dorothy Brayley, Chair, RI Healthy Schools Coalition, 401-751-4503 or kid1st@gis.net or Rosemary Reilly-Chammat, RI Department of Health, 401-222-5922 or rosemary.reilly-chammat@health.ri.gov.

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Chapter 06-231 2006 -- H 6968 AS AMENDED Enacted 06/28/06

AN ACT RELATING TO SCHOOL COMMITTEES AND SUPERINTENDENTS

Introduced By: Representatives McNamara, Naughton, and Ginaitt

Date Introduced: January 31, 2006

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Chapter 16-21 of the General Laws entitled "Health and Safety of Pupils" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

16-21-29. Definitions. – As used in this chapter:

(1) "Healthier beverages" shall be defined as:

(a) Water, including carbonated water, flavored or sweetened with one hundred percent (100%) fruit juice and containing no added sweetener.

(b) Two percent (2%) fat milk, one percent (1%) fat milk, nonfat milk, and dairy alternatives, such as fortified soy beverages; plain or flavored, with a sugar content of not more than four (4) grams per ounce.

(c) One hundred percent (100%) fruit juice or fruit based drinks that are composed of no less than fifty percent (50%) fruit juice and have no added sweetener.

(d) Vegetable-based drinks that are composed of no less than fifty percent (50%) vegetable juice and have no added sweetener.

(2) "Healthier snacks" shall be defined as:

(a) Individually sold portions of nuts, nut butters, seeds, eggs, and cheese packaged for individual sale, fruit, vegetables that have not been deep fried, and legumes.

(b) Individually sold portions of low fat yogurt with not more than four (4) grams of total carbohydrates (including both naturally occurring and added sugars) per ounce and reduced fat or low fat cheese packaged for individual sale.

(c) Individually sold enriched or fortified grain or grain product; or whole grain food items that meet all of the following standards based on manufacturers' nutritional data or nutrient facts labels:

(i) Not more than thirty percent (30%) of its total calories shall be from fat.

(ii) Not more than ten percent (10%) of its total calories shall be from saturated fat.

(iii) Not more than seven (7) grams of total sugar (includes both naturally occurring and added sugars) per ounce.

(3) "Added sweetener" shall mean any additive, including natural or artificial additives that enhances the sweetness of the beverage, including, added sugar, but does not include, the naturally occurring sugar or sugars that are contained within milk or fruit juice.

(4) "Snack" means a food that is generally regarded as supplementing a meal, including, but not limited to: chips, crackers, onion rings, nachos, French fries, donuts, cookies, pastries, cinnamon rolls, and candy.

SECTION 2. Section 16-21-7 of the General Laws in Chapter 16-21 entitled "Health and Safety of Pupils" is hereby amended to read as follows:

16-21-7. ~~School health program.~~ School health. – (a) All schools that are approved for the purpose of sections 16-19-1 and 16-19-2 shall have a school health program which shall be approved by the state director of the department of health and the commissioner of elementary and secondary education or the commissioner of higher education, as appropriate. The program shall provide for the organized direction and supervision of a healthful school environment, health education, and services. The program shall include and provide, within and consistent with existing school facilities, for the administration of nursing care by certified nurse teachers, as defined in section 16-21-8, as shall be requested, in writing, by the attending physician of any student and authorized, in writing, by the parent or legal guardian of the student. No instruction in the characteristics, symptoms, and the treatment of disease shall be given to any child whose parent or guardian shall present a written statement signed by them stating that the instructions should not be given the child because of religious beliefs.

(b) All Rhode Island elementary, middle and junior high schools that sell or distribute beverages and snacks on their premises, including those sold through vending machines, shall be required to offer healthier beverages effective January 1, 2007, and healthier snacks effective January 1, 2008 as defined in chapter 16-21.

(c) Schools may permit the sale of beverages and snacks that do not comply with the above paragraph as part of school fundraising in any of the following circumstances:

(1) The items are sold by pupils of the school and the sale of those items takes place off and away from the premises of the school.

(2) The items are sold by pupils of the school and the sale of those items takes place one hour or more after the end of the school day.

(3) The items sold during a school sponsored pupil activity after the end of the school day.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC00863

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AND another law:

Chapter 06-234 2006 -- S 2696 SUBSTITUTE B Enacted 06/28/06

AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION

Introduced By: Senators Sosnowski, Roberts, Perry, Gibbs, and Pichardo

Date Introduced: February 14, 2006