WEST AFTER SCHOOL CENTER
NEWS & OPINION

April 2007

Our mission is to provide opportunities that enrich the educational, social, and cultural experiences of students and families in our community.

620 Garfield Avenue, Lancaster, OH  43130  --    740-653-5678  --  740-653-2402 FAX

Coming Soon to the WASC!  P.T. Reptiles – “An experience in reptiles--specializing in snakes.”  This is an interactive presentation with turtles, snakes, tarantulas, scorpions, frogs, and maybe an alligator.

Wednesday, April 18^th at 4:00 p.m.

Sponsored by the Fairfield Family Festival. 

Entire families are welcome!

Email:  pyoung@westafterschoolcenter.org

Visit us at www.westafterschoolcenter.org

Dr. Paul G. Young, Executive Director

Mrs. Jane Hart, Student & Family Coordinator

Mrs. Julie Bibler, Tutoring Program Administrator

Mrs. Chris Kuttler, Office Manager

WASC Will be a Sponsor of the Summer Food Program, Starting June 4

Plan now to take advantage of the free summer lunch program being offered Monday-Friday during the summer months, 11:30-1:0– p.m. The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federally funded program that provides meal reimbursement to child care centers for serving nutritious meals. The objectives of CACFP are to:

· Improve the diets of children by providing nutritious meals.

· Help children develop good eating habits that will last through the years.

Again, ANY CHILD under age 18 can participate, regardless of the current enrollment status for the school lunch program.

Do Kids Gain More Weight When School Is In or Out?

Quite often, media pundits challenge the nutritional content, variety of foods, and quality of offerings of typical school lunches. The same people who chastise administrators and food service officials for the lack of variety, balance, or taste of the lunches seldom eat them. It is vogue to target the school lunch program as a leading contributor to the national childhood obesity epidemic. Also, there is often a public outcry when recess and physical education classes are cut. Schools feel the brunt for most of the problems that children experience. But what kids eat and the amount of exercise they get while at school may not be so bad after all. It may even be true that kids control their weight better when they are in day and after school programs than with their parents.

The findings from a new study being released this month in the American Journal of Public Health challenges the assumption that school lunches are unhealthy. Studying data from the National Center for Education Statistics, collected from more than 5,000 kindergarten and first grade students from 1998-2000, researchers at Indiana University and The Ohio State University discovered that kids’ body mass indexes increased during the summer months at a rate almost twice as much compared with the nine months they were in school. Growth in height and weight should be gradual, steady, and consistent throughout the year.

Doug Downey, an Ohio State sociologist and co-author of the study, wrote “trying to improve the quality of school lunches, getting the soda machines out of schools — those are still good approaches. But clearly the source of children’s obesity problems lie outside the school.” The trends noted in the report clearly indicate a summer gain in fat mass. The kids in the study were only 5 or 6, unable to purchase foods at the grocery, and reliant upon the provisions of their parents. In the summer, they were more likely to have more time for snacks and less monitoring of eating habits and exercise.

In most schools, the structure prevents time for excessive snacking. The sum of movements from one activity to another, combined with scheduled physical education classes and recess adds up to more activity than when kids are home lounging in front of the TV. Despite what the media presents, the healthy habits being promoted in day and after school programs appears to have a more positive impact than in the home. The challenge is to reach parents, provide them information and ideas, and gaining their commitment in developing healthy eating and fitness lifestyles — each day throughout the year.

The snacks and meals served at the WASC meet the standards for a balanced serving size and include items that meet the recommended daily food requirements. Students shouldn’t need a lot more. That’s the key. The overall amount of what kids and adults eat contributes to excess weight gains more than the singular types of foods consumed.

Coupled with issues about growth rates are concerns for youngsters who have little or nothing to eat at home—certainly nothing nutritious. The findings of this study, and many others like it, point to the need for schools and parents to work together to meet all students’ needs. The extended time that students spend in school and after school programs generally contributes to better health. Opportunities need to be available for all families. All kids need to ride bikes, walk, run, swim, dance, play sports, and be active each day. Everyone must work together to keep our children fit and trim and healthy for a lifetime.                                                               

Watch our Television Show on  the LSN

Channel 6 Time Warner Cable

New episodes air at 8:00 p.m. on Thursdays.

Healthy Living for Kids

"STUDENTS MAKING Art R TOPS"

S.M.A.R.T.  ART

Encourage your child to draw!  Submit your child's or grandchildren's art creations in JPEG form via email to: pictures@westafterschoolcenter.org

Include the artist's name and age. Copies will be made and added to the West After School Center Student Art Gallery, posted on the WASC Website (www.westafterschoolcenter.org), and featured on subsequent episodes of Healthy Living for Kids. As the pictures tell, kids are very creative and love art at the earliest age!

Good health involves the mind, body, and soul!

S.M.A.R.T.  ART

OU-L Reading Academy at the WASC

The Spring Quarter reading academy will soon be underway, three Saturdays in April (14, 21, & 28) and three in May(5, 12, and 19). The summer class is being scheduled and can accommodate 35 students. These classes are a great way for students to receive one-on-one attention and assessment of their reading skills and progress. Classes are also being arranged for three Tuesdays in June and a three week period, Monday-Friday in July. If you would like your child to participate, or know of children from other schools that would benefit, please visit our website, complete, and return an application.  www.westafterschoolcenter.org

Friday Fun Day Swimming

Robert K. Fox Family Y

Friday, April 13, 2007

3:40-5:00 p.m.—busing provided

Children do not need to know how to swim.

Encourage your child to learn while enjoying the fun and recreation!