Warwick Board Forms School Health Council

By LAURA KNOWLES, Correspondent

Warwick School District is forming a School Health Council to focus on the health and wellness of its students.

District superintendent Stephen Iovino told the school board Sept. 6 that the council is being formed as a response to a state requirement for a school wellness policy in every district.

Their first meeting will be at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 29 at the district meeting room. Participants will include several school board members, nurses, health and physical education teachers, school psychologists, medical professionals, parents and community members.

The council will be set up to take a broader look at the health concerns of our students, Iovino said.

He said many aspects of health issues will be explored, ranging from school lunches to physical education curriculum. The main emphasis will be on helping students develop healthy lifestyles.

The district has contacted various local organizations in order to consult on some of the issues involved in the wellness policy. Some of them include the local police, fire companies, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Ambucs, Pfizer, Heart of Lancaster Hospital and Lititz Community Center.

In other business, Iovino reported that as of the start of school Sept. 7 there were no Hurricane Katrina survivors enrolled in the school district. However, if needed, students relocating to this area would be welcomed and able to enroll without the usual requirements for transcripts and other school records.