Rapid City Schools Wellness Policy

If you live in Rapid City, the schools are looking into a new comprehensive wellness policy that covers a lot of areas (from access to corn-syrup drinks to health ed, and physical activity access). This is important stuff, as corn-syrup drinks and lack of exercise are having lots of bad effects--from obesity to diabetes. Also people in bad health are cranky, putting them at risk of voting for extreme right-wng Republicans (just kidding, really).

Here's more info from the Rapid City Journal letter from Holly Lemay, who worked on this issue tirelessly while she was on the school board and is still advocating it. I've added links to her letter to the editor. If you're a local, please consider looking over the policy and talking to your school board member about it.

Review wellness policy

Recognizing two-thirds of Americans today are overweight and the resulting catastrophic health and economic consequences, Congress enacted legislation that requires all schools participating in Federal School Lunch programs to implement a comprehensive wellness policy by the beginning of the 2006-07 school year.

After over a year of research and development by the School Wellness Advisory Team, a policy is now before the Rapid City Board of Education for approval. In the next few weeks the board will be voting to determine what food and drinks and how much physical activity students will have access to during their school day.

Now is the time for all parents, students, educators, health professionals and community leaders who are concerned about children's health (and the direct correlation to student achievement) to review the proposed policy and contact Board members regarding this issue.

District procedures require three readings for approval. Attendance at board meetings to voice your opinion is crucial to the future of our school children's well-being for many years to come.

As a former board member, I urge you to contact the superintendent's office (394-4031) without delay for a copy of the policy and board meeting times and board member contact information.
[or just click the links above to get this information]

HOLLY LEMAY
(Letter to the editor, RCJ, 4/29)