Wellness Plan
The District is committed to providing a school environment that promotes and protects children's health, well-being, and the ability to learn by fostering healthy eating and physical activity. The District has established a wellness committee to develop the District's proposed local wellness policy, making such policy recommendations for review and adoption by the Board of Education. The District's wellness committee includes, but is not limited to, representatives from each of the following groups:
a) Parents;
b) Students;
c) The District's food service program;
d) The School Board;
e) School administrators; and
f) Members of the public.
The District Wellness Committee will assess current activities, programs and policies available in the District; identify specific areas of need within the District; develop the policy; and provide mechanisms for implementation, evaluation, revision and updating of the policy. The Wellness Committee is established to represent the local community's perspective in developing the wellness policy for the District.
Goals to Promote Student Wellness
Taking into account the parameters of the School District (academic programs, annual budget, staffing issues, and available facilities) as well as the community in which the District is located (the general economy; socioeconomic status; local tax bases; social cultural and religious influences; geography; and legal, political and social institutions) the Wellness Committee recommends the following District goals relating to nutrition education, physical activity and other school-based activities:
Nutrition Education
The District will provide nutrition education to facilitate the voluntary adoption of healthy eating habits and other nutrition-related behaviors conducive to health and well-being by establishing the following standards for:
a) Classroom teaching:
*What do we want to be taught in the classroom; what standards should be followed; what specific learning outcomes do we expect?
*In addition to specifics relating to nutrition content of foods, will we recommend incorporation of instruction on healthy body image, weight management and eating disorders?
b) Education, marketing and promotion links outside the classroom:
*What nutrition education do we want to occur outside the classroom that links the classroom nutrition education program to the larger school community (e.g., school gardens, cafeteria-based nutrition programs)?
c) Fundraising activities:
*What food-related fundraising activities, if any, are appropriate for the District?
d) Teacher training:
*What initial training and ongoing professional development do we want in place to aid staff in teaching nutrition?
Physical Activity
The District will provide opportunities for every student to develop the knowledge and skills for specific physical activities, to maintain physical fitness, to regularly participate in physical activity, and to understand the short-term and long-term benefits of a physically active and healthy lifestyle.
The Wellness Committee has determined that the following standards are necessary to achieve this goal:
a) Physical education graduation requirements:
*What amount of physical education instruction will be required for graduation?
b) Physical education class requirements:
*How many minutes per day/week? How many days per week? What intensity of physical activity?
*Italicized wording is included to assist the Wellness Committee in developing standards for the District.
*Are appropriate physical activities provided for special populations?
*What should be the teacher-to-student ratio for physical education class at specific grade levels?
*Should we use national or state-developed standards for physical education?
c) Staff training/certification for physical education:
*What requirements should we have for professional preparation and/or ongoing professional development for classroom teachers, physical education teachers, coaches, etc.?
d) Physical activity outside physical education classes:
*How many minutes per day/week, how many days per week and at what level of intensity should classroom-based physical activities occur?
*How many minutes per day/week, how many days per week and at what level of intensity should recess or free-time activities be scheduled?
*Should we encourage walking or biking to school, and if so, how?
Other School-based Activities
The District wishes to establish a school environment that presents consistent wellness messages and is conducive to healthy eating and physical activity for all. In order to present a coordinated school approach where District decision-making related to nutrition and physical activity encompasses all aspects of the school, the Wellness Committee has determined that the following standards are necessary to achieve this goal:
a) Federal School Meal Programs:
The District will participate to the maximum extent practicable in available federal school meal programs [School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program (including after-school snacks), Summer Food Service Program, Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (including suppers)].
b) Access to school nutrition programs:
*How can we ensure that all eligible children have access to free/reduced price meals in a non-stigmatizing manner?
*Do we offer meal options that are culturally sensitive and address special dietary needs?
c) Meal environment:
*Does meal timing and scheduling encourage participation in the school nutrition programs?
*Is the physical environment conducive to proper eating habits?
*Are staff encouraged to eat with students?
d) After-school programs for students:
*Do our after-school programs incorporate nutrition related components and/or physical activity in line with our school-based philosophy?
e) Community access to District facilities for physical activities:
*Do we provide facility access to students, families, staff, and the community for physical activity?
*How do we support staff wellness activities?
*Does our adult education program offer classes relating to the District's wellness philosophy?
f) Community involvement:
*How do we involve family and/or community members in wellness planning beyond the required participation on the Wellness Committee and/or School Health Committee?
*How will we publicize our Wellness Policy?
g) Sustainable food practices:
*Do we have standards for environmentally-friendly practices relating to food service in the schools?
*Do we encourage a school garden as well as use of locally grown and seasonal foods?
Nutrition Guidelines
The District Wellness Committee will recommend which nutrition standards will be established for all foods available on school campus during the school day based upon the unique needs of the student body and the community. The goal is to encourage healthy lifelong eating habits by providing foods that are high in nutrients, low in fat and added sugars, and of moderate portion size.
Nutritional Values of Foods and Beverages
a) Reimbursable school meals served at school will minimally meet the program requirements and nutrition standards of the National School Lunch Program.
(see Web site: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_05/7cfr210_05.html)
b) Food of minimal nutritional value on the school campus will be replaced with more nutritional options by adhering to the following standards for nutritional value of foods and beverages:
1. Calories from total fat --- *level to be specified by Committee
2. Calories from saturated fat - *level to be specified by Committee
3. Total sugar -- *level to be specified by Committee
4. Whole grain -- *level to be specified by Committee
5. Portion size -- *level to be specified by Committee
6. Fruits and vegetables -- a choice of at least (*insert #) fruits and non-fried vegetables will be offered for sale at any location where foods are sold on campus. Such items could include, but are not limited to: (*Committee to specify).
7. Beverages -- *Committee to specify what is allowed and what is prohibited.
c) Nutrition information for products sold on campus will be readily available near the point of purchase.
A la carte, vending machines, student stores, snack bars, concession stands, parties, celebrations, food-related fundraising, and food rewards/punishments
*Does the Committee want the standards established in subheading a) of Nutritional Values of Foods and Beverages applied to all of these? If not, what standards should apply to each category?
*Should we limit celebrations that involve food during the school day to a certain number per month?
*Should we specify a list of approved healthy party foods?
*Do we allow food-related fund raising (see "Goals to Promote Student Wellness Nutrition Education c) Fundraising activities" above).
*Should food rewards/punishments be allowed under any circumstances?
Food or beverage contracts
*Does the committee recommend participating in, or continuation of food or vending company contracts? What nutritional standards should apply?
Vending machines, snack bars, school stores, concession stands, and other food outlets
Access to vending machines, snack bars, school stores, concession stands, and other food outlets on school property will be limited to the following times: *(Committee to specify) and the following items: *(Committee to specify).
Assurance
Guidelines for reimbursable school meals shall not be less restrictive than applicable federal regulations and guidance issued pursuant to the Child Nutrition Act and the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, as those regulations and guidance apply to schools.
Implementation and Evaluation of the Wellness Policy
In accordance with law, the District's wellness policy must be established by July 1, 2006; and the District will ensure school and community awareness of this policy through various means such as publication in District newsletters and/or the District calendar. Further, professional development activities for staff and student awareness training will be provided, as appropriate, on the goals of the District's wellness program, including activities/programs for the development of healthy eating habits and the incorporation of physical activity as part of a comprehensive healthy lifestyle.
The District shall establish an implementation and evaluation plan for the wellness policy in order to monitor the effectiveness of the policy and the possible need for further modification over time. Accordingly, the Superintendent shall designate one (1) or more staff members within the District or at each school as appropriate to have operational responsibility for ensuring that the District meets the goals and mandates of its local wellness policy. Designated staff members may include, but are not limited to, the following personnel:
a) Administrators;
b) School health personnel including the school nurse and the health and/or physical education teacher; and
c) School Food Service Director.
These designated staff members shall periodically report to the Superintendent on the District's compliance with the wellness policy (or, if done at the building level, to the School Principal) and the Superintendent shall inform the Board of such findings. The Superintendent/designee shall prepare a summary report on District-wide compliance with the District's wellness policy based on input from schools within the District. That report will be provided to the School Board and also distributed to the wellness committee, parent-teacher organizations, Building Principals, and school health services personnel within the District. The report shall also be available to community residents upon request.
These designated school officials will also serve as a liaison with community agencies in providing outside resources to help in the development of nutrition education programs and physical activities.
Evaluation and feedback from interested parties, including an assessment of student, parent, teacher, and administration satisfaction with the wellness policy, is essential to the District's evaluation program. Further, the District shall document the financial impact, if any, to the school food service program, school stores, or vending machine revenues based on the implementation of the wellness policy.
District schools will provide nutrition education and physical education, with an emphasis on establishing lifelong habits of healthy eating and physical activity, and will establish linkages between health education and school meal programs, and with related community services. Communication with and training for teachers, parents, students, and food service personnel will be an integral part of the District's implementation plan.
To the extent practicable, students and parents shall be involved in the development of strategies designed to promote healthy food choices in the school environment; and the school cafeteria will provide a variety of nutritionally sound meal and beverage choices. The school will encourage students' active, age appropriate participation in decisions regarding healthy lifestyles and choices. Positive reinforcement such as letters of recognition and acknowledgment will be utilized as a means to encourage healthy eating patterns among the student population. In addition, the school will share information about the nutritional content of meals with parents and students; such information may be made available on menus, a Web site, or such other "point-of-purchase" materials.
Assessments of the District's wellness policy and implementation efforts may be repeated on an annual basis, but it is recommended that such assessment occur no later than every three (3) years, to help review policy compliance, assess progress, and determine areas in need of improvement. The District, and individual schools within the District, will, as necessary, revise the wellness policy and develop work plans to facilitate its implementation.
