By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
TOORADIN Primary School has been officially recognised as the first school in Victoria to reach all eight benchmarks set a part of the Victorian Governments ‘Healthy Together Achievement’ program.
Principal Marj Scarce said the program outlined nothing the school hadn’t already implemented.
“It wasn’t because we had to start up any new programs, it was because we had everything in place and it was just a matter of writing it all up and showing what we were currently doing,” Ms Scarce said.
Cate Bradley from the Centre of Excellence in Intervention and Prevention Science and Julia Hobbs from the Cardinia Shire presented the school with their last two icons on Monday 25 May.
A part of the state-wide program including secondary and primary schools, Tooradin Primary School now has the status as the healthiest school in Victoria.
“It took us about 18 months to get all eight icons, our children here can only bring water to school, we have a healthy canteen, we are a sun smart school and have always been involved in regional and district sports,” Ms Scarce said.
The key priority areas covered healthy eating, oral health, physical activity, sun protection, tobacco control, mental health and wellbeing, safe environments, sexual health and alcohol and other drug use.
Ms Scarce said those areas have always been a key priority at the school.
“They have always been a part of the children’s education and that has been a practice of ours right from the start- that the students here get an all-round education.”
