by Jeff Saunders

Reporter

Nordonia Hills -- St. Barnabas School tries to keep its students healthy and it has the state to vouch for it.

The school received the gold award, the highest possible, in the Buckeye Best Healthy School program for the 2007-08 school year. The program is sponsored by the Ohio Department of health in partnership with the American Cancer Society.

According to a list of applicants supplied by the health department, Ledgeview Elementary School in Macedonia was also honored with a bronze award. They are the only two Nordonia Hills schools on the list as applicants.

Kristopher Weiss, a health department spokesperson, said the program recognizes individual school buildings for their physical education programs, food offered in cafeterias and vending machines and tobacco avoidance.

Of the 1,214 schools that applied, according to the list, 102 received the gold award.

"Not everybody gets a gold silver or bronze award, but everyone gets at least a recognition for applying," said Weiss.

St. Barnabas Principal Beverly Tabacco said this is the fifth year the school has applied for the award. The first two years, she said, the school received the gold award, but as competition became more intense, the school dropped to bronze the next year, then rose to silver before achieving gold again.

"We're really excited about getting the gold this year," she said. "We have a very intense wellness program here."

For example, she said school nurse Karen Neurones has taken the lead in a policy of encouraging students and staff to wash their hands often. The school has also introduced separate health education classes in all grades, rather than the former practice of taking time out of gym class for it.

The cafeteria, she said, has been serving healthier foods, such as whole-grain breads and foods with less fat.

"There's a big attempt at getting more fruits and vegetables into the children and making it enjoyable," said Tabacco. "And we don't allow any nut foods at all in the building, including the cafeteria because we have 14 children who are allergic to nuts."

Other examples include introducing movement, including dance, into music lessons and having students take a longer route that includes more stair climbing to get to lunch on days when the weather does not permit recess.

"It sounds silly, but it really does help them get more exercise," said Tabacco.

Tabacco said the school also has an annual health fair in the spring, with doctor, nurses and teachers making presentations to students. Teaching tobacco avoidance is handled year-round by three Drug Abuse Resistance Education officers from the Summit County Sheriff's Office.

"They do a phenomenal job," said Tabacco.

Weiss said long-term purpose of the award is to honor and encourage schools which attempt to instill in kids healthy habits that will last a lifetime.

"Healthy children tend to grow up to be healthy adults, but unfortunately the reverse is also true," he said.

E-mail: jsaunders@recordpub.com

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