Blunt: Grant program to implement student wellness efforts

~ Ten out of 500 Missouri school districts will receive $5,000 grants.

The state of Missouri will use federal grant money to help a few school districts implement student wellness efforts. But local school districts doubt they'll benefit from it.

Gov. Matt Blunt announced in Jefferson City on Monday that state agencies are collaborating to help school districts "promote better nutrition, fitness and health among Missouri school children."

Ten school districts will receive $5,000 grants, Blunt said.

That's a small program both in terms of dollars and participation, area school officials say. Missouri has more than 500 public school districts.

Area school officials said they were unaware of the grant program until contacted by a Southeast Missourian reporter.

But Karen Wooton, director of school food services for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, said school districts were notified of the grant program by e-mail in early May.

School districts have until Wednesday to apply for the grants and indicate how they would spend the money, Wooton said.

The state should award the grants by the start of the new school year in August, she said.

Training sessions

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and the University of Missouri Extension are working with the state's education department this summer to promote student wellness.

They have held three training sessions around the state and are holding three more this summer to educate school districts about the new federal law governing student wellness policies and programs.

Missouri received a $64,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Of that amount, $50,000 will be distributed as grants to the school districts. The other $14,000 is being spent on the training sessions, Wooton said.

Federal law requires all school districts to adopt wellness policies that focus on goals for nutrition education, physical fitness and other activities to promote and protect students' health.

Area school districts already have adopted or drafted new wellness policies that are designed to be implemented at little or no cost.

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education recently adopted a wellness policy that won't add any expense to school operations, said Pat Fanger, the district's curriculum director who has been promoted to assistant superintendent.

Starting this fall, classroom teachers no longer will hand out lollipops for good behavior or allow their students to drink soft drinks at class parties.

Elementary schools won't serve sodas at annual Play Day end-of-school festivities either.

Mandatory policy

Fanger said all school districts are required to adopt a wellness policy by July 1, grant or no grant.

The Jackson school board will consider approving a new wellness policy tonight.

The Oak Ridge School District expects to adopt a policy this week.

Like the Cape Girardeau public schools, Jackson and Oak Ridge don't plan to spend thousands of dollars to improve students' health.

The Jackson School District plans to focus on nutrition education, getting the word out through existing school newsletters and parent-teacher organizations.

The district won't ban sodas or all candy, but rather suggest healthier alternatives, said Beth Emmendorfer, director of special services for the Jackson schools.

Oak Ridge schools superintendent Gerald Landewee said his small school district will follow Missouri's "Eat Smart" guidelines.

The district will continue to provide supervised recesses so students can get out and exercise.

"For us, there is not going to be a whole lot of change," he said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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