Mater Dei School was honored in a ceremony Wednesday, Jan. 7 at 12:30 p.m. as the first school in the Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools system to be designated as a Blue Zones Project School. The event was held in the Nativity School gym with 5-8th grade students. Both Immaculate Conception and Nativity school centers of Mater Dei are designated Blue Zones schools because teachers and students are integrating physical activity and nutrition education into daily lesson plans, planting a school garden and more. “We had already been doing many of the wonderful steps the Blue Zones project required for designation here at Mater Dei,” says Andrea Bengford, Mater Dei teacher. “We are proud of our efforts to promote better health among our students and teachers.” In addition to addressing physical education and healthy lifestyles in the school curriculum Mater Dei has sponsored all school dance-a-thons and sends classes to visit local farms. Students planted a garden and the school has added healthy snack hints to its parent newsletter and updated its lunch program with more colorful grains, vegetables, proteins and fruits. “Mater Dei is part of a strong faith-based community that promotes fitness, healthy foods, a sense of purpose and connecting with family and friends,” says Jim Tschann, president of Bishop Heelan Catholic Schools. “We are proud our school has been recognized by the Blue Zones Project.”
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 19:07:14 +0000
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