nrgBalance zone

zone checklist

Your school has enrolled in the nrgBalance Zone campaign...now what? Once enrollment is complete, the nrgBalance Zone Checklist provides a step-by-step framework for making healthy easy for the students you serve. Please use this Checklist as a guide only. Not every step will work for every school. Choose from the options below to put together a plan that best suits your school's needs. Click here to download the checklist to share with your School Health Council, and create an action plan for the coming year.

Zone Checklist:

1. Publicize your nrgBalance Zone Status
2. Form a School Health Council (SHC)
3. Develop a School Wellness Policy for your Building
4. Obtain Parent/Staff Buy-in
5. Share the nrgBalance Message
6. Host an nrgBalance Event
7. Obtain Student Buy-in
8. Share your school's success
9. Create a Healthier School Environment

1. Publicize your nrgBalance Zone Status
   • Display your nrgBalance Zone Bulletin Board Display
   • Submit the template nrgBalance Zone Press Release to your local media outlets

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2. Form a School Health Council (SHC)
   • Review "School Health Council Resource Guide"
   • Schedule a meeting with school administration to receive approval to form school building health council
   • Schedule and publicize first SHC meeting
   • Invite suggested SHC representatives to attend meeting and serve on Council
   • During first meeting, set goals for SHC and determine regular meeting Schedule
   • Continue to hold regular SHC meetings and share impact of Council activities with school administration, parents, school board officials, etc. (Your school's nrgBalance Zone Profile is an ideal tool for communicating your impact.)

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3. Develop a School Wellness Policy for your Building
   • SHC reviews "School Wellness Policy FAQs"
   • Review a copy of your school district's school wellness policy.
   • SHC convene School Wellness Policy development group to include: students, parents, representatives of school food authority, school board, school administration, community members and other relevant school professionals (school nurses, teachers (PE, health education and family and consumer science))
   • Set timeline/work plan for developing administrative regulations
   • Establish oversight committee to ensure regulations are being met and consistently communicated

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4. Obtain Parent/Staff Buy-in
   • Mail (or e-mail) template nrgBalance Zone Parent Letter
   • Invite parent participation on SHC
   • Consider suggestions from "Tips for Involving Parents in School Health & Wellness"
   • Offer ideas on how parents can support school nutrition standards through healthy school celebrations
   • Set-up SHC display at events where parents are invited to the school (i.e., Back to School Night, sporting events, choral/musical productions, etc.)
   • Set-up SHC display or prepare brief presentation (use the nrgBalance Learning Center at www.nrgbalance.org as a resource) for faculty/staff in-service days

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5. Share the nrgBalance Message
   • Utilize nrgBalance 12345! morning announcement samples to share the message with students and staff
   • Download and distribute nrgBalance 12345! fact sheets at parent attended events
   • Utilize nrgBalance 12345! newsletter inserts in school newsletters, newspapers and Web sites
   • Consider utilizing the nrgBalance 12345! newsletter Template for SHC specific communication to staff and parents

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6. Host an nrgBalance Event
   • Celebrate Apple Crunch in October
   • Go for the Greens in March
   • Move it Outside in April

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7. Obtain Student Buy-in
   • SHCs should invite student feedback, consider suggestions from "Tips for Involving Students in School Health & Wellness"
   • For students age 13 - 18, SHCs should consider engaging a previously established youth serving organization (i.e., Student Council, sports team, Student Press, National Honors Society, Chorus, etc.) at their school in the nrg Powered by Choice campaign: www.poweredbychoice.org

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8. Share your school's success
   • Highlight your school's efforts to promote nutrition & physical activity by uploading photos, success stories and media clippings at www.nrgbalance.org

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9. Create a Healthier School Environment
   • Increase physical activity opportunities before, during, and after school
   • Implement nutrition guidelines in all places food and beverages are
     available (a la carte in cafeteria, school parties, sporting events,
     fundraisers, vending and school store)
   • Provide instruction for lifetime physical activities (walking, biking, paddling, snow sports, hiking, dancing, etc.) Please reference the Physical Education Recreation kit for lesson plans.
   • Display nutritional guidelines choices (calorie count and nutritional values) in all food areas, especially in middle and high school. This allows students to make informed decisions about their food choices

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