How to Implement Crunch&Sip®
How to Implement Crunch&Sip® in Your School
There are three steps in implementing Crunch&Sip® in your school. They are:
- Notifying staff and gathering support
- Setting up a Crunch&Sip® break in the classroom
- Getting the message out
A step-by-step guide on how to implement Crunch&Sip® is provided below.
Step 1 – Notifying Staff and Gathering Support
For Crunch&Sip® to be successful school-wide, all staff should be well informed of the benefits of Crunch&Sip®, and how easy it is to implement in the classroom.
Some ideas for promoting Crunch&Sip® to staff include:
- Identify like-minded teachers to support you
- Raise Crunch&Sip® at staff meetings
- Use the Crunch&Sip® presentation to present the program in an information session (you could invite parents to this also)
- Conduct a Crunch&Sip® trial in your classroom and present the results to staff
- Provide information (such as the Crunch&Sip® brochure or web address) to staff
- Present Crunch&Sip® to other committees or bodies within your school, such as the P&C/P&F or SRC to gain support
Step 2 – Setting up a Crunch&Sip® Break in the Classroom
Once you have decided to commence Crunch&Sip®, try the following steps to set up a break in the classroom:
Decide on a starting day for Crunch&Sip®.
Decide on a time to have Crunch&Sip® each day. Consider what time your class is most unsettled – this may be the best time to have the Crunch&Sip® break and get them back on track.
The week before you intend to begin Crunch&Sip®, notify your class. You could do this during show and tell, or one morning before the lesson begins. You could discuss with your class why eating fruit and vegetables and drinking water is important, and explain what Crunch&Sip® is and how it helps us to eat healthily.
The week before you should also notify your students’ parents of your intention to begin Crunch&Sip®. Send a note home to explain Crunch&Sip®, or give parents a brochure.
Work with your class to establish some class rules. Rules should include practical aspects of the Crunch&Sip® break, and food hygiene and safety. An example of some class rules could be:
- Students will bring fruit or vegetables every day to eat during Crunch&Sip®
- Students will bring a clear plastic water bottle every day
- Students should fill their water bottle each day
- Only fresh, canned or dried fruit and salad vegetables are permitted during Crunch&Sip®
- Only plain water is permitted in the water bottles
- Water bottles are to be washed every day
- Fruit and vegetables are to be washed before eating (at home or at school)
- Students must wash their hands before eating
Begin Crunch&Sip®!
Getting the Message Out
Once your school decides to begin Crunch&Sip®, you need to let the school community know. Parents, staff and students should be made aware of the importance of drinking water and eating fruit and vegetables. Why not try the following ideas to help gain the support from the school community:
- Hold a launch – Have an official Crunch&Sipâ launch in your school. This could take place on a special day, at an assembly or during a special meeting. Have fruit, vegetables and water for a Crunch&Sip® morning or afternoon tea.
- Publicise – Publicise Crunch&Sip® as widely as possible. You could contact your local newspaper, or write a media release, send letters home to parents, distribute the Crunch&Sip® brochure to parents, give out information during orientation and enrolment or use the newsletter inserts to remind parents about Crunch&Sip®
- Work with local retailers/wholesalers – Try forming a partnership with a local grocer or fruit wholesaler. You could seek donations in return for advertising space in the school newsletter.
- Hold a poster competition – ask students to design posters for Crunch&Sip® to display in your school or at your canteen. The winner could win a school canteen voucher.
The rest is easy – have a Crunch&Sip® break in your class everyday and spread the healthy eating message!