Fia Mia Academy: Our Commitment to Wellness
At Fia Mia Academy, we go above and beyond to ensure our students are healthy, happy, and thriving in every way. From the very beginning, our vision has been to treat every child as if they were our own. This commitment goes beyond safety and academics—it’s about providing the very best for each and every student. Read below to discover how Fia Mia Academy makes a difference in student wellness!
Reduce Plastic
Our school is dedicated to reducing plastic use wherever possible—and one way we do this is by providing our students with Ahimsa dishware. So, what does that mean? Ahimsa stainless steel dishes are made from premium-grade 304 18/8 stainless steel—recycled, clean, and MADE SAFE® certified—ensuring we never compromise on ingredient safety. MADE SAFE® products are screened to avoid over 15,000 harmful chemicals, including heavy metals and developmental toxins.
These plates are also GreenScreen® certified, meaning they are free from PFAS and thousands of other chemicals known to pose risks to human health and the environment. Stainless steel is the only kid-friendly material recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Ahimsa plates contain no BPA, BPS, or other bisphenols; PVC; phthalates; PFAS; Teflon-like coatings; non-stick layers; lead; cadmium; mercury; arsenic; melamine; polypropylene; paints; adhesives; or chemical dyes. For more details, please visit their website.
We take pride in reducing plastic both in and out of the classroom. In our kitchen, we use as much stainless steel and other non-plastic materials as possible. We also serve water and milk from stainless steel Stanley® jugs instead of plastic containers. In the classrooms, you’ll notice our commitment to this same philosophy—wooden furniture, and toys and learning materials chosen to minimize plastic whenever possible.
Reduce Toxins
At Fia Mia Academy, a key part of our wellness mission is reducing students’ exposure to toxins. Just as we do for our own children, we choose items with the fewest possible chemicals. That’s why we provide organic cotton sheets and blankets for our students—and why we wash these delicate items with Molly’s Suds laundry detergent.
Molly’s Suds products are free from synthetic fragrances, dyes, and contaminants such as 1,4-dioxane, formaldehyde, VOCs, optical brighteners, phosphates, chlorine, sodium laureth sulfate (SLES), phthalates, parabens, methylisothiazolinone, cocamide DEA, and more. We appreciate their mindful approach to ingredient safety and feel confident using their products for our most precious young learners. For more information about Molly’s Suds please view their website.
Reverse Osmosis
At Fia Mia Academy, we are committed to reducing toxins at every level—this includes not only the food we serve, but also the water our students drink. All of our drinking water is filtered through a reverse osmosis system, one of the most effective filtration methods available.
Reverse osmosis works by pushing water through a semipermeable membrane that blocks a wide range of contaminants, including heavy metals, nitrates, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, bacteria, and even some viruses. This makes the water especially safe for vulnerable groups, such as infants and children with developing immune systems.
We love our reverse osmosis system because it purifies water without the use of chlorine or other harmful chemicals. Each morning, we filter our water and place it in stainless steel pitchers, ensuring our students have access to the cleanest, freshest water possible while eliminating microplastics.
Weeds and Lawn Care
Notice some weeds? It’s not neglect! At Fia Mia Academy, we choose not to use Roundup or other chemical weed killers that are extremely harmful to children. We also avoid chemical treatments on our lawns to keep our grass green. While this means our grounds may not always look perfectly manicured, our students’ health and safety are always our top priority.
We love involving our students in picking weeds and gardening as a team—an activity that teaches valuable life lessons. During the summer, you might notice a vinegar scent on campus; we use a safe mixture of white vinegar and dish soap to help control weeds across our acre of land. Thank you for your understanding and support as we prioritize wellness over esthetics!