School wins health award

AN OCEAN Grove school is the first in the Bellarine region to officially be named a healthy school.

Our Lady Star of the Sea school received the Healthy School Award last week for meeting benchmarks in healthy eating and oral health, physical activity, sun protection, safe environments, tobacco control, sexual health and wellbeing, alcohol and other drugs and mental health and wellbeing.

The State Governmentfunded achievement program is delivered Victoria wide by the Cancer Council. It aims to support early childhood services, schools and workplaces to focus on healthy lifestyles and improving where people live, learn and work.

Principal Rhonda Boyd said the school signed up to the program in 2013 with an aim to ensure all students had the opportunity to achieve healthy outcomes.

“We signed up to the program in 2013 and since that time we have been working collaboratively to meet all the benchmarks and it’s great to be recognised as a healthy school,” Ms Boyd said.

To meet the requirements, the school made many changes including revising its canteen menu to include healthier food choices.

Achievement program manager Amy Timoshanko congratulated the school on their fantastic work creating a healthy environment.

“This is a major achievement and will empower students and staff at Our Lady Star of the Sea to make healthier choices every day,” Ms Timoshanko said.

Bellarine Community Health and the City of Greater Geelong helped school staff meet all of the program’s requirements.