Blue Zones Project is a community-wide initiative designed to promote healthier living in homes, workplaces, schools, etc.
In schools, the Blue Zones Project helps schools create a healthy school environment, and gives staff and students the information needed to make decisions that will give them a better chance of living longer, healthier lives.
Is the program flexible and voluntary? Yes! Blue Zones schools checklist offers many different items so each school can assemble a program that suits its needs. The Board approved the pilot project on Sept. 8, so the District will try the Blue Zones Project in 4 schools (2 elementary schools, 1 middle, and 1 high school in the same feeder pattern). Other schools will be added later.
Who will be designing the projects? School committees are already set up to manage health and wellness. These committees will help coordinate Blue Zones Projects. Each school will select activities from the Blue Zones schools checklist, then adopt its own site-specific initiatives. A school coordinator will help schools implement their projects.
The Board discussed the Blue Zones pilot projects again at a work session on Oct. 20 (see below). Please share your ideas and opinions with the school board and Dr. Patton.
CCPS Blue Zones Pilot Project
Community Feedback Needed
How to Get Involved
If you have a child in a pilot school - Naples High School, Gulfview Middle School, Sea Gate and Lake Park Elementary Schools - contact your principal if you'd like to provide input or join or attend Blue Zones wellness council (Healthy Schools Team) meetings.
If you're not in a pilot school, you have a year or more to research Blue Zones, and attend information sessions, and discuss the opportunities with family and friends.
The next Blue Zones gathering will be held at North Collier Regional Park at 15000 Livingston Rd., Naples, at 9AM-12:30PM on Saturday, November 14, 2015. The first 100 people will get a free copy of Dan Buettner's book. This is a great opportunity to meet the staff and ask questions.
Download the documents on Blue Zones, and read about the projects in other states.
Start getting in shape for the District's 5K Run to be held at the MLK Administrative Center on December 5, 2015.
In August 2015, Marion High School in Iowa became the first high school worldwide to ever become Blue Zones official. In order to become a "Blue" school, they adopted nutrition programs, an evolving building environment and programs to promote health and well-being. Some of the proposed activities at Marion High School are a healthy snack cart, a salad bar, a second chance breakfast, and advanced nutrition education.
August 11th Blue Zones Comments: Where Do Board Members Stand?
Mrs. Lichter appreciates the benefits of fitness, but opposes Blue Zones because she believes the curriculum needs to be revised first.
Mrs. Sprague supports the initiative, having spent most of her career instilling healthy life lessons into CCPS students.
In a nutshell, Mr. Terry sees Blue Zones as a project that promotes healthy lifestyles without infringing on parents rights. He supports the Blue Zones pilot project, but expressed concerns about potential impacts on teachers.
Mrs. Donalds does not support the pilot project. She perceives Blue Zones as a "special interest" initiative that promotes alcohol consumption.
Dr. Patton has some concerns with Blue Zones, but is confident that staff and parents can collaborate successfully on a plan for each school.
Mrs. Curatolo supports the initiative because it's a research-based collaboration with the community, and healthy children are linked to intellectual success.
School Board Voted on Sept. 8:
Blue Zones Pilot Approved
The Board voted 3-2 to allow Superintendent Patton to sign the Blue Zones blueprint with other community leaders, approving the launch of pilot Blue Zones Projects in 4 schools - Sea Gate and Lake View Elementary, Gulfview Middle, and Naples High Schools.
More concerns addressed:
Concern #7: Board Members Donalds and Lichter complained that fellow board members don't listen to parents' input.
Let's examine that. Were there valid concerns expressed by parents that were not addressed by the Board?
Aside from the concerns expressed by Mrs. Donalds and Mrs. Lichter on the dais (summarized on this page), "their constituents" asked the Board to reject the project because:
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it is a form of social engineering,
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it restricts choices,
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it's a local conspiracy,
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it is a federal government program ("overreach of the nanny state"),
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it's a UN conspiracy.
These statements were repeated by different community members at least six times apiece.
Parents are "up in arms about this," according to Mrs. Donalds. Of the seven CCPS parents who spoke against Blue Zones, four had attended Mrs. Donald's parents group's misinformation session (to which Blue Zones was not invited), two are parent-attorneys who sued the District, and a spouse.
These 7 individuals do not represent the views of all parents in the District, and their comments are factually inaccurate.
Concern #8: Teachers don't know what's
going on.
Dr. Patton: Teachers are hesitant to speak about Blue Zones because the issue has become so politicized. Also, often new projects are tried out on small scales, rather than trying to seek broad public parent and teacher input. At an earlier meeting, she said she checked with pilot school staff members before moving ahead.
Concern #9: The District needs to focus on CCPS' core mission, academics.
Mrs. Sprague pointed out at a past meeting that healthy lifestyles will help students' academic performance.
Mr. Ian Dean, CCPS Human Resources Director, presented more information about the composition of the wellness councils, and how the District will measure success.
October 20th School Board Work Session
Parents from all 4 pilot schools spoke in favor of Blue Zones:
Parents from other schools are eager for Blue Zones:
NCH & BZ staff comments:
Deb Millsap
Executive Director Blue Zones Project
Alma McDermott
Schools Coordinator
Blue Zones Project
Paula DiGrigoli
Engagement Lead
Blue Zones Project & CCPS Parent
Dr. Allen Weiss
President & CEO
NCH Healthcare System
Q: Why do we need the Blue Zones Project?
Q: Collier County kids are healthy now, aren't they?
Q: Who will choose the Blue Zones activities?
Q: What will happen if a school doesn't get certified?
Q: Who will pick the members of the wellness councils?
The Blue Zones Project gives community members - young and old - an opportunity to eat healthier and get active together. Becoming a Blue Zones-certified school signals to new families and businesses looking to move into the area that the school makes improving the health and well-being of its students a priority.
Mr. Dean described the evidence that improving student health by increasing physical activity and better nutrition can: increase greater focus and attention, decrease discipline problems, improve attendance, boost academic achievement.
Southwest Florida ranks among the healthiest communities in Florida, but childhood obesity rates are now over 20%, with an additional 18-19% of becoming overweight. This evidence suggests that CCPS students can benefit from better nutrition and more exercise.
The 4 pilot schools invited every family to an informational meeting, sending home a flyer in 3 languages. Here's the English version of the Naples High flyer:
Parents are invited to communicate their ideas and concerns to principals.
Each pilot school principal sets up a Blue Zones wellness council, starting with the Healthy Schools Team set up to keep track of the number of candy fundraiser exception days allowed by the USDA Smarts Snacks initiative. The Bleu Zones wellness councils (Healthy School Teams) include all stakeholders: parents, teachers, students and community members.
If a school doesn't achieve the number of points needed to become Blue Zones-certified, then it will not become Blue Zones-certified. That's is. The schools that achieve certification will add that feather to their cap. Those that don't will still benefit by making an effort to participate in the project.
Body Mass Index is already measured by the County Health Department. Test scores may be reviewed, but there will be no way to know whether changes in performance are due to Blue Zones Project participation.
Q: How will the District measure success?
What's happening with Blue Zones?
Concern #5: Why weren't Blue Zones pilot schools included in the Board's motion?
Mrs. Sprague amended the motion to include the 4 pilot schools. The project is nonbinding. If it doesn't fit a school's need well, the school will simply choose not to become certified.
Concern #1: Does Blue Zones conflict with school policies on health and wellness?
Mr. Fishbane: It does not. It offers new choices.
Many concerns addressed:
Concern #2: School wellness councils will design projects that are burdensome to staff and families.
Dr. Patton: Trust school principals who wll reach out to parents and teachers through SAC, PTA, PTO, and faculty meetings to solicit input for project design. Each project will be customized for each school with community input.
Concern #3: Who is on the wellness councils? How were they appointed?
Dr. Patton: Wellness committees that were set up to satisfy state requirements to record candy fundraising exemptions will take on the task of designing Blue Zones Project. Members were appointed by principals.
Concern #4: Will Wellness Councils make policy or are they advisory?
Mr. Fishbane: Blue Zones does not alter District policy. At the informational meeting, Dr. Patton said that School Wellness Councils will be selecting school activities, not changing District policy.
Concern #6: The District needs a plan to measure the success of this project.
Mrs. Donalds wants a more detailed strategy than the District provided in the blueprint (see the 10/20/15 work session presentation below).
