Four Santa Rosa elementary schools recognized among the healthiest in the U.S.

Four Santa Rosa City Schools have been recognized by a national health nonprofit as some of the healthiest schools in the U.S.

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, one of the country’s largest school-based obesity prevention initiatives, released its list of 461 healthiest schools across 26 states last week. The four Santa Rosa elementary schools that made the list were Abraham Lincoln, Helen M. Lehman, James Monroe and Proctor Terrace.

To be recognized by Healthier Generation, schools must meet or exceed federal nutrition standards, offer daily breakfast, implement district wellness policies and provide at least an hour of physical activity a week.

“The most important investments we can make are those that support kids’ health and education,” said Brian Weaver, chief program officer at Healthier Generation.

Lincoln Elementary proudly displayed on a wall of its multipurpose room a large, orange banner from 2015-17 that read “America’s Healthiest Schools.” The school will soon hang a second banner just like it.

“Academic requirements are so high that it really takes passionate, dedicated teachers to bring wellness as a priority to the kids,” said Lincoln kindergarten teacher Dawn Baskin, who also serves as the school’s wellness champion.

Baskin said healthy food options are served at Lincoln for breakfast and lunch, where there’s a salad bar and fruit every day. She teaches her young students to cut back on sugar. At an upcoming birthday celebration, students are opting for a pizza party instead of sugar-filled cupcakes with frosting.

“The kids are really open and willing to when they’re young, and it just sets the bar for having lifelong healthy habits,” said Baskin, who has taught kindergarten at Lincoln for 23 years.

Baskin credits the district’s goals for wellness as one reason why her school was recognized nationally. A wellness champion is assigned at every elementary school, and in that role Baskin is part of the wellness committee and goes to training sessions on how to bring healthy practices to students.

The school has fun runs once a week, where students walk or jog a mile at Jacobs Park next door or on the blacktop when it’s raining.

“In all seasons they can get their mile,” Baskin said.

Students also are encouraged to participate in the “I do 26.2” program, where they walked 26.2 miles over the course of the school year.

Baskin tells students to drink lots of water and get good sleep so their brains will be ready for learning. Her kindergarten students enjoy being advocates for healthy living.

“You can show them you can be role models for your families and they love that. It empowers them,” she said. Six other Bay area schools made the healthiest schools list, including schools from Novato, San Rafael, San Leandro and Pittsburg.

You can reach Staff Writer Susan Minichiello at 707-521-5216 or susan.minichiello@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @susanmini.