Focus on Better Eating During WES Nutrition Week

Post date: Apr 18, 2014 11:16:42 AM

WELLS -- To observe National Nutrition Month and to reinforce healthy eating for students at Wells Elementary School, the Nutritional Services of the Wells-Ogunquit CSD designated March 25th through the 29th as Nutrition Week. Activities and special menus were planned for the five daily lunch periods that serve 275 K-4 students each day.

According to Nutritional Services Director Tyler Goodwin, students entering the WES cafeteria are essentially entering the school’s biggest classroom. Not that lunchtime has stopped being a welcome respite for students to eat and socialize but that the lunch room environment, especially during this particular week, now presents opportunities to introduce new food choices (some of it grown locally) and reinforce good eating habits. “It’s a good place to learn about good nutrition,” summed up Goodwin.

As in past years, each day of Nutrition Week was assigned a color to help raise awareness of the importance of eating a variety of healthy foods. For example, Wednesday was designated Red Day. On this day students and staff were encouraged to wear something red to school. As part of lunch, they were offered cherry tomatoes and red apples with their meal. Students who brought lunch from home during the week were encouraged to bring in fruit and vegetables depending upon the featured color of the day.

Monday was green day, Tuesday was yellow day, Thursday was orange day and Friday was multi-colored (or rainbow) day. On the menu Friday was an exotic tropical fruit salad.

Thursday was Wrap Express Day featuring an assortment of community guests and District staff as guest chefs who helped make wraps to order. Wednesday also featured a “(w)rap” talent contest where students performed their own rap songs and poetry on the cafeteria’s stage.

“They are getting the idea,” commented Goodwin about students being much more aware now of the importance and value of eating more fruits and vegetables in their snacks, meals at home and at school.

The other schools in the WOCSD also observed National Nutrition Month. In the cafeterias of Wells High School and Wells Junior High School prizes were awarded to students making healthy choices in the lunch room each day throughout the month.

Goodwin wishes to thank his staff for their extra work during the month, the local PTSA for financial support, all of the guest wrappers, WES’s Principal Marianne Horne and Assistant Principal Ken Spinney for support with Nutrition Week.

Guest wrappers on Wednesday the 27th included Wells Chief of Police Jo-Ann Putnam, Resource Officer John Riegel, Superintendent Ellen Schneider, Wells Recreation Department Assistant Director Marilyn Wallace, WHS Activities Director Jack Molloy, WES PTSA President Ashley Breton, 5-2-1-0 Manager Van Beckman, Principal Marianne Horne, and Assistant Principal Ken Spinney

(photos/Reg Bennett)

Photo file name : “WOCSD-WES Nutrition Week at WES 2014 A”

Caption: Wells Chief of Police Jo-Ann Putnam (at left) with Resource Officer John Riegel and Superintendent Ellen Schneider assisting a student in the lunch line on Wrap Express Day at WES.

Photo file name: “WOCSD-WES Nutrition Week at WES 2014 B”

Caption: Students in line in the WES cafeteria on Wrap Express Day. Nutritional Services Director Tyler Goodwin is at left.