Uskudar SEV Elementary School had been checked for and received the certificate of “White Flag” in 2015. As part of this certificate, we are accepted to the “Nutrition-Friendly School Program” in 2016.

The program, conducted under the leadership of Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, aims to raise awareness about active life and healthy eating habits in young children.

At the beginning of this year, within the framework of this program, we built a “Healthy Nutrition and Active Life” committee comprised of administrators, teachers and school employees. This team prepared the “Nutrition-Friendly School Plan” which supports and encourages healthy nutrition, balanced diet and active lifestyle.

The plan was prepared with regard to below points;

• Creating an environment for debates about healthy nutrition and active life issues by taking advantage of peer education in which children educate each other and discuss the nutrition topics together.
• Celebrating national/international days/weeks related to healthy nutrition and active life with the help of in-class activities and educational videos.
• Organizing intramural activities such as knowledge contests, painting contests and festivals for promoting healthy nutrition and active life.
• Informing the parents about topics such as health, healthy nutrition and active life.
• Giving training to school employees in topics such as health, healthy nutrition and active life.
• Measuring students’ height and weight and keeping track.
• Giving the right messages about healthy nutrition and active life and displaying these messages in places such as class and corridor boards at school.
• Arranging the physical education lessons and sport activities in a way that leads to active participation.
• Inspecting the cafeteria regularly.

The plan is prepared with the aim of improving students, families and school employees’ nourishment and physical activities. Since September school wide activities have been taking place on a monthly basis.

In the first quarter of this school year we prepared informative posters, brochures and banners about nutrition. We placed visual information about healthy and balanced diet in the cafeteria. Our school nurse informed students about the importance of drinking milk. Under the leadership of physical education teachers we did a brisk walk activity accompanied by music on the “World Walking Day”. In relation to “Global Handwashing Day” we took pictures of all our teachers while they were washing hands and hung them on school walls for increasing awareness in our students. In all classes we watched educational videos about handwashing. Also our school nurse measured all students’ height and weight and analyzed the statistics with the educators. We will continue sharing our activities that will take place in the upcoming months.