Dear Parent/ Guardian,

 

In September 2007, the Labrador School Board adopted a Nutrition Policy aimed at promoting healthy eating and lifestyles for all of our stakeholders.  The entire policy can be found at http://www.lsb.ca/main/POLICY.htm  under the heading Nutrition Policy.  The most pertinent part of that policy right now pertains to energy drinks.  It reads:

 

Student access to food:

 

Criteria for Food and Beverages Available in Vending Machines, Canteens,

School Lunch, Breakfast Programs, and Snack Programs;

  • Foods and beverages sold or made available at school for lunch, canteen, and  snack programs will be selected from the “Serve Most ”or “ Serve Moderately” lists and will emphasize vegetables and fruit; lower fat white and/or chocolate  milk; whole grain products; lean meats; foods prepared with little or no fat; and foods low in salt, sugar, and caffeine.

 

  • Energy drinks are high in caffeine, sugar, and additives. As schools are concerned about their affect on student’s behaviour and health, these drinks are not permitted on school property.

 

Similarly, there is a very informative article on our School site entitled Energy Drinks – Handout for Parents which details exactly what these drinks are and the negative effects associated with them. Additional information is also available at;

 

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=68eb3578-0aae-4409-ba83-c964aef1daf6

 

 

Based on this information, we are asking you NOT to send energy drinks to school with your child.  In the very near future, we will be asking teachers to confiscate these drinks from students if they have them in our school.  Should your child have an unopened energy drink taken from them, it will be available for you to retrieve from the main office.  Opened drinks that have been confiscated will be discarded.

 

We are taking these measures to be compliant with our School Board Policy as well as to provide a safer environment for the education of our students.

 

Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at the school.

 

 

Lester B. Simmons, Principal                                               Fraser Drover, Vice-Principal