2023-2024 School Wellness Policy
Mission
At Cristo Rey Boston High School, we recognize that nurturing the holistic development of our students goes beyond the confines of the academic realm. While academic excellence remains a cornerstone of our mission, we believe in fostering a dynamic environment where students can explore their passions, cultivate personal growth, and engage with the world around them.
Our commitment extends beyond traditional classroom education. Through comprehensive programs designed to support spiritual and personal development, we aim to empower every member of our community—students and staff alike—to thrive both inside and outside the classroom.
Led by the Student Life Office, our athletic and extracurricular initiatives provide vital avenues for students to discover their talents, build character, and forge meaningful connections beyond the academic curriculum.
Together, we strive to cultivate a vibrant, inclusive community where each individual can flourish academically, personally, professionally, and spiritually, preparing them to become compassionate, resilient leaders in an ever-changing world. Cristo Rey Boston High School has formed a Wellness Committee to focus on the health and wellness of our students in line with the Jesuit ideal of cura personalis, care for the whole person.
Committee
The Wellness Committee will be responsible for implementing and upholding the school’s wellness policy. The committee is embedded as part of the school’s Student Success Team (SST) and the Academic Advisory Team (AAT), which meets on a bi-weekly basis.
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Members of the Wellness Committee
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Thomas Ryan
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Principal
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Hulda Tulloch
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Food Service Manager
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Celia Williams
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Director of Business and Operations
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Joshua Ramos
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Dean of Students Culture
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Tanya Fortes
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Director of Counseling
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Jamie Griffin
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Assistant Business Manager
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Danielle West
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Parent Representative, Assistant Principal of Student Life
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Elizabeth Ortiz
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Director of Parent and Student Engagement
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Derrick Foster
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Director of Athletics
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Sherley Reyes
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Executive Assistant
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Cheryl Cavanaugh
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School Nurse
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Bob Fanning
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Special Education Consultant
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James Gumataotao
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Campus Ministry
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Student rep TBD
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A member from student government
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Meetings: Purpose, Sequence, and Cadence
Purpose: Our meetings serve as crucial platforms for reviewing policy compliance, assessing progress, and identifying areas for enhancement. Integral to this process is the review of our nutrition and physical activity policies, ensuring that our school environment consistently promotes healthy eating habits and physical well-being. As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, we will adjust wellness policies as needed and develop actionable plans to support their implementation effectively.
Sequence: Adopting Harvard's Meeting Wise protocols, our meetings will follow a structured agenda distributed in advance to all participants and stakeholders. Each meeting will be allotted 45 minutes to ensure efficient and productive discussions.
Cadence: The Wellness Committee will convene five times during the academic year, strategically timed to coincide with the conclusion of each academic quarter. The schedule is as follows:
Meeting #1: Last week of August
Meeting #2: Second week of November
Meeting #3: Last week of January
Meeting #4: First week of April
Meeting #5: Third week of June
This cadence ensures consistent engagement and allows for timely reviews and adjustments, fostering a culture of proactive wellness management within our school community.
Nutrition & Promotion
Our school is committed to serving healthy meals to our students, meeting their nutrition needs and calorie requirements while accommodating their cultural food preferences and special dietary needs.
Foods of minimal nutritional value, including brands and illustrations, shall not be advertised, or marketed in educational materials.
- School staff are partnering with the Food Project program to provide opportunities for students to plant raised gardens to grow herbs and vegetables outside of the school.
- Through the weekly parent newsletter, families are encouraged to promote healthy nutrition, starting at home.
- Time provided for lunch is sufficient for eating and socializing, under proper supervision.
- Water fountains are on every floor and hallway of the school building, ensuring students have access to clean water during and after the school day.
- All fundraising activities involving food, including bake sales, are done after school hours.
- The school environment will reinforce the development of healthy eating habits, including offering healthy foods, health-conscience fundraising, and staff wellness support. The Health Office reinforces healthy eating habits.
Nutrition Education
- Administrators, faculty, and staff support the development of healthy lifestyles for students through encouragement and education.
- Menus offer healthy choices that include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, low-fat dairy products. School meals meet the standards established by the USDA.
- Water is always available during lunch and students are encouraged to stay hydrated throughout the day. Water is available each day in the lunchroom as well as filtered water fountains on each floor available to students at all times during the school day.
- Cafeteria staff will participate in providing nutrition education through new food experiences and exposed to a wide variety of food choices. Consistent encouragement is given to students to try new foods and discourage students from making negative comments about new foods and healthy foods, so they learn to try new flavors.
- Our nursing staff has expressed concerns regarding our students' weight and unhealthy eating patterns. The health office team actively collaborates with students to cultivate essential nutrition-related skills, such as meal planning, interpreting and utilizing food labels, and critically assessing nutrition information, misinformation, and commercial food advertising.
Foods Available at Schools, Including School Meals and Competitive Foods
Our school is committed to ensuring that all foods and beverages available to students on the school campus during the school day support healthy eating.
- Food safety is a top priority, the kitchen facility is inspected twice a year. All foods are served and prepared in a health inspected facility under the guidance of the Health Department.
- All foods are prepared and served in compliance with health regulations, ensuring a safe dining environment for students.
- School meals are priced affordably to ensure accessibility for all students.
- Meals are distributed in a manner which allows anonymity for students receiving free and reduced meals.
- Fundraisers prioritize promoting healthy eating and wellness and are scheduled after school hours.
- Fundraising activities will strive to support healthy eating and wellness and will not compete with breakfast or lunch. All fundraising activities will be conducted after school.
Physical Activity
We understand the importance of promoting exercising which will add to our students’ physical and mental health to improve their health throughout their lives. All students are encouraged and have the option to participate in physical activities throughout the year.
- This year has seen a significant increase in student participation in extracurricular activities, with up to 30% of our student body actively involved in sports.
- The gym is accessible before and after school hours for student use, except for specific sports programs such as basketball, volleyball, cheerleading, track, etc.
- A variety of sports are offered through the MIAA, providing diverse opportunities for athletic engagement.
- Community days foster school spirit and physical activity through friendly competitions between students and staff in various sports and activities.
- Staff are encouraged to utilize school facilities outside of school hours for group fitness classes, walking programs, and individual exercise.
- The school will launch a walking program to promote fitness and healthy lifestyle habits among students and staff.
Extra-Curricular Enrichment
A range of clubs, including Art, Music, Student Government, National Honor Society, and Prom Committee, contribute to student engagement and well-rounded development.
Extracurricular Clubs:
Establishing extracurricular clubs such as a Chess Club and a Writing Club to promote intellectual and creative pursuits among students, providing opportunities for students to develop critical thinking skills and express their creativity.
Prom Committee and Student Government:
Engaging students in organizing school events by forming a Prom Committee, empowering student voices and fostering leadership skills through active participation in Student Government and leading various initiatives like the Valentine’s Day Gram Fundraisers, raffles, spirit week bake sales, etc.
Other Issues Relating to Student Health and Wellness
- Hand sanitizers are readily available throughout the school premises, promoting regular hand hygiene among students.
- Installation of HALO Health sensors in bathrooms enhances health monitoring, detecting various potential hazards and ensuring a safe environment.
- Nursing staff collaborate with families to ensure students' immunizations are up to date, prioritizing their overall health and well-being.
- Students actively participate in maintaining a clean cafeteria, fostering a sense of responsibility and respect for school property.
- The school hosts health clinics and screenings, encouraging parents to enroll their children in relevant health insurance programs.
- The school host regular morning coffees for parents and caregivers to provide educational opportunities on health and wellness topics.
- Establishing visits from therapy dogs as part of the school's wellness initiatives facilitated by the Counseling office provides emotional support and stress relief for students and staff.
- Establishing monthly listening sessions, including lunch with the president with each grade level to honor student input, creating a forum for students to voice their concerns, suggestions, and feedback on various aspects of school life.
Community/Parent Engagement
- Implementing incentives to increase parent engagement, such as gift cards and dinner for attending school meetings and events, fostering a collaborative relationship between parents and the school community.
- Inviting parents to participate in the CRB Thanksgiving Lunch as a gesture of appreciation and community involvement, strengthening the bond between parents, students, and school staff through shared experiences and celebrations.
Monitoring and Evaluation
The Principal, along with the Director of Business and Operations and Wellness Committee members, ensures compliance with the Wellness Policy and oversees implementation procedures. The Wellness Policy undergoes a comprehensive review every three years, with progress reports.
