PRECLARUS CHARTER SCHOOL WELLNESS POLICY
Belief Statement
Preclarus is committed to providing a learning environment that supports and promotes wellness, good nutrition, and an active
lifestyle and recognizes the positive relationship between good nutrition, physical activity and the capacity of the student to develop
and learn. The entire school environment shall be aligned with healthy school goals to positively influence student’ beliefs and habits
and promote health and wellness, good nutrition and regular physical activity. In addition, school staff shall be encouraged to model
healthy eating and physical activity as a valuable part of daily life.
Intent
The purpose of this policy is to ensure a total school environment that promotes and supports student health and wellness, helps to
reduce childhood obesity and meets the requirement of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, including goals for
nutrition education, physical activity and other school based activities designed to promote students wellness; nutrition guidelines for
all foods available during the school day; a plan for measuring implementation including designing one or more persons charged with
operational responsibility; and involving parents, students, school food service providers, the school board, school administrator, and
the public in developing this policy.
Rationale
The link between nutrition and learning is well documented. Healthy eating patterns are essentials for students to achieve their full
academic potential, full physical and mental growth and lifelong health and well-being; Healthy eating is demonstrably linked to
reduced risk of the development of many chronic diseases. School and school communities have a responsibility to help students
acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to establish and maintain lifelong healthy eating patterns. Well-planned and wellimplemented wellness programs have been shown to positively influence children’s health.
Schools also have a responsibility to help student establish and maintain lifelong habits of being physically active. According to the
U.S. Surgeon General, regular physical activities is one of the most important things people can do to maintain and improve their
physical health, mental health, and overall well-being. Regular physical activity reduces the risk of premature death in general and of
heart disease, high blood pressure, colon cancer and diabetes.
GOALS FOR STUDENT WELLNESS
Goals for Nutrition Education
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Students in 5th and up shall receive sequential and interdisciplinary nutrition education. The program shall be designed to
provide students with the knowledge and skill necessary to adopt healthy eating behaviors.
The nutrition education program shall include enjoyable interaction activities such as contest, promotion, taste testing,
fieldtrips, school garden, or other like activities
Schools shall work with parents to assist on providing a healthy diet and daily physical activity for their children, which may
include information to help incorporate healthy eating and physical activity.
Goals for Physical Activity
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Students 5th and up shall participate in regularly scheduled formal and informal physical activity programs. Special emphasis
should be placed on promoting an active lifestyle as health habits are established at a young age. Reasonable accommodation
shall be made for the students with disabilities and/or other limitations.
Elementary school shall provide a daily, supervised recess period to all students.
Elementary school shall provide opportunities for physical activities through a range of school programs such as intramurals,
interscholastic athletics, physical activity clubs or other like activities.
Goals for other School – Based Activities Designed to Promote Students Wellness
Consistent School Activities and Environment – Healthy Eating
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It is recommended that food providers share information about the nutritional content of school meals and/or individually sold
foods with students, family and school staff.
School meals shall be served in clean, safe and pleasant setting with adequate time provided for the student to eat.
All food service personnel shall have adequate pre-service training.
Students, parents, school staff and community members bringing foods and beverages to school for parties/ celebrations/
meetings shall be encouraged to provide healthful options.
School shall take effort to promote nutrition’s food and beverages choices consistent with current dietary guidelines for
Americans and Food Guidance system (My Pyramid) such as fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy foods and whole grains product.
All foods and beverages provided by the school shall comply with federal, state and local foods safety and sanitation
regulations.
Access to any area involved in storage, preparation or service food on the school campus shall be limited to authorized
personnel.
Consistent School Activities and Environment – Physical Activity
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Schools are encouraged to limit extended periods of inactivity. When activities such as mandatory testing make it necessary
for students to be inactive for long periods of time, it is recommend that schools give students periodic breaks during which
they are encouraged to stand and be moderately active.
Physical activity facilities and equipment on school grounds shall be safe.
Schools are encouraged to work with the community to create a safe and supportive environment for students walking to
school.
Food or Physical Activity as a reward or punishment
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School personnel shall not withhold food or beverages from students as punishment.
School personnel shall not withhold participation in recess or physical; education class as punishment.
Nutrition Guidelines for all foods and beverages available on School Campuses during the School Day
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Food providers shall offer a variety of age-appropriate, appealing food and beverage choices and employ food preparations,
purchasing and meal planning practices consistent with current Dietary guidelines for Americans (e.g.) provide a variety of
fruits and vegetables choices; serve low-fat and fat-free dairy products; ensure that whole grain products are served.
All foods and beverages individually (apart from the reimbursable school meal) shall be well-regulated and consistent with the
nutritional goals of this policy. This includes:
food and beverages sold as part of school-sponsored fundraising activities.
Every effort shall be made to provide nutritious and appealing foods and beverages, such as fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy
foods and whole grain products, wherever and whenever food is sold or otherwise offered at school.
Guidelines for School Meals
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School meals served shall be consistent with the recommendation of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and/or shall meet,
at a minimum, the nutrition requirements and regulations for the National School Lunch Program and/ or School Breakfast
Program.
Measuring Implementation and Community Involvement
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The food service provider or designee shall be charged with the operational responsibility for ensuring that Preclarus Mastery
Academy meets the wellness policy requirements for student meals.
The Director of Finance and Operations Preclarus Mastery Academy shall be responsible for implementation of the wellness
policy.
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Preclarus Mastery Academy shall involve parents, students, representatives of the campus food service program,
administrators and staff in the development of the Preclarus Wellness policy. This will be demonstrated through their
involvement in reviewing and being listed on the individual school wellness checklist.
The Preclarus Wellness Program committee, based on feedback from campus, may revise the wellness policy as appropriate.
School Wellness Checklist
2014-2015
The school offers a free/reduced breakfast/lunch or milk program funded by the federal government __x___Yes _____No
The school food service staff members are employees of a third party food service contractor _x___Yes _____No
If the third party contractor is used, provide name of the firm. Ceres Food Group
Directions for Completing the Individual School Wellness Plan
Review each step of the School Wellness Plan below and check the appropriate indicator of the school’s response to the step for the
2014-2015 school year. Below is a description of each indicator:
1. Already implemented:
The school had this step in place during the 2014-2015 school year.
2. New implementation:
The school will implement this step for the first time during the 2014-2015 school year.
3. Unable to implement at this time: The school is unable to implement this step for the 2014-2015 school year.
The school should provide an explanation of why this step cannot be implemented during the
2014-2015 school year and some indication of when it might be implemented in the future.
Meeting Nutrition Guidelines & Ensuring Healthy Eating Goals
Students will be provided access to a variety of age-appropriate, appealing, food and beverages choices that are consistent with the
current Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
1.
2.
3.
1. In the school food service, the school will:
1.1
_x__
___
___
offer a variety of fruits and vegetables.
1.2
_x__
___
___
serve low-fat (1%) and/or low fat milk.
1.3
_x__
___
___
ensure product containing whole grains are offered
1.4
_x__
___
___
ensure meals, at a minimum, meet the nutrition requirements and regulations of the National
School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program.
2. For the food and beverages sold or provided individually (school store and sponsored fundraisers, etc.), the school will:
2.1
___
__x_
___
2.2
___
__x_
___
closely monitor and regulate the items sold, ensuring they are consistent with the nutritional
goals of the wellness policy.
closely monitor and regulate the frequency and nature of school-sponsored fundraisers.
1.
2.3 _x__
2.
3.
___
___
make every effort to provide nutritious and appealing foods and beverages, such as fruits,
vegetables, low-fat dairy foods and products containing whole grains whenever and wherever
food is sold or otherwise offered at school.
Students will be served in a clean, safe, and pleasant environment and will be provided with an adequate amount of time to eat.
3. The school will:
3.1 _x__
___
___
schedule meal periods at appropriate times with adequate time for students to eat.
3.2 _x__
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___
ensure all food and beverages provided by the school comply with federal, state, and local
food safety and sanitation regulations.
3.3 _x__
___
___
encourage food providers to share information about the nutritional content of school meals
and/or individually sold food with students, family and school staff.
3.4 _x__
___
___
ensure food service personnel have adequate pre-service training.
3.5 _x__
___
___
will not withhold food or beverages as punishment.
3.6 _x__
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___
restrict access to food preparation and service areas to authorized personnel.
Meeting Physical Activity Goals
Students in grades 5th and up will have opportunities, support, and encouragement to be physically active on a regular basis while
in school setting.
1.
2.
3.
4. The school will:
4.1
_x__
___
4.2
___
4.3
_x__
4.4
___
4.5
__x_
___
___
provide reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities and/or other limitations.
4.6
_x__
___
___
ensure all school physical activity facilities and equipment are safe.
4.7
___
___
___
___
___
___
_x__
___
_x__
__x_
make sure that each student participates in regularly scheduled formal and informal physical
activity programs.
provide all elementary students with daily, supervised recess periods.
offer some extracurricular activity programs (intramural sports, interscholastic sports, physical
activity clubs or other like activities.
not withhold participation in recess or physical education class as a punishment.
work with the community to create a safe and supportive environment for students walking
to school.
Meeting Nutrition Education Goals
Students will be provided with nutrition education and physical education to foster lifelong habits of healthy eating and physical
activity. Schools will also establish linkages between health education and school meal programs, and with related community
services.
1.
5.
2.
3.
The school will:
5.1
_x__
___
___
offer students nutrition education.
5.2
_x__
___
___
include interactive activities such as contests, promotions, taste testing, field trips, school
gardens, or other like activities in nutrition education programs.
5.3
_x__
___
___
work with the parents to assist in providing a healthy diet and daily physical activity for their
children, which may include information to help them incorporate healthy eating and physical
activity and disseminating a list of healthy party food ideas to parents and teachers.
Provide an explanation when “3” was the indicator checked and provide an indication for when this step will be
implemented.
Step
4.2
4.4
4.7
Explanation
Timeline
School does not offer recess period.
Students participate in physical education at all times unless given a reading assignment.
All students ride the bus or are escorted by parents.
Describe any other additional efforts being undertaken for the 2014-2015 as part of the school’s Wellness Program:
2014-2015 Food service will introduce: “The fruit/vegetable of the month”
Please ensure a team, including parents, students, representatives of the food service provider, campus administrators, and staff,
Implement and continue development of the wellness policy by reviewing this checklist and offering comment
List team members below:
Team Members: James Brown, Tonia Laurine, Margaret Cammarata, Jocelyn Lee, Elaine Flipping
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Food Service Manager_ Desiree Ellis
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Signature of Campus Administrator__Jack Williams ________________________________________
Date__Nov.10, 2014