December 1, 2016
Dear Parents,
Great Falls School is committed to providing a healthy environment for all its students. Our students are doing a great job with Fresh Friday and we will continue to emphasize brain breaks in the classroom.
As a reminder, and with the holiday season upon us, we respectfully request that parents do not send in any food for celebrations, such as birthdays and holidays, to be shared in classrooms. This does not include the daily snacks that you send in for your own child, however we encourage you to provide healthy options.
We want our school to continue to be a safe and comfortable environment for all students, which reflects our value of respect for all. We endorse the practice of non-food celebrations for a multitude of reasons, several of which are as follows:
- To minimize disruption to the teaching day.
- To support healthier nutrition choices as stated in the K-5 Maine Physical Education and Health State Standards.
- To minimize non-nutritious foods being brought into school, allowing individual parents the opportunity to control how much and which foods their children eat during the school day.
- To increase the sensitivity of our community to the needs of our students who have health issues that affect their food intake. As stated in our Gorham School Allergy Policy, our schools are committed to providing a safe environment for students who have an allergy history.
We understand that food is part of our culture and a means to celebrate special occasions of all kind. Of course, this procedure does not mean that our children will not have fun, class parties, or celebrations. Instead of food, students can participate in a variety of creative activities during celebrations of all kind. Non-food tokens such as stickers or pencils can be used to celebrate birthdays while promoting a healthier school environment.
We are asking for your continued support and help by refraining from sharing food items within our school unless we request them for curriculum-based activities. Thank you in advance for supporting the safety and wellness of all students.
Thanks for all you do to encourage student wellness!
Sincerely,
Becky Fortier, Principal
