Promoting Good Nutrition

Promoting Healthy Eating Habits

Too much of a "good" thing

The only thing I don’t love about being Lower School principal is that I get offered cupcakes, doughnuts and cookies almost every time a child celebrates a birthday. Don’t get me wrong, these are things I grew up on and enjoy perhaps too much. My rationale is that I do not want to offend any of the kids who offer a treat as an invitation to share in their milestone. Once I accept the offer, then it takes far too much self-discipline not to consume the treat as a mid-morning snack. Multiply this 240 times, and I have a problem.

A piece of information that startled me was that in the year I was born, 1947, the average life expectancy was just shy of 62 years. This figure has risen by almost 18 years since then! Much of this has to do with advances in medicine, but it also does reflect some changes in lifestyle. Even though there may be gains predicted from the dramatic impact of the recent smoking bans, the rise in the obesity rates, especially among children, is predicted to offset and even reverse this dramatic upward trend in longevity.

So what can we do?

Our Salad Bar

First, Dwight-Englewood is fortunate to now have FLIK food services to provide lunch for children in grades one through twelve. FLIK’s watchwords are EAT. LEARN. LIVE. This simple statement reflects their belief that wholesome, nutritional meals combined with education about nutrition provides students with the foundation for better learning and a happier, healthier life. Under the guidance of  Lower School chef, Mr. Ricardo, FLIK provides meals prepared from whole fresh ingredients. The use of processed food is limited, and minimal amounts of fat are used in preparation.  The menu FLIK has prepared is attentive to the palates of young children and appeals to young children at all sensory levels. There are many choices every day that smell, look and tastes wonderful to even the pickiest of eaters. Only every Friday is a sweet dessert offered to students who have purchased the lunch program.

Chef, Mr. Ricardo, serving lunch

Now that our food service reflects our belief that a healthy body = a healthy mind, we would like to use this as an opportunity to think about the snacks provided for children. We encourage parents to send in healthy snacks for their children, and teachers will spend time at each grade level generating lists of  foods that constitute healthy snacks.  When it comes to birthdays, we all believe a child should feel special on their birthday, and whether it’s a special song or the birthday chair in first grade, our teachers have many ways to acknowledge children on their special day. We’d like to move away from the idea that the bigger and more sugary the birthday treat, the more special the day. If you would like to send your child in with a birthday treat we ask you to follow some simple guidelines:

•      Contact the teacher before sending in a treat. The school day is busy, and it is important for teachers to plan accordingly for a special snack, especially if they are coordinating with the other class at that grade level.
•         Send in a healthy snack.  For children (or any of us!) it’s not the food that’s important, it’s the fact that others took time to notice and acknowledge our special day! 

Healthy snacks!

Whatever the snack, it should not be HUGH. Large snacks frequently end up in the garbage, or the compost bin after one or two bites. Miniature sizes make it easier for teachers to use their judgment and discretion when distributing snacks. Students will also be more likely to eat a full and healthy meal at lunch time, and we can avoid unproductive instructional time due to "sugar highs".

Mini-bagels, even with cream cheese, are healthier than cupcakes, especially large cupcakes. There is such a thing as low-fat mini-muffins. Cut fruit is both healthy and sweet. A full-sized bagel is just too big a snack for most children.

As we move away from doughnuts and cupcakes as birthday staples, we help our children learn healthy eating habits. In the long run it will help them, and me, enjoy more birthdays.

An Introduction to Eddie

Eddie

Early last fall, we lost Molly the bunny, who, for three years, daily greeted a constant stream of students, teachers and even parents and supported them with her ever-ready unconditional love.

Many parents may have already heard that there is now a new member of our Lower School family, Eddie the rabbit. Under the direction of science teacher, Beth Lemire, Eddie, who came to us unnamed, was rescused from a family that was no longer able to care for him. As has been the case in the past, students get to select the name of our science room-based pets. The only rule is that the pet has to end up named after a scientist - in this case, Thomas Edison.

Eddie already seems to be comfortable in his roll of friend and confidant to many. He happily allows himself to be coaxed out of his cage for a session of petting. Already the De Jarnett's have offered to provide Eddie with a home over the vacations.

We also have another new pet, a hamster. As soon as he or she has been named, I will make a formal Lower School Notes introduction. 

Fifth Grade Opera Update

This begins the first of a number of updates about the progress of this year's original opera. The public relations group is responsible for this and is considering the creation of a separate blog devoted entirely to this year's opera.

Hi, I’m Kyle, and I am P.R. officer. I am going to tell you about the seven writers in the fifth grade opera. Their names are Chris, Autumn, Kayla, Kevin, Emma, Grace, and Jessica. Kayla said, “ I get to be creative and use my imagination. I am looking forward to seeing the opera and being able to say I wrote this and not you.” Emma said, “I like to be creating the opera. I’m looking forward to seeing my dreams come to life.”  Kevin said “We have decided on the setting and the plot. I like that we get to write the story and the script for the actors. I want to see what the performers can do and how the entire thing will work out.”As you can see this is going to be the time of our life. Stay tuned for next week when Ryan will be writing about the composers.

PEP (Parent Education Partnership) Events

Book Talk and Brooks Event Followup:
Raising Resilient Children and Adolescents 
• For parents of students in all grades           Thursday, January 26, 2012 • 8:30 am– 10am • Hulst House

Join us for this dynamic group discussion facilitated by Erika Raser, Director of Student Support Services Dwight-Englewood School and Amy Fabrikant-Eagan, literacy coach/ reading and writing specialist.

We will base the discussion on Chapter 1 of Raising Resilient Children and on key points from Dr. Brooks’ November presentation.   Together we will brainstorm ways to make Dr. Brooks’ information and parenting strategies accessible to our own families.  We’ll also try some of Dr. Brooks’ parenting skill-building exercises and highlight the importance of empathic and charismatic adults in our childrens’ lives.

Dr. Brooks’ book, Raising Resilient Children, is available for purchase at the D-E School Store.  All proceeds from the sale of the book will benefit the D-E Parents Association.

SAVE THE DATE! For these upcoming PEP Events:

Helping Your Adolescent Manage Anxiety and Stress featuring Dr. Richard Gallagher, NYU Child Study Center
• For parents of students in grades 6-12            Thursday,  February 9 • 7:00pm – 9:00pm • Hajjar Auditorium

Middle School Parents Symposium featuring Sarah Drake, MSEd and Barbara Whelan, PhD, Dwight-Englewood School
• For parents of students in grades 4-8              Monday, February 27 • 7:00pm-9:00pm • Hajjar Auditorium