Wellness Committee
Wellness Program
What is the Glenbard District 87 Wellness Committee?
A group focused on promoting and supporting the Board of Education Wellness Policy and related goals in the areas of student nutrition education and physical activity, consistent with Section 204 of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004. The committee also reviews and discusses programs focused on student social and emotional needs and wellness programs for Glenbard District 87 staff. For further info., contact Christa Gifford at [email protected].
 

Local Wellness Policy Update, May 2021
Review our Local Wellness Policy Update from May 2021 at this link.

Who is involved?

  • Students
  • Parents
  • School support staff
  • PE/health teachers
  • Family and consumer science teachers
  • School nurses
  • School psychologists
  • Community partners
  • A representative from the district insurance carrier (Blue Cross/Blue Shield)
  • District office administrators
May I participate?

Yes! New members are welcome at all meetings. The District 87 Wellness Committee meetings are rotated among our four high schools and Facilities Center. For further information, contact Christa Gifford at [email protected]

What is the committee’s goal?

The goals of the District 87 Wellness Policy and those of the Wellness Committee closely align with the state and federal standards.  Goals are related to:
  • Nutrition education
  • Physical activity
  • Social-emotional well-being  

The district policy and the Wellness Committee also address national guidelines for foods available in school during the school day and guidelines for reimbursable school meals.  These guidelines are closely monitored to maintain alignment with the most recent state and federal regulations.

How does the curriculum address wellness?

The PE, health and family and consumer sciences curriculum strives to teach all students the benefits of wellness and the importance of developing good habits regarding fitness and nutrition. Problem solving, decision-making, communication and teamwork are lifelong skills that are incorporated into daily activities in the PE, health and family and consumer sciences programs.

What are some of the wellness program initiatives?
Non-curricular programs that promote the goals of the Wellness Policy and the Wellness Committee include:
  • Wellness Tip of the Week  weekly health tips are created and shared with students and staff.
  • After school open gym activities are offered to staff and students, such as wrestling, basketball, Boot Camp (East) and Zumba (East).
  • Live Life Well Week In February, the Students for Students club at each high school organizes special awareness events aimed at helping students make healthy choices and eliminate at-risk behaviors.
  • District health fair for students — this annual event is held at one of the four high schools.
  • Nutrition tips and healthy recipes are included in the principals’ newsletters.
  • A list of healthy school snack suggestions was distributed to after-school clubs, and a healthy snack handout was created for athletes.
  • Healthy Food Challenge – the District 87 Wellness Committee partners district-wide with the culinary arts classes and a PE/nutrition class to host Glenbard Healthy Cooking Challenge.  Following the USDA’s MyPlate nutrition guidelines, a student competition is held in each school to develop tasty, healthy pasta and salad dishes.  Two winning recipes were chosen in each school.  These recipes were then prepared by the students and served in their school cafeterias during Live Life Well Week.
  • The annual employee wellness screening program is offered to all staff, free of charge.  The screening includes a confidential blood test, blood pressure measurement and health risk assessment.
  • Community partners offer fitness memberships and programs to the Glenbard staff at a discount.
  • Program challenges are developed by the Wellness Committee each year to challenge staff to exercise and lead a healthier lifestyle.
Who are the community partners?
The Wellness Committee has partnered with the following community groups:
How is the wellness program evaluated?
In conjunction with the DuPage Regional Office of Education, body mass index data for incoming freshmen at each school is anonymously shared with FORWARD, Fighting Obesity Reaching healthy Weight Among Residents of DuPage.  FORWARD works to improve the health and well being of families by reversing the obesity trend. Data for the county is compiled by FORWARD and shared with each school district to gauge the trend of student obesity throughout DuPage County.  Learn more at dupagehealth.org/forward.