Click here to view the November Health and Wellness Newsletter

The major goal of the Ada Merritt K-8 Center Health and Wellness Committee is to promote wellness and address current health issues facing our students. We are committed to providing a healthy environment for students and staff, recognizing that individuals must be physically, mentally and socially healthy in order to improve their academic performance. Aligned with the M-DCPS district-wide wellness policy, our committee will focus on achieving the following 5 objectives to ensure all Ada Merritt students will: (1) have access to and will be encouraged to take advantage of high-nutrient food options served at school; (2) engage in the required and recommended levels of

Physical Education, (3) engage in the daily recommended levels of physical activity, (4) be educated and encouraged to make healthy life-style choices and will learn how to develop healthy relationships, and (5) have access to physical, mental and preventive healthcare. Through grants, fundraising and partnerships with various organizations which promote healthy lifestyles, the commit-tee will lead in the organization of PTA sponsored events which will educate and engage students, parents and teachers through activities that promote healthy lifestyles.

The Health & Wellness Team applied for a Healthy Lifestyles Grant. The PTA Healthy Life-styles grant promotes good nutrition and regular physical activity in order to address the nation's child-hood obesity epidemic. This grant emphasizes the important role families can play in keeping their children healthy and ready to learn. A PTA Healthy Life-style grant award would allow our school to be the first “Chefs Move to Schools” program in the East Little Havana area of Miami . Chefs Move to School program is de-signed to help chefs and schools work together to teach children about food and nutrition. It’s part of “Let’s Move!” campaign, started by First Lady Michelle Obama. A

Healthy Lifestyles grant will enable our school to officially partner with chefs Kirk Nelson, Roosevelt Desir & Andre Walker, the founders of green company “Be Organic”.

November General Membership Meeting to launched Health & Wellness Campaign

The PTA’s November General Meeting was an amazing evening meeting to launch the Health & Wellness campaign. This is an on-going initiative that will culminate with the “Health & Wellness Fair” a daylong (and hopefully annual) event to be held at Ada Merritt on February 11th, 2011. At our November meeting, after a delicious catered organic dinner prepared by the Chefs from BeOrganic we were introduced to guest speaker Carol Chong, Director of the M-DCPS Department of Food and Nutrition by Health & Wellness Committee Chair Sarah Messiah.

The membership was presented with a fascinating ‘tour’ of Ms. Chong’s department and current nutrition activities including school cafeteria menu changes incorporating more fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains, Farm to School Program to increase the procurement of fresh locally grown produce such as tomatoes from Homestead and corn and green beans from Belle Glade. Ms. Chong introduced the Chef Partnership Program. The purpose of this program is to partner local celebrity chefs, Michelle Bernstein, Ken Lyon, Frank Jeanetti and Ada Merritt’s own Kris Wessel of Red Light Restaurant with schools that they have a direct connection with. The Chefs Designed Recipes Initiative which engages students and staff in culinary skills, delicious food preparation and expanding nutrition knowledge is an important step to improving eating habits and increasing meal participation through this fresh approach to school food service.

First Ever Health and Wellness Day Festival!

February 11, 2011. The purpose of the Ada Merritt K-8 Center Health and Wellness Day Fair is to provide information to the students, parents and staff on activities and information that promote health and wellness which ultimately result in the development of a healthy lifestyle. The Health and Wellness Day activity will be held at the school. There will be opportunities for classroom presentations, interactive demonstrations in the school cafeteria, table and booth presentations in the courtyard area and “Goody Bag” give-away for attendees.

• Health and Wellness Activities:
• Nutrition Education
• Screening Information
• Exercise and Fitness (“Let’s Move” Campaign; Fit To Play; SPARKSports, Play and Active Recreation for Kids
• Bike and Pedestrian Safety
• Pilates, Yoga and Jazzercise
• Farmer’s Market
• Team Sports
• Health Enrichment Activities
• Community Partners
• Jackson Memorial Hospital
• University of Miami/UHealth
• Health Department of Miami-Dade County
• CIGNA Health
• Miami-Dade County Parks and Recreation Department
• Mack Cycles
• American Heart Association
• American Cancer Society
• Sickle Cell Society
• Leukemia Society
• Miami Heat
• Miami-Dade County Public Schools