Weber School - a community with well-being at its heart

30/06/2009 | Weber School - Health Promoting School status

“Health Promoting Schools are schools which display, in everything they say or do, support and commitment to enhancing the emotional, social, physical and moral wellbeing of their school community.” (World Health Organisation).

The Tararua region can be proud of Weber School who will be the 13th MidCentral District Health Board school awarded Full Health Promoting Schools Status on Thursday (2 July 2009) at a lunchtime ceremony at the school.

With a pupil catchment  area that stretches east to the coast at Herbertville, inland to the isolated district of Horoeka under the Puketoi Ranges and across to Motea and the Waitahora Valley, Weber sSchool has a roll of about 54 students. Fifty of these travel between home and school by bus, a return journey for some of up to two hours.

Weber began work in the HPS initiative about 2000 but this went on hold as they took in students relocated during school closures in the immediate vicinity. The pressing needs of a building programme and caring for newly integrated families were uppermost at this time, so the school staff and Board Of Trustees worked hard to build a sense of community for their students and families.

Early in 2007 HPS was rekindled after the Public Health Nurse Chris Riddell presented to the Staff, BOT and interested parents. The HPS committee that resulted comprised parents, staff and the Public Health Nurse, tasked with a  community survey, that showed existing areas of good work and which to focus on.

Good progress has been noted by teachers following lessons about food and nutrition with children bringing healthier food for morning breaks. Whereas in the past children had eaten at both breaks leaving little time for physical activity and games, they now engage in active play for the first of these breaks and have something to eat during a quiet reading time on return to class.

The physical activity has enhanced concentration and learning for children. Emphasis is on drinking water and recent applications have been made to get filtered water fountains for the students.

Returned surveys also suggested closer links between the school and the Ti Tree Point Playgroup. Now the 22 playgroup children visit the school at least four times a year, this providing links for friendships for the adults and familiarity with the school for the young ones. Greater confidence has also been shown by the Weber students who buddy up for activities with the visitors, this working to create a mentally healthy school.

Other major issues identified by the school community were access to the Mobile Dental Service and concerns about safety belts on school buses.

Concerns about the dental bus arose after families identified the 80km return trip accessing dental services with this eating into their children’s learning time. Because the mobile dental bus visits other rural schools the Weber community have directly approached and met with MidCentral Health representatives in the process of reconfiguring dental services. This is an example of community action by the school, and further consultation with stakeholders is taking place.

That safety belts are not mandatory on school buses is of major concern to the Weber School community. The HPS committee are concerned that while the situation is legal it appears to undervalue the lives of their children. Cheaper lap-belts are not without risks and so there has been much to consider. The school HPS committee is writing to their local MP, John Hayes, with their concerns as these are expressed by a number of rural school communities in New Zealand.

Whilst these two issues are not resolved at the time of HPS recognition, the energy and commitment of the HPS committee and BOT will ensure that the health and safety of the children remains at the forefront of their school community.

Well done Weber School as your HPS journey continues.