How to Implement
How to implent Crunch&Sip® in your school
There are 3 main steps in implementing Crunch&Sip® in your school. They are:
1. Notifying staff and gathering support
2. Getting the message out to parents/ carers and the wider school community
3. Preparing for the Crunch&Sip® break
Step 1 – Notifying staff and gathering support
For Crunch&Sip® to be successful throughout the school, all staff should be well informed of the benefits of Crunch&Sip® and how easy it is to implement in the classroom.
Some ideas for promoting Crunch&Sip® to staff include:
- Identify like-minded teachers to support you
- Raise Crunch&Sip® at staff meetings
- Use the Crunch&Sip® presentation to present the program in an information session. You may want to invite parents to this also
- Trial Crunch&Sip® in your classroom and report back to other staff how it went
- Provide staff with written information, such as the Crunch&Sip® brochure or web address
- Present Crunch&Sip® to other committees or bodies within your school, such as P&C/ P&F/ SRC to gain support
Step 2 – Getting the message out to parents/carers and the wider school community
As well as having support within the school for Crunch&Sip®, it’s vital to have the support of the wider school community, especially parents/ carers.
You could try some of the following ideas to introduce the idea of Crunch&Sip® to the wider school community and gather support.
Inform – Make parents/carers aware of what Crunch&Sip® is and why the school wants to implement a Crunch&Sip® break.
- Send home letter (template available on request)
- Distribute Crunch&Sip® brochures
- Promote Crunch&Sip® break in school newsletter, including Healthy Kids Association web address for further information
- Invite parents/ carers to an information session or include information on Crunch&Sip® during student orientation and enrolment
Publicise – Publicise to the wider community by getting students to create posters for display on the school notice board, contact the local media or write a press release
Hold a launch – Have an official Crunch&Sip® launch at your school. This could take place on a special day or at an assembly. You could hold a Crunch&Sip® break before or after school and invite parents/ carers to attend. You may even be able to get the local greengrocer/ supermarket to donate some fruits and vegetables
Contact local retailers/ wholesalers – Contact local suppliers of fruits and vegetables to form partnerships with the school. They may donate produce for the Crunch&Sip® break and in turn you could mention this in the school newsletter or give them a “We support the Crunch&Sip® break at … School” certificate to display in their shop
Hold a student competition – Ask students to design a poster for Crunch&Sip®. The winning design could be displayed at the school canteen
Step 3 – Preparing for the Crunch&Sip® break
Once staff, students and parents/ carers have been informed about Crunch&Sip®, there are a couple of things to plan to ensure that the break is successful in the classroom.
Decide on a time to have your Crunch&Sip® break each day. It can be at any point during the school day that works best for you. You may want to consider at what time during the day, your class is most unsettled. This could be a good time for Crunch&Sip® to help them refocus and get back on track.
Introduce the idea of having a Crunch&Sip® break to your class. This could be done before morning lessons begin or during a PDHPE lesson. Discuss with the class why eating fruits and vegetables and drinking water is important and how having the Crunch&Sip® break can help the class have a healthy diet.
Work with the class to establish some class rules. Rules should include practical aspects of the Crunch&Sip® break as well as food hygiene and safety. Some rules you might want to include are:
- Students will bring fruits or vegetables every day to eat during Crunch&Sip®
- Students will bring a clear plastic water bottle every day
- Students will fill their water bottle every day with plain water
- Only fresh, canned (in juice not syrup) or dried fruits and salad vegetables are allowed to be eaten
- Water bottles are to be washed at home every day
- Fresh fruits and vegetables are to be washed before eating
- Students must wash their hands before eating
Now you’re ready to have a Crunch&Sip® break in your class every day and spread the healthy eating message. If you require any further help or support, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
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