Villa Academy Wellness Policy
Sunday, January 20th, 2008Villa Academy Wellness Policy
Villa Academy embraces the Cabrinian tradition of educating the whole child in all dimensions of growth. This tradition views human life as sacred; every person is precious. Villa Academy seeks to enhance the life and dignity of the human person through its policies and practices. The health and wellness of our community, as well as the protection of the earth, has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored.
The Board of Trustees recognizes that there is a link between nutrition education, the food service in our school, physical activity, and environmental education, and that wellness is affected by all of these. The Wellness Committee was formed in the spring of 2007 and has met to draft this Policy and discuss implementing items pertinent to this Policy.
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Nutrition Education
Villa Academy recognizes the important connection between a healthy diet and a student’s ability to learn effectively and achieve high standards in school.
• Villa Academy Food Services Program provides a variety of food options in a palatable and pleasing array for an audience that can range from preschool to adult on each full school day.
• All foods comply with National Student Lunch standards, and we look to exceed these standards by embracing foods grown locally, sustainable and in season whenever possible and practical.
• We recognize the importance of a good lunch in the scope of the learning and social environment.
• We promote food-centered activities that are healthful, enjoyable, developmentally appropriate, culturally relevant, and participatory, such as contests, promotions, taste testing, farm visits, school gardens, and kitchen classrooms.
Physical Education
Villa Academy’s Physical Education program encourages lifelong fitness by introducing a plentitude of physical activity and teaching self-discipline, sportsmanship, and a love of movement in a fun and supportive environment.
• Sportsmanship and teamwork are a part of daily life. Villa Academy students are taught to be supportive teammates, good winners and even better losers.
• Physical Education classes focus on developing a lifelong love for physical activity. Curriculum regularly includes activities that are non-competitive, enjoyable, and that provide a sense of independent mastery and satisfaction. Some examples include: Yoga, Jump Rope, Wall Climbing and Running.
• All students are encouraged to participate in daily physical activity during recess and outside of school.
• The Physical Education program works in partnership with the Catholic Youth Organization
to encourage student participation in physical activities outside of school.
• We provide safe, attractive and developmentally appropriate play areas for the student.
• Villa Academy after school programs provides students with a variety of opportunities to be physically active.
Social & Emotional Wellness
Villa Academy encourages contributing to our human environment to the common welfare of our community. We emphasize interdependence with others and being comfortable with and liking oneself as a person. Social wellness includes the pursuit of harmony in one’s relationships with others. Emotional wellness involves an awareness and acceptance of personal feelings, while being sensitive and responsive to the emotional states of others
• Villa Academy develops social wellness by teaching good communication skills, developing the capacity for genuine friendships, and cultivating a support network of caring friends and/or family members.
• We participate in community service programs at all grade levels and reach out to our neighbors on a regular basis.
• We teach curriculum at all levels to address conflict resolution, optimism, trust, self-acceptance, self-confidence, self-control, and the ability to share feelings.
• We encourage the realistic assessment of one’s limitations, the development of autonomy, and the ability to cope with stress.
Health & Safety Education
Villa Academy educates and encourages
health-enhancing behaviors.
• Villa Academy teaches a religion curriculum that encourages students and families to avoid health-compromising behaviors.
• We do not tolerate illegal drugs on campus.
• We do not tolerate alcohol, tobacco, or cigarettes on campus with the exception of legal consumption during school-sponsored events. Beginning in middle school (6th grade), students will be educated on the dangers of habit-forming and addictive substances.
• Villa Academy ensures safe transport of students during school-sponsored field trips. All families are required by state law to provide car/booster seats for school-sponsored field trips.
• Villa Academy provides safe walking paths and well-marked driving routes for drop-off and pick-up. All Villa families are required to follow traffic safety rules on campus.
• Families are encouraged to apply sunscreen on warm/sunny days, particularly during attendance at summer Villa Ventures camps.
Environmental Stewardship
Villa Academy honors the rich history of our campus by respecting and caring for the facility and grounds, and giving students opportunities in and out of school to learn environmental stewardship.
• Villa Academy will provide school-based learning experiences to encourage environmental stewardship among students, faculty and staff. This may include, but is not limited to, opportunities to recycle, reduce overall consumption such as water and energy, use biodegradable materials when possible, and dispose of wastes in an environmentally sound way.
• We integrate these experiences into the classroom, cafeteria, and the daily life of students.
• We offer students the opportunity to participate in outdoor education programs that make connections between diet, health and the environment, and the interdependence of all living things.
