Riverside Elementary Brings Home The Gold

Keeping their students active and setting them on paths to healthy lifestyles has been a long-standing goal for the Riverside Elementary School staff. Their determination and commitment to that goal is evidenced by their selection as a 2016 Gold Level Wisconsin School Health Award recipient.

 

Riverside’s leaders on this initiative utilized a multi-faceted approach when working towards attaining wellness goals. The varied exercise and nutrition activities kept the students engaged, focused, and excited about challenging themselves, physically as well as nutritionally in sampling “different” foods that have greater nutritional value. Participating in monthly Walk to School Days, Walking Wednesdays, the Cardinal 100 for students, the Cardinal 500 for staff (the numbers refer to miles walked or ran), classroom activities with standing desks, desk cycles, stability balls, and balance disks kept students and staff moving.

 

Changing the school’s eating habits also played an important role in enriching the health and wellness of the school environment. Students and staff planted a garden, ate fresh fruits and veggies, had healthy birthday treats, adjusted the lunch menu to include fish, and were exposed to healthy food choices during lunch. The Riverside kitchen staff also participated in staff development to ensure that they were aware of Riverside’s health objectives.

 

These same health and wellness concepts were incorporated into the school’s fundraising efforts with the Walk-a-Thon and Jump into Reading fundraisers. The concepts were also expanded to the Student Council fundraisers where special attention was paid to the types of products that were sold for their fundraisers.

 

Principal Tim Schipper shared, “I am extremely proud of our students, teachers, and families!  Our move toward fresh fruits and vegetables along with introducing brain breaks and moving minutes throughout the day have helped us to maximize on task learning time in our classrooms.”  

 

He continued, “We do all we can do to role model healthy choices during the day. Personally, I have given up drinking diet soda and have been drinking coconut water and bottled water! I am well aware that as one of the leaders in our school, I need to model healthy choices for our Rocket Superstars!”

 

Pictured Above

Gail Cameron, former Riverside Physical Education teacher, and Elizabeth Chase, current Physical Education teacher, were on hand to accept the Gold Level Wisconsin School Health Award for Riverside Elementary School at the Wilderness Resort in Wisconsin Dells on October 26.

 

Dominic Russo-Mapes selects his “token” having completed the next set of 10 miles in his quest to complete his Cardinal 100.