Schools
Farm to School
By improving the offerings of fresh fruits and vegetables, Farm to School programs will help make the healthy choice the easy choice for students and school staff. Kids eat more fresh, local foods and learn about where their food comes from, all while supporting local farmers. By connecting farms and schools, children, schools and farmers all benefit. Foley School District has built a farm to school program that has continued to grow and flourish over the years, working with farmers right here in Benton County!
Safe Routes to School
Safe Routes to School helps more kids walk and bicycle to school more often through infrastructure improvements, education and promotional activities. Walking and bicycling to school help families stay active and healthy, and kids arrive at school focused and ready to learn.
Additional Safe Routes to School Resources
Program Adoption
Rice Elementary School has adopted a Safe Routes to School plan. They have been diligently working toward implementing pieces of the plan. They have changed the way they do student pickup/drop off, and continue to encourage kids to walk and bike to school by educating their students on safety and organizing an annual walk to school day.
Implementation
Collaboratively, the City of Foley, Foley School District, Benton County Public Health, Benton County Highway Department, and Foley City Engineer completed the Transportation Alternatives Grant Application to begin implementing the pedestrian portion of Foley's Community Vision Plan, creating safer routes to school, and improving connections to the downtown business district. The City of Foley was awarded a Transportation Alternatives grant from the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). The $483,075 grant will be available for fiscal year 2022 and will fund pedestrian improvements to Highway 23 in Foley.
Addressing Concerns
After many discussions, the city and county decided it would be to everyone's benefit to create a City of Foley SRTS committee and apply for a Safe Routes to School planning grant to address a number of concerns, and increase the amount of people walking and biking in the community. On December 6th, 2016 the City of Foley adopted a resolution supporting Safe Routes to School efforts and a SRTS committee. To view the resolution, please view the Safe Routes to School (PDF). The City of Foley and Foley School District were awarded a Safe Routes to School Planning Grant. The committee will inform the direction of the plan. The planning process is intended to begin Fall 2018 and be completed by June 2019.
Active Schools Minnesota
Across Minnesota, schools are working to increase physical activity within the instructional setting, building a foundation for lifelong physical activity. Active classroom breaks, physical education and recess all mean kids not only are healthier, but also learn better. Foley school district has implemented Classroom Energizers (PDF) to get kids up and moving throughout the school day.
Through the 2 school districts in Benton County, SHIP activities have reached 3,432 people.