Riverview schools recognized for nutrition programs

January 15, 2013

Summary

Award for HealthierUS Schools Challenge

Story

The Riverview School District in the Snoqualmie Valley is the second public school district in King County to achieve the HealthierUS School Challenge designation. The Highline School District was recognized in 2012.

Five Riverview schools recently achieved the bronze level designation in the national HealthierUS Schools Challenge. They were recognized with Certificates of Achievement from the King County Board of Health, which encourages policy, system, and environmental changes that will help create healthy schools and communities for all King County residents.

The Board of Health Certificates of Achievement recognize Riverview Schools Food Services Supervisor Kaye Wetli, who led the effort to apply for the recognition, and these five schools:
• Carnation Elementary School
• Cherry Valley Elementary School
• Stillwater Elementary School
• Eagle Rock Multi Age
• Riverview Learning Center

As a member of the King County Board of Health, King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert presented the Certificates of Achievement to the supervisor of food services and school principals at a meeting of the Riverview School Board on Jan. 8, 2013.

“I commend the Riverview district and the schools for making the commitment to fight childhood obesity and improve learning and lifelong health with this comprehensive program to improve school nutrition and physical fitness programs,” said Councilmember Lambert. “Meeting the rigorous requirements to qualify for this national award is a major achievement, and is of great benefit to the students and their families.”

The HealthierUS School Challenge is a voluntary federal initiative that recognizes schools that have created healthier school environments by meeting standards for nutrition and physical activity. The challenge is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Nutrition Service.

“We’re delighted that the Riverview School District has achieved the HealthierUS Schools Challenge award for five of their schools,” said Donna Oberg the Healthy Eating & Active Living School Coordinator for Public Health Seattle & King County. “Riverview School District is a leader in creating healthier school environments for their students and staff by making the healthy choice the easy choice.”

The King County Board of Health has focused on intervention initiatives for childhood obesity in King County, where 1 in 5 middle and high school students are overweight or obese. Councilmember Lambert chaired the Board’s School Obesity Prevention Committee in 2008 that made school policy recommendations on nutrition and physical activity.




Celebrating Riverview School District’s bronze award in the HealthierUS Schools Challenge are, from left, Stillwater Elementary School Principal Jack Madigan, Public Health – Seattle & King County HEAL Schools Coordinator Donna Oberg, Riverview Schools Food Services Supervisor Kaye Wetli, Councilmember Kathy Lambert, Carnation Elementary School Principal Randy Stocker and Cherry Valley Elementary School Principal Darcy Becker.