Welcome to Coordinated School health programs

The importance of health promotion for students and staff is clearly recognized in Waterville Public Schools. Superintendent Eric Haley advocates for data driven programming that stresses the importance of good health and sees staff as positive role models for students. To encourage physical activity for staff, Waterville offers a pay roll reduction for dues at a fitness center as well as setting up a fitness center located at the high school through PEP funds.

Waterville is leading a regional approach for healthy school meals. At the high school students were given an opportunity to participate in taste testing to select nutritious foods that students will like. they have instituted a salad bar and moved healthy meal choices to an area in the cafeteria that has more lighting and is more inviting for students.

Waterville addresses on all aspects of health, stressing physical and social well being. Waterville uses an assets approach to student wellness and focuses on helping students make good choices through a number of programs such as the advisor/advisee program, character cards, students-as-leaders responsible for the Winter Carnival, a student program that stresses diversity and acceptance and mental health services provided on-site.

Waterville promotes wellness through their school health policies that address nutrition, substance abuse prevention and safety, to name a few.

The Waterville wellness team hosts a physical activity each month for staff such as skating and bowling. The team sends out a weekly wellness message and has a representative in each school that puts up posters with healthy messages and activity announcements.

The Waterville Wellness Team includes teachers from all grade levels, support staff, administrators, community members and college representatives. They help to provide on-going in-service professional development and other educational opportunities. The mind set of the Waterville Wellness Team is “We can do this a healthier way!”

It is our pleasure to present the exemplary Health Promotion and Wellness award to Waterville Public Schools.

Stacey Caruso was hired in the spring of 2001 as Waterville Public School’s first School Health Coordinator. Stacey can determine what needs to get done and how best to accomplish it. Her enthusiasm and energy lead the health promotion efforts in Waterville. Staff could not help but want to get involved with anything she was doing and it really didn’t matter if someone said no anyway, she never accepted it! Waterville Public Schools Coordinated School Health and Wellness Program owe Stacey thanks for getting the team off the ground and moving.

Kristen Gilbert came into Waterville schools and professional lives like she always had been here. She keeps past initiatives going, organizing and creating new initiatives, and creating outstanding community contacts. Kristen’s ability to stay focused on the issue at hand and her unending energy makes her a great leader for health promotion and wellness in Waterville Public Schools. Waterville schools and, more importantly children, have been blessed to have School Health Coordinators of such high caliber.

Michelle Fowler has been teaching and coaching for Waterville Public Schools for 18 years. Throughout her tenure, Michelle has taught lifetime activities in physical education classes, organized and directed after school intramural leagues, and mentored young athletes in various scholastic sports. She served on the committee responsible for obtaining a $200,000 Physical Education Program grant which expands student and staff opportunities for wellness development. She is an active member of the Waterville Wellness Team and has passionately advocated for programs that promote health and wellness in the schools and community. Michelle has been a devoted leader in education and an outstanding role-model in the promotion of wellness for Waterville Public Schools.

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© 2000 Coordinated School Health Programs