Guidelines:

Birthdays, holidays, and other celebrations are a part of our culture and our children’s educational experience. We can maintain these celebrations without excess of unhealthy foods. Further, these celebrations present an opportunity to model healthy options and behavior.

Parents have their own standard for their child’s nutrition; each teacher has created a balance of classroom rewards and activities that they find effective; and each child must ultimately learn to make healthy choices for themselves.

Our goal is to encourage parents and teachers to consider wellness when planning celebrations and activities, help parents and teachers create a healthier environment for all our children and make it easier for children to make healthy choices for themselves. The classroom teacher remains the final arbiter with respect to food in the classroom.

Do NOT send Hard Candy to school. It is a choking hazard.

ALLERGIES: Several South students have moderate to severe nut allergies. Please respect this student need building wide and DO NOT send nut products as treats to school.

Birthday and Holiday Celebrations:

•  Timing: Fruit and the like can be shared at snack time (recess) or at dismissal time. Instructional time is not a time for celebration snacks.
• Distribution: It is recommended that food be distributed from a central place, not at the children’s desks. Food should be precut or ready for individual distribution.

Food Offerings:

• Portion size: sweets & processed foods should be limited to mini sizes (i.e., mini-cupcakes, mini muffins, mini-cookies mini-candies).
• No food should contain trans fats (foods containing trans fats have hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils listed in the ingredients).
• Healthy alternatives should be offered when sweets are offered.
• If a beverage is offered, it should be water.
• Parents may supply alternative snacks for their child if he/she has dietary restrictions
• Invitations to private parties (e.g. birthday) may NOT be distributed at school unless ALL of the children in the class will be included. Help us see that no child's feelings are hurt. Please remember to include the Tiger Learning Center students as appropriate.
• Class parties will be organized by the room parents, with consultation from the teacdher, and are funded through parent donations. Class parties should be kept simple and should not detract from the instructional program.