Stratford Schools Awarded HealthierUS School Challenge Award

The HealthierUS School Challenge awards are a way for the USDA to recognize schools that have created healthier school environments through improvements in the quality of school meals while providing both nutrition and physical education to promote healthy lifestyles.

The HUSSC is a key component in Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign and has also helped prepare schools to implement the meal pattern changes developed by the USDA for nation-wide implementation starting school year 2012-1013.

The USDA has awarded the winners for school year 2011-2012, which include awarding the Bronze HealthierUS School Challenge Award Level to the following Stratford Elementary Schools: Chapel, Stratford Academy-Johnson House, Stratford Academy-Honeyspot House, Franklin, Lordship, Nichols, Second Hill Lane, Wilcoxson, and Whitney. Less than 6 percent of the nation’s eligible schools have earned this distinction.

 This recognition is the product of a yearlong effort between Stratford Public Schools administration and staff which includes food service director Karen Cook, food service personnel, many additional school staff and the School Nutrition Association, which provides assistance and resources to assist individual school districts improve performance.

Achieving this award reiterates Stratford Public Schools food service’s team commitment to promoting a healthy school environment for its students. Our staff is committed to serve healthy nutritious foods to our children. We offer several “food tasting” events throughout the year to get out students to try new foods and get their buy in.

In order to qualify for the Bronze award, the Stratford School District had to demonstrate the school meets all the HUSSC nutritional requirements on an on-going basis, serving a variety of healthier foods that appeal to the students, planning meals that emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat milk and dairy products; and that include lean proteins and foods low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars. Furthermore, the school was required to prove its compliance with nutrition education, wellness, and the physical activity criteria of the HUSSC according to age group.

The award ceremony took place at the Second Annual School Breakfast Summit in East Hartford on April 26. USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service Regional Administrator, James Arena-DeRosa was on hand to present the HealthierUS awards, a commemorative plaque, HUSSC banners, and a check for $4,500 to the school district.

For more details on the USDA’S HeathierUS School Challenge (HUSSC) visit: www.teamnutrition.usda.gov.

About the School Nutrition Association of Connecticut: The School Nutrition Association of Connecticut (SNACT) is a proud affiliate of the national School Nutrition Association. The 500 members of the School Nutrition Association of Connecticut are School Food service Personnel who are committed to advancing good nutrition for all children, providing healthful meals and nutritional education since 1949. The School Nutrition Association is the only professional association dedicated solely to the support and well being of school nutrition professionals in advancing good nutrition for all children. Since 1946, SNA has been advancing the availability and quality of school nutrition programs as integral part of a student’s education. With its 52 affiliates, SNA is dedicated to your success and the success of your school district’s nutrition program and to the health and wellness of America’s school children. For more information, visit www.snact.org.