541
7/06
STUDENTS
WELLNESS POLICY
I.
PURPOSE
A.
The purpose of this policy is to assure a school environment that promotes and
protects students’ health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating
and physical activity.
II.
GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY
A.
The school board recognizes that nutrition education and physical education are
essential components of the educational process and that good health fosters student
attendance and education.
B.
The school environment should promote and protect students’ health, wellbeing, and ability to learn by encouraging healthy eating and physical activity.
C.
The school district encourages the involvement of students, parents, teachers,
food service staff, and other interested persons in implementing, monitoring, and
reviewing school district nutrition and physical activity policies. A wellness Committee
shall be formed to plan, implement and improve the school district’s nutrition and
physical activity in the school environment.
D.
Children need access to healthy foods and opportunities to be physically active
in order to grow, learn, and thrive.
E.
All students in grades K-12 will have opportunities, support, and encouragement
to be physically active on a regular basis.
F.
Qualified food service personnel will provide students with access to a variety of
affordable, nutritious, and appealing foods that meet the health and nutrition needs of
students; try to accommodate the religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the student
body in meal planning; and will provide clean, safe, and pleasant settings and adequate
time for students to eat.
III.
GUIDELINES
A.
Foods and Beverages Served/Sold During the School Day
1.
All foods and beverages made available on campus (including
concessions, vending, beverage contracts and a la carte cafeteria items) will be
consistent with the current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and will
promote students’ consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, low fat and skim
dairy products, whole grain products and portion controlled products. In
addition, the offering of highly processed, high fat, high calorie, high sodium and
high sugar foods will be discouraged.
B.
School Food Service Program/Personnel
1.
The school district will provide healthy and safe school meal programs
that strictly comply with all federal, state, and local statutes and regulations.
2.
The school district will make every effort to eliminate any social stigma
attached to, and prevent the overt identification of, students who are eligible for
free and reduced-price school meals. Food and nutrition services will utilize
electronic identification and payment systems; provide breakfast meals for K-8
grade students, regardless of income; promote the availability of school meals to
all students
3.
Food service personnel will take every measure to ensure that student
access to foods and beverages meet or exceed all federal, state, and local laws
and guidelines.
4.
Food service personnel shall adhere to all federal, state, and local food
safety and security guidelines.
5.
The Director of Food and Nutrition Services shall be responsible for the
school district’s food service program, whose duties shall include the creation of
nutrition guidelines and procedures for the selection of foods and beverages
made available on campus to ensure food and beverage choices are consistent
with current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans
6.
Food and Nutrition Services Programs will aim to be financially selfsupporting. However, the program is an essential educational support activity.
Budget neutrality or profit generation will not take precedence over the
nutritional needs of the students. Food and Nutrition Services will ensure that
all students have affordable access to the varied and nutritious foods they need.
7.
As part of the school district’s responsibility to operate a food service
program, the school district will provide continuing professional development for
all food and nutrition service personnel in schools. Staff development programs
will include appropriate certification and/or training programs for the Director,
Head Cooks and Food and Nutrition Services Staff, according to their levels of
responsibility.
8.
Food and beverages offered over the course of a school week will meet
the requirement of the USDA National School Lunch and School Breakfast
Program.
9.
Foods and beverages available during the school day from food service
will include a variety of healthy choices that are of excellent quality, appealing to
students, and served at the proper temperatures.
10.
Foods and beverages available during the school day from food service
will minimize the use of trans and saturated fats, sodium and sugars as defined
by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
11.
School Breakfast: Students are encouraged to eat breakfast at home, as
part of the School Breakfast program (K-8) or through the Quick Breakfast
options available at the High School. The Quick Breakfast program at the high
school will be open from 7:30 am – 8:15 am M-F. The a la carte line will not be
open until lunch.
12.
Food and beverage items offered as part of school breakfast or on the
Quick Breakfast menu will meet the requirements of the USDA School Breakfast
guidelines that include:
a)
Offering a fruit or 100% fruit juice
b)
Offering skim or 1% milk
c)
Offering whole grain bread or cereal
d)
Offering a meat or meat alternative that provides less than 35% of
calories from total fat
e)
Total calories offered from breakfast will not exceed 500 for K-5;
550 for 6-8; and 600 for 9-12
13.
Foods and beverages offered as part of the USDA’s National School Lunch
Program (NSLP) will meet all regulations. The Food Service Director will be
responsible for assuring that all USDA regulations are fully met.
14.
Food and beverages will be offered in modest portion sizes ageappropriate for elementary, middle and high school students, respectively.
C.
Foods and beverages sold by the school outside of the School Breakfast Program
and National School Lunch Program
1.
Snack lines, vending and student stores will offer only healthy foods and
beverages as defined below:
a)
Beverages: Water, skim or 1% milk, 100% fruit or vegetable juice,
b)
Foods: Fruits (fresh, canned or dried); vegetables (for example
raw vegetables with low fat dip); nuts (limited to ¼ cup serving); low fat
yogurt; low fat cheese sticks; whole wheat crackers or bread,
c)
Packaged snacks: Packaged snacks (such as granola bars, cereal
bars, animal crackers) should contain no more than 200 kcals per package
and less that 35% of calories from total fat,
d)
Once per week, school-prepared cookies will be available on the a
la carte line at the High School, and
e)
2.
The a la carte line will only be open during lunch periods.
Foods and beverages available throughout the school day
a)
Grades 7-8: Food and beverages in the classroom and hallways:
Students will not be permitted to eat foods or drink beverages (other
than water) in classrooms or in the hallway.
b)
Grades 9-12: Food and beverages in the classroom and hallways:
Students are not permitted to eat snacks during the school day that are
not purchased from the a la carte stand or school vending machines. The
stand will be open from 7:30- 8:15 and 11:30-12:45. Students are not
permitted to eat foods or drink beverages (other than water) in the
classrooms.
c)
Food brought in for noon lunch must be consumed in the school
cafeteria.
d)
Students in K-12 are not permitted to store foods or beverages in
their locker for more than one day.
3.
Classroom snacks, birthdays and celebrations
a)
School Breakfast Program: Students who are obviously hungry
will be directed to the school breakfast program before they enter the
classroom.
b)
Snacks: Snacks consumed during the school day (including
breakfast and/or enrichment programs) will make a positive contribution
to children’s diets and health; will emphasize serving whole grains, fruits,
vegetables and dairy. The primary snack items are listed on the MCW
snack list described under milk break.
c)
Milk Break: Milk break will consist of skim or 1% milk. Students
may bring in healthy foods from home for milk break but it must be a
food that is on the MCW Healthy Foods list. The MCW list of healthy
foods include: popcorn, graham crackers, pretzels, animal crackers, teddy
grahams and any fresh fruit or vegetable. Food items will not be stored in
student’s locker for more than one school day. Teachers are encouraged
to schedule milk breaks in the afternoon.
d)
Birthdays and classroom parties: Birthdays and classroom parties
will be celebrated without food. Teachers are encouraged to use other
forms of recognition for the student: examples include: allowing the
student be 1st in line, hosting an extra recess or allowing student choose
activity.
e)
Holiday parties: The classroom teacher decides if food will be a
part of holiday parties. Teachers are encouraged to find other ways to
celebrate holidays that do not include food. For example, for Valentine’s
Day: Jump rope for heart or children may send valentines without candy,
for winter break allow students in Junior High and 5 th/6th grade to watch
a movie and have popcorn, and for Halloween choose class activities and
games instead of candy and baked treats.
f)
Fundraising: To support children’s health and school nutritioneducation efforts, schools will encourage fundraising that promotes the
sale of non-food and nutritious food items; being mindful of food safety.
Schools will encourage fundraising activities that promote physical
activity.
g)
School-sponsored Events: (such as, but not limited to, athletic
events dances, or performances). Research shows that students will buy
and consume healthy foods and beverages when the options are tasty,
accessible and affordable.
h)
Concessions: Foods offered in Concessions during out of school
events: Every effort should be made to offer healthy choices at schoolsponsored extramural events. Water should be available as beverage at
all extramural functions; lower calorie and fat entrees (fewer than 600
calories per serving and less than 35% calories from total fat), fruits and
whole grain products should be available.
i)
Rewards: Rewards and incentives will be used that do not
undermine the health of students and/or reinforce unhealthful eating
habits. Non-food rewards and incentives will be used unless food is used
in teaching demonstrations.
D.
Other food/beverage related policies:
1.
The school district will provide students access to hand washing or hand
sanitizing before they eat meals or snacks.
2.
The school district will make every effort to provide students with
sufficient time to eat after sitting down for school meals and will schedule meal
periods at appropriate times during the school day.
3.
Should schedule meal periods at appropriate times i.e. lunch should be
scheduled between 10:50 am and 1 pm.
4.
Will consider scheduling lunch periods to follow recess periods (in
elementary schools) to increase student nutrient intake and reduce food waste.
5.
Dining areas are attractive and have enough space for seating all
students.
6.
The school district will not allow tutoring, club, or organizational
meetings or activities during mealtimes, unless students may eat during such
activities.
7.
School site should discourage students from sharing their foods or
beverages with one another during meals or snack times, given concerns about
allergies and other restrictions on some children’s diets.
8.
Schools will utilize methods to encourage participation in the school
breakfast programs. Examples include arranging bus schedules or drop off sites
when available and notifying parents about the availability of the School
Breakfast Program.
9.
When planning field trips which will occur during the scheduled lunch
periods, the classroom teacher will, to the extent possible, collaborate with Food
and Nutrition Services to provide students with the option of receiving a meal
from School: being mindful of the number of students on free/reduced priced
meals who may not be able to provide a lunch from home.
10.
Advertising messages are consistent with and reinforce the objectives of
the education and nutrition environment goals of the school. Advertising of
foods or beverages in the areas accessible to the students during meal times
must be consistent with standards established for the school environment.
IV.
NUTRITION EDUCATION AND PROMOTION
A.
The school district will encourage and support healthy eating practices by
students and engage in nutrition promotion that is:
1.
Offered as part of a sequential, comprehensive program designed to
provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and
protect their health;
2.
Part of health education classes as well as classroom instruction in
subjects such as math, science, language arts, social sciences, and elective
subjects, where appropriate; and
3.
Enjoyable, developmentally appropriate, culturally relevant, and includes
participatory activities, such as contests, promotions, taste testing, and field
trips.
a)
The staff responsible for nutrition education will be adequately
prepared and participate regularly in professional development activities
to effectively deliver an accurate nutrition education program.
Preparation and professional development activities will provide basic
knowledge of nutrition, combined with skill practice in program-specific,
evidence based activities and instructional techniques and strategies
designed to promote healthy eating habits.
b)
The school district will encourage all students to make age
appropriate, healthy selections of foods and beverages, including those
sold individually outside the reimbursable school meal programs, such as
through a la carte [snack] lines, vending machines, fundraising events,
concession stands, and student stores.
c)
The Director of Food and Nutrition Services or a Registered
Dietitian (R.D.) will provide nutrition education to the classroom and will
be available to review nutrition education information, upon request.
d)
The school cafeteria will serve as a “learning Laboratory” to allow
students to apply nutrition skills taught in the classroom. The promotion
of healthy foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low fat
dairy products will be encouraged. Posting of the nutritional content will
be available for students to review.
e)
The school district will provide information to families that
encourage them to teach their children about health, nutrition and the
importance of daily physical activity through the school newsletter.
f)
Staff wellness: MCW Schools highly values the health and wellbeing of every staff member and will plan and implement activities and
policies that support personal efforts by staff to maintain a healthy
lifestyle. The school staff should act as role models for good nutrition
and physical activity behaviors. The district will establish and maintain a
Staff Wellness Committee. The committee will develop, promote and
oversee a multifaceted plan to promote staff health and wellness.
V.
Physical Activity
A.
Students need opportunities for physical activity and to fully embrace regular
physical activity as a personal behavior. Toward that end, health education will reinforce
the knowledge and self-management skills needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle and
reduce sedentary activities such as watching television.
1.
Physical Education (P.E.) K-10:
a)
All students in grades K-10 including students with disabilities,
special health-care needs and in alternative educational settings, will
receive regular physical education (or its equivalent of 125 minutes/week
for elementary school students and 45 minutes/week for middle and high
school students) for the entire school year.
b)
All physical education will be taught by a certified physical
education teacher.
c)
The physical education curriculum should be coordinated with the
health education curriculum.
d)
Physical education course will be held in an environment where
students learn, practice and are assessed on developmentally
appropriate motor skills, social skills and knowledge.
e)
Student involvement in other activities involving physical activity
(i.e. interscholastic or intramural sports) will not be substituted for
meeting the physical education requirement.
f)
Students will spend at least 50 percent of physical education
class time participating in moderate to vigorous physical activity.
2.
Integrating Physical Activity into the Classroom Setting: For students to
receive the nationally recommended amount of daily physical activity (i.e. at
least 60 minutes per day) and for students to fully embrace regular physical
activity as a personal behavior, students need opportunities for physical activity
beyond PE (physical education) class. Towards that end:
a)
Classroom health education will reinforce the knowledge and selfmanagement skills needed to maintain a healthy life style and reduce
sedentary activities such as watching TV.
b)
Opportunities for physical activity will be incorporated into other
subject lessons where appropriate.
c)
Classroom teachers will provide short physical activity breaks
between lessons or classes, as appropriate.
d)
Daily Recess. All elementary school students will have at least 20
minutes a day of supervised recess, preferable outdoors, during which
schools should encourage moderate to vigorous physical activity verbally
and through the provision of space and equipment. Schools will
discourage extended periods (i.e. periods or two or more hours) of
inactivity.
e)
Physical Activity opportunities before and after school. All
elementary, middle and high schools will offer extracurricular physical
activity programs and interscholastic sports program. Schools will offer a
range of activities that meet the needs interests and abilities of all
students, including boys, girls, students with disabilities, and students
with special health-care needs.
f)
Use of School facilities outside of school hours. School spaces
and facilities will be available to students, staff and community members
before, during and after the school day, on weekends, and during school
vacations for physical activity.
B.
Communication with parents
1.
The school district recognizes that parents and guardians have a primary
and fundamental role in promoting and protecting their children’s health and
well-being.
2.
The school district will support parents’ efforts to provide a healthy diet
and daily physical activity for their children.
3.
The school district encourages parents to pack healthy lunches and
snacks and refrain from including beverages and foods without nutritional value.
4.
The school district will provide information about physical education and
other school-based physical activity opportunities and will support parents’
efforts to provide their children with opportunities to be physically active
outside of school.
VI.
IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING
A.
The School Health Index will be used to assess the nutrition and physical activity
needs of students. Assessments will be repeated every three years to help review policy
compliance, assess progress and determining areas in need of improvement.
B.
To satisfy the requirements of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of
2004, the Wellness Committee will monitor and evaluate the school district’s
implementation of the Wellness Policy. Once the policy is approved, the Wellness
Committee will meet at least once a year to review and update the policy.
C.
Staff responsible for the areas outlined within this policy, at the school or district
level, will ensure compliance and will report to the Wellness Committee, as appropriate.
D.
The superintendent or designee will ensure compliance with the wellness policy
and will provide an annual report of the school district’s compliance with the policy to
the school board.