What is a Health Promoting School?
A Health Promoting School uses a “whole of school approach” to promote the health and wellbeing of all members of the school community. This includes students, teachers, parents, canteen staff and community members.
Top Ten Principles for a Health Promoting School.
1) The school principal recognises that the school canteen is an integral part of the school not only for the healthy food that it provides but also in the way that it can link with classroom and homework activities that help students and parents learn about a healthy diet.
2) Teachers provide learning experiences that assist students to understand good nutrition enabling them to make healthy food choices.
3) Canteen Managers and the Canteen Committee provide only healthy food, assist with healthy fundraising and link with classroom and homework activities that help students and parents learn about a healthy diet.
4) Volunteers in the school canteen help to provide healthy food for the students and assist with healthy fundraising activities.
5) Parents provide guidance and encouragement to their children about making healthy food choices whilst at school and home. They assist Teachers to facilitate their child's learning about good nutrition.
6) Students can assist Canteen Managers by providing information about what healthy foods will be popular and how healthy foods can be marketed to the students in their school.
7) Health Professionals assist Canteen Managers to develop canteen policies, provide information on the running of the canteen, menu development and links with classroom and homework activities.
8) Healthy Kids School Canteen Association provides support to school communities wishing to operate economically viable, hygienic canteens that offer nutritious foods to their students.
9) The Food Industry ensures that students and Teachers can make healthy food choices by providing appropriate food items that meet the HKSCA criteria.
10) 'Healthy Kids’ Product Registration Scheme plays a vital role in a Health Promoting School by partnering with the Food Industry to encourage the development, production and promotion of healthy foods for school canteens. Central to this partnership is the Healthy Kids School Canteen Buyers' Guide, which aims to make healthy choices easy choices at school.
For more information about the Health Promoting School Community, download: