Woodville School - 12th school in region to achieve Health Promoting School status

19/06/2009 | Woodville School - Health Promoting School status

Woodville School has become the twelfth full Health Promoting School to achieve that status in the MidCentral District Health Board region.

Next Thursday the school will hold a ceremony recognising their last few years of hard work to achieve their goal. The following week (2 July) Weber School will also be recognised. Another 25-30 schools in the MDHB region are at various stages toward completing Health Promoting School status.

Woodville School have been aware of the Health Promoting Schools initiative for a few years, but in early 2008 the development gathered remarkable momentum. The difference has been the strong health team that has worked hard to get input from students, staff and community.
Initially a mapping process revealed the “good stuff” that was already happening in health and wellbeing. This ranged from classroom teaching, to practices and policies as well as who could assist in their community.

The health team that was formed to address areas arising from the surveys developed an impressive aim for HPS development: “We will foster the healthy development of children and young people within our school, homes and community so that they can learn to grow and contribute now and in the future.”

Woodville staff on this team have appreciated the input of ideas from students and community members as decision-making is shared. The principal Gerry McGirr was quick to acknowledge “the great common-sense solutions to issues”.

So what have they worked on? As well as the usual food, nutrition, physical activity and Sunsmart areas, a survey piloted by Room 4 looked at who walked to school and what reasons might prevent this.

Busy roads, scary dogs, not enough crossings, and traffic congestion around the school gates were some of these. Staff had previously identified this congestion and so the push was to find some solutions.

Moving the bus park immediately made a difference, the council dog ranger followed up the roaming dogs, and the council also gave assurances that pedestrian crossings would be reviewed from a child safety perspective.
Involvement in the iMove programme (Sport Tararua) saw a huge increase in children (and parents) walking to school.
Other developments under way are the planning for a new sandpit area and as a result of the successful Nutrition Fund application new filtered water being available for the children. Hi visibility vests for on-duty teachers also mean the newest children know who to go to for help should they need it.

As Christine Riddy HPS Advisor for MidCentral Health said: “This kind of creativity is what schools in the MidCentral region are all about – Woodville School have involved their community and reaped the benefits.  Well done.”

The ceremony for the presentation of their Full HPS status will be at the school on 25 June at 2.30pm.

CONTACT:
Communications Unit: (06) 350-8945.