SUBMITTED BY NORTH PENN SCHOOL DISTRICT

 

LANSDALE – The North Penn School District  announces that North Wales Elementary School received a HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC) Award from the US Department of Agriculture. The HUSSC is a voluntary certification initiative established to recognize schools participating in the National School Lunch Program that have created healthier school environments through promotion of nutrition and physical activity.  

 

North Wales Elementary School earned a Bronze Award, valid from May 2012 until May 2016, for the exemplary steps, leadership and team work it employed to make changes to its nutrition environment, to improve the quality of the foods served, to provide students with more nutritious, healthy choices and to enhance its physical activity program. 

 

North Wales Elementary School was a pilot school for this program. Due to the successful results, the North Penn School District will be implementing this program in all of its 13 elementary schools during the 2012-2013 school year.

 

NPSD’s School Nutrition Services Department made valuable, healthful changes to the North Wales Elementary School meal and a la carte. This included adding whole grains, increasing the offering of legumes (protein beans) and offering a wide variety of fruits and dark green vegetables. For example, an ordinary menu might offer Nacho Supreme Salad with taco beef, corn tortillas and shredded lettuce while the HUSSC menu would add refried or black beans and shredded romaine rather than iceberg. The a la carte offerings changed in portion size as well as in sodium, calorie and fat content. For example, the fresh baked cookie offered at North Wales is a smaller portion with less calories and fat.

 

In addition to changes in the menu, the school’s Health Council assisted with promoting good nutrition and physical activity. The North Wales Elementary School Health Council promoted Apple Crunch Day and Go for the Greens as well as hosting Walk to School Day.

 

North Wales Elementary School will receive a HUSSC award plaque, a banner to display and a small monetary incentive award of $500 for meeting HUSSC’s 2009 criteria. North Wales Elementary School will also be  added to the HUSSC awardees list on the Team Nutrition HUSSC website.