IMPLEMENTING SUSTAINABLE LIVE LIFE WELL @ SCHOOL TIPS … · NSW Health is working with schools participating in Live Life Well ... Implementing these practices will assist you to

DESIRABLE PRACTICE

TO MEET THIS PRACTICE, YOUR SCHOOL:

TIPS AND IDEAS ON HOW TOIMPLEMENT THIS PRACTICE:

IMPLEMENTING SUSTAINABLE LIVE LIFE WELL @ SCHOOL PRACTICES WITHIN YOUR SCHOOLNSW Health is working with schools participating in Live Life Well @ School to adopt the 10 Desirable Practices listed below, depending on the needs of the school community. Implementing these practices will assist you to integrate sustainable healthy eating and physical activity strategies within your school.

It is quite possible your school is already meeting many if not all of the recommended Desirable Practices. Schools are encouraged to work towards meeting at least 8 of the 10 practices to be a sustainable health promoting school.

The following document outlines each practice and ways in which your school can or may be meeting the practice.

Resources to support these practices, previously distributed at Live Life Well @ School workshops on USB, are now available to teachers on the ‘healthy kids - eat well, get active’ website http://www.healthykids.nsw.gov.au under the teacher tab.

This publication has been reproduced with permission from the Centre for Population Health, Western Sydney Local Health District.

DESIRABLE PRACTICE

TO MEET THIS PRACTICE, YOUR SCHOOL:

TIPS AND IDEAS ON HOW TOIMPLEMENT THIS PRACTICE:

The school provides curriculum learning experiences regarding healthy eating, physical activity and sedentary behaviour.

#1• Engage stage leaders or the PDHPE

Committee to discuss the development ofa PDHPE Scope and Sequence, includingphysical activity and healthy eating, for eachstage. This will help all teachers know whatis being taught across the school and withintheir stages, to help avoid duplication andfill any gaps.

• Encourage all teaching staff to integratehealthy eating and physical activity acrossother KLAs.

• Utilise the LLWatS challenges; Q4H2OChallenge and Live Outside the Box.To order challenge resources, completeand return the LLWatS resource order form(distributed at workshops on the USB).

Has across all stages:

• A scope and sequence, whichincorporates healthy eating/nutritionand physical activity, or

• Units of work that include healthyeating/nutrition and physical activity.

“ Now that we have a K-6 PDHPE scope and sequence, we can ensure that teachers aren’t unnecessarily repeating lessons or missing areas of the syllabus.”Deputy Principal

This publication has been reproduced with permission from the Centre for Population Health, Western Sydney Local Health District.

DESIRABLE PRACTICE

TO MEET THIS PRACTICE, YOUR SCHOOL:

TIPS AND IDEAS ON HOW TOIMPLEMENT THIS PRACTICE:

The school explicitly addresses fundamental movement skill development as part of the PDHPE programs.

• Utilise the Get Skilled Get Active andFundamental Movement Skills in Actionresources.

• Develop stage lesson plans for each FMSutilising the lessons on the LLWatS USB and‘healthy kids - eat well, get active’ website.

• Encourage all teaching staff to utilise theFMS lanyards.

• If you have a PDHPE Release from Face toFace Teacher, ensure they are teaching theFMS or ask that they be included in lessons.

• Present the FMS in-service module to staffagain, reminding them to teach FMS andthe importance of teaching these skills.

Explicitly teaches fundamental movement skills (FMS) to all children.

“ The LLWatS Fundamental Movement Skills in Action resource made it easy for our staff to teach FMS. There are 12 cards for each of the 12 skills, each providing activities for one PE lesson”Assistant Principal

#2

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DESIRABLE PRACTICE

TO MEET THIS PRACTICE, YOUR SCHOOL:

TIPS AND IDEAS ON HOW TOIMPLEMENT THIS PRACTICE:

The school provides the opportunity for classes to eat vegetable and fruit and drink water.

• Complete and send an Expression of Interestto the Healthy Kids Association (https://healthy-kids.com.au/teachers/crunch-sip/)to receive a free information pack whichincludes ideas on how you can incorporateCrunch&Sip® within your school.

• Start small, trialling the break within a smallnumber of classes or perhaps across a stageat a time.

• Fruit/vegetable and water breaks can be heldat any time during class, whenever worksbest for each class timetable.

• Fruit/vegetable and water breaks can beincluded in class rotations, children cankeep working as they munch away whilethey continue classwork or you can chose torun a small fruit/vegetable and water breakactivity to discuss healthy eating during thistime.

• Remember - fruit/vegetable and water breaksare not just great for children, they also allowteachers time to refresh and refuel themselves.

• Has 70% or more of classes implementingCrunch&Sip® or a similar fruit, vegetablesand water break, and

• The break is held at least 4 days a week.

“ My son only started liking salad vegetables after seeing his friends enjoy them during Crunch&Sip® time”Year 1 Parent

#3

This publication has been reproduced with permission from the Centre for Population Health, Western Sydney Local Health District.

DESIRABLE PRACTICE

TO MEET THIS PRACTICE, YOUR SCHOOL:

TIPS AND IDEAS ON HOW TOIMPLEMENT THIS PRACTICE:

The school encourages physical activity during recess and/or lunch.

• Allocate a tub of equipment for eachclassroom. It is the responsibility of eachclass to ensure equipment is returned at theend of each break.

• Year 6 Sports Monitors could manage thedistribution of sports equipment duringbreak times. If Year 6 students already havea number of responsibilities, Year 4 or 5students could take the lead in distributingequipment, in preparation for schoolresponsibilities as the move towards Year 6.

• Equipment can include balls and skippingropes. You don’t have to have the wholesports shed equipment range available.

• If your playground works on a rotationsystem, try to ensure all children have accessto sports equipment and an outdoor playspace at least 4 times a week.

• Makes games and/or sports equipmentavailable for children to play with duringrecess and/or lunch on 4 or more days aweek, and

• Provides access to an outdoor play space atleast 4 days a week.

“ All our classes have their own sports equipment that they use outside of classroom time. Students manage it themselves and love having something active to do during recess and lunch times.”Year 4 teacher

#4

This publication has been reproduced with permission from the Centre for Population Health, Western Sydney Local Health District.

DESIRABLE PRACTICE

TO MEET THIS PRACTICE, YOUR SCHOOL:

TIPS AND IDEAS ON HOW TOIMPLEMENT THIS PRACTICE:

The school provides a supportive environment for healthy eating.

• Ensure your canteen has access to the FreshTastes @ School – Canteen Menu PlanningGuide and aligns with the guidelines (‘healthykids - eat well, get active’ website).

• The Healthy Kids Association (HKA)www.healthy-kids.com.au provides supportand guidance on canteen menu developmentand assessment.

• Limit ‘Red food’ days to a maximum of twice aterm, across the whole school.

• Provide your principal and staff with a copy ofthe mandatory DEC Nutrition in School Policyand canteen guidelines and explain how this canbe supported across the whole school.

• Explore healthy or non-food based fundraising.

• Ensure consistency between the food availablethrough school and healthy eating messagestaught in the classroom.

• Encourage staff to use non-food rewards(eg. extra playtime) for students rather than lollies.

• Remind staff of the importance of role-modelling healthy eating to children and theparent community.

• Ensures that canteen and any foodprovided to children and the widercommunity during school events, alignswith the NSW Department of Educationand Communities (DEC) Nutrition inSchools Policy i.e. Food items classified as‘Red’ are only available across the school, amaximum of twice a term.

- This includes but it not limited to the school canteen, school excursions, fundraisers, sports carnivals, classroom activities, fetes, school celebrations or any occasion where the school provides food to the children and/or the wider community.

“ Our SRC provided suggestions to the canteen on healthy foods they would like to have on the menu. The healthy choices have been really popular with students and staff across the school.”Year 6 SRC President

#5

This publication has been reproduced with permission from the Centre for Population Health, Western Sydney Local Health District.

DESIRABLE PRACTICE

TO MEET THIS PRACTICE, YOUR SCHOOL:

TIPS AND IDEAS ON HOW TOIMPLEMENT THIS PRACTICE:

The school provides information to families on healthy eating, healthy lunchboxes, physical activity and limiting small screen recreation.

• Free parent fact sheets and newslettersnippets are available through the ‘healthykids – eat well, get active’ website. Factsheets can be ordered onlinewww.healthykids.nsw.gov.au/home/fact-sheets.aspx

Ways to share information with parents and families:

• The school website.

• School newsletters.

• Sending factsheets home with children.

• Cancer Council NSW Eat It to Beat It freeparent information sessions, workshops andnewsletter snippets on healthy eating andhealthy lunchboxes [email protected]

• Having children share healthy eating and physicalactivity information with family for homework.

• Distributing free Crunch&Sip® parent brochures.Order using Expression of Interest formhttps://healthy-kids.com.au/teachers/crunch-sip/

• During parent events such as kindergartenorientation, parent teacher meetings and Parents& Citizens or Parents & Friends Committeemeetings.

Provides information to families on:

• Healthy eating,

• Healthy lunchboxes,

• Healthy canteens (if you have a canteen),

• The school’s fruit/vegetables and waterbreak (if you have a break),

• Physical activity and

• Limiting small screen recreation.

“ We found including information on our website and Facebook page a great way to engage parents and share healthy messages. We add links to websites so that parents can easily access more health information.”Year 5 teacher

#6

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DESIRABLE PRACTICE

TO MEET THIS PRACTICE, YOUR SCHOOL:

TIPS AND IDEAS ON HOW TOIMPLEMENT THIS PRACTICE:

Teaching staff are provided with professional learning/development to promote healthy eating and physical activity to students.

“ When staff understood the broader picture of Live Life Well @ School and how easy it could be to teach fundamental movement skills I felt like we were all on the same page”Assistant Principal

• Presents the two LLWatS professional learningmodules to at least 50% of teaching staff.

• Teachers who attend the LLWatS trainingwill have been given two presentations/professional learning modules (and allrequired resources) to deliver to staff backat school. Professional learning modulesare to update and inform school staff onLLWatS, its importance and how it can beimplemented within your school.

• Schools can present these professionallearning modules to staff annually to refreshthem or if the school has a number of newstaff come on board.

#7

This publication has been reproduced with permission from the Centre for Population Health, Western Sydney Local Health District.

DESIRABLE PRACTICE

TO MEET THIS PRACTICE, YOUR SCHOOL:

TIPS AND IDEAS ON HOW TOIMPLEMENT THIS PRACTICE:

The school has an identified team/committee with executive membership to support the implementation of Live Life Well @ School or similar initiatives.

• Link LLWatS with an existing staff committeeor team, such as the PDHPE Committee.

• The ‘team’ may be the staff who attendedthe LLWatS workshop, who meet onoccasion to discuss and/or action healthyeating, physical activity and LLWatS actionswithin the school.

• Discuss the LLWatS plan each term atmeetings, to help maintain the focus ofhealthy eating and physical activity withinthe school.

• In smaller schools, it may be that the wholestaff are engaged in a meeting each term (aspart of your normal routine staff meetings)where LLWatS is discussed.

• It is important to engage the executive staffwhen developing and implementing theplan. If they are on board, it will be easierto roll ideas out across the school and geteveryone on board.

“ Our committee is made up of staff who attended Live Life Well training, keen sports and PDHPE staff and our DP. We only meet twice a term. This helps us keep healthy eating and physical activity on track in our school.”Year 3 teacher

#8• Has a PDHPE team/committee/staff, who lead

LLWatS within your school, and

• Executive staff are supportive of LLWatS.

This publication has been reproduced with permission from the Centre for Population Health, Western Sydney Local Health District.

DESIRABLE PRACTICE

TO MEET THIS PRACTICE, YOUR SCHOOL:

TIPS AND IDEAS ON HOW TOIMPLEMENT THIS PRACTICE:

School planning processes incorporate Live Life Well @ School strategies.

Develops and works to implement your LLWatS action plan. Try to include the following areas within your action plan:

• Healthy eating

• Fundamental movement skills

• Physical activity during recess and lunch

• Engaging with parents regarding healthyeating and physical activity

• Healthy canteen

• Fruit, vegetables and water breaks

• Utilise the LLWatS action plan template,distributed at LLWatS workshops and availableon the LLWatS USB. If you are unable to locatethe template from the above mentioned sources,contact your Health Promotion Officer.

• Try to incorporate the Desirable Practices intoyour plan, to support sustainable integration ofhealthy eating and physical activity.

• Building LLWatS into your school plan is greatway to ensure it is implemented and supportedacross the school.

• Implement the plan at a pace that best worksfor your school, again to ensure actions areimplemented in a sustainable manner. Aim toroll your plan out over two to three years.

• Discuss the plan at staff meetings to gain furthersupport to ensure it remains a living document.

• Develop the plan to be sustainable, so if theteacher/s who lead LLWatS leave, the programand plan will continue in their absence.

• All schools that attended the LLWatS workshopwere guided through action plan development.If you school has not attended the workshop,engage with your Health Promotion Officer forsupport and guidance with developing a LLWatSaction plan.

#9

This publication has been reproduced with permission from the Centre for Population Health, Western Sydney Local Health District.

DESIRABLE PRACTICE

TO MEET THIS PRACTICE, YOUR SCHOOL:

TIPS AND IDEAS ON HOW TOIMPLEMENT THIS PRACTICE:

The school monitors and reports annually on the implementation and outcomes of Live Life Well @ School strategies.

• Report/share the outcomes of LLWatS strategiesto school groups such as:

− The executive team

− Line management (principal or educationdirector)

− Parent or school community groups, such as the Parents and Citizens, Parents and Friends, Community Hub parent groups

− The school board.

• Maintaining your action plan can be a usefultool to help you report on the outcomes ofLLWatS. Small, frequent updates in your planwill make it easier to compile and report onoutcomes and actions.

• Annual school reports are another great placeto promote and share the outcomes of healthyeating and physical activity initiatives.

• Reports/sharing LLWatS projects and outcomeshelps to sustain the program, engage the widerschool and highlight its importance within theschool.

• Include updates in the school newsletters, onthe school website or school facebook page.

• Annually reports/shares information withinthe school, on outcomes of healthy eatingand physical activity strategies in place atschool.

“ Our PDHPE Committee reviews our Live Life Well @ School action plan annually. The plan is updated during term 1 and a progress report is presented to our school executive during term 3. We find this is a great way to maintain the plan and ensure that our executive team is well informed and supportive of nutrition and PE programs in the school.” PDHPE Coordinator

#10

This publication has been reproduced with permission from the Centre for Population Health, Western Sydney Local Health District.