ROCKLAND PUBLIC SCHOOLS
ROCKLAND, MASSACHUSETTS
Rockland Public Schools Wellness Policy
General Policy Statement
The Rockland Public Schools recognize the importance of sound nutrition, physical activity, and other
wellness issues, not only for students, but the entire population. The intent of this policy is to outline the
district’s on-going commitment in support of wellness. The Rockland Public Schools Wellness Policy is
based upon the “Act Relative to School Nutrition”, signed into law on July 30, 2010, and the amendment
to this Act passed in June, 2012, and recommendations by the Massachusetts Departments of
Elementary and Secondary Education and Public Health. In an effort to encourage a healthier lifestyle,
the following are included in this Policy:
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Communication of wellness issues with students, staff, parents/guardians, and community
members is essential.
Opportunities for In-Service programs for students, staff, parents/guardians, and community
members is necessary.
Opportunities for physical activity for students, staff, and community will be encouraged.
Consistent with current state and federal nutrition recommendations and regulations, the
Rockland Public Schools will continue to increase the availability and sale of nutritious
selections.
Policy Review and Revision:
Review and revision of this policy shall occur by the Superintendent of Schools or designee as needed
but no less than every two years.
Setting Physical Activity Goals
The primary goal for the Rockland Public School’s Physical Activity Policy is to provide opportunities for
all students to understand the value of personal fitness and an active lifestyle. All students should be
challenged to work on personal fitness and find enjoyment in physical activity. It is important for all
students to develop knowledge and skills necessary to be successful participants in an active lifestyle,
not only as students, but also as adults.
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Physical Education Requirement – The District will work towards physical education as a
scheduled class for all students in Grades K – 12. Physical education will be a class where
students learn, practice, and work on developmentally appropriate motor skills, social skills, and
knowledge. Physical education includes the instruction of individual activities as well as
competitive and non-competitive team sports to encourage life long physical activity and
provide enjoyable experiences.
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Withholding Physical Activity – The policy ensures that teachers and other school personnel will
not use physical activity, (i.e., running laps, performing pushups, etc.) as punishment or
withhold opportunities for physical activities, (i.e., recess or physical education class, etc.) as
punishment.
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Curriculum – The Physical Education Curriculum will be based upon the Massachusetts
Comprehensive Health Education Frameworks and the Rockland Public Schools Curriculum,
which has been aligned to the frameworks.
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Student Skill Level- Students of all motor skill abilities will be included in physical education
experiences working towards personal success and satisfaction.
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Staff Certification – The policy ensures that all physical education teachers will have current
physical education teaching certification from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education. The policy further ensures that all physical education teachers are
trained and hold current CPR Certification.
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Professional Development – The policy ensures that all physical education teachers participate
in ongoing professional development in physical education and will maintain certification
through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
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Recess – Recess promotes physical activity outside of physical education class. Recess or free
play time during the school day and outside of physical education, is provided in Grades 1 – 5.
Adults will enforce safety rules and assist students during supervised recess time.
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Classroom Based Activity – Physical activity, outside of physical education, being classroom
based is encouraged.
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Equipment and Facilities – The policy ensures that adequate equipment is available for all
students to participate in during physical education. Physical activity facilities on school grounds
will be safe.
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Before/After School Student Facility Use – The policy encourages before and after school
physical activity programs for students, staff, and community under the supervision of qualified
adults, as determined by the principal of the school.
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Non-School Hours Use of Facilities – Schools are encouraged to provide student, staff, and
community members use of the school’s physical activity facilities, when available, during nonschool hours.
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Communication with Families – The policy ensures that information will be provided to families
to encourage parents/guardians to incorporate physical activity into family life.
Setting Nutrition Education Goals
The primary goal for the Rockland Public School’s Nutrition Education Policy is to provide
opportunities for all students to understand the value of nutrition and related behaviors that
support health and reduce the risk of illness and future chronic diseases. It is important for
students, staff, parents/guardians, and community members to develop knowledge and skills
necessary to recognize the benefits of good nutrition as a life-long behavior.
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Health Education Program – The policy will work towards health education as a scheduled
class for all students in Grades 1 – 12.
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Curriculum – The Health Education Curriculum will be based upon the Massachusetts
Comprehensive Health Education Frameworks. The Nutrition Standard states: ”Students will
gain the knowledge and skills to select a diet that supports health and reduces the risk of
illness and future chronic diseases.”
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Staff Certification – The policy ensures that all health education teachers will have current
health education teaching certification from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education. The Policy further ensures that all health education teachers are
trained and hold current CPR Certification.
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Professional Development – The policy ensures that all health education teachers
participate in ongoing professional development in health education and maintain
certification through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education.
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Classroom Based Information – Discussion of health education topics throughout the
curriculum is encouraged.
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Communication with Families, Staff and Community – Nutrition education for Families, Staff,
and Community members may be provided on the District website, as handouts, school
newspaper articles, presentations, cable programs, and any other venue available. The goal
is to provide knowledge of good nutrition and strategies designed to promote healthy
eating. Parents/Guardians will be encouraged to support healthy meals, snacks, and
beverages.
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Food should not be used as rewards in the classroom or during school time activities.
Food Offerings
Rockland Public Schools will support current National School Lunch Program regulation, which require
schools to meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. All competitive foods and beverages offered to
students during the school day in Massachusetts shall meet the “Massachusetts Nutrition Standards for
Competitive Foods and Beverages in Public Schools.” The Massachusetts Department of Public Health
worked with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Harvard
School of Public Health, the Boston Public Health Commission, the John C. Staler Institute of Food and
Nutrition at Framingham State University to develop the nutrition standdards highlighted below:
Category
Nutrition Standards
Juice
100% fruit and vegetable juice - no sugar added. No
more than 4 ounce servings.
Milk (including alternatives
such as lactose free and soy)
Low-fat (1% or less and fat free.) No more than
8 ounce serving. Flavored milk shall have no more
than 22 grams of sugar per 8 ounces.
Water
No added sugars, sweeteners or artificial sweeteners.
May contain natural flavorings and/or carbonation.
Other Beverages
No beverage other than juice, milk, milk substitutes
and water shall be sold or provided.
Calories
Foods shall not exceed 200 calories per item.
A la carte items shall not exceed the calorie
count items offered as part of the NSLP equivalent
portion size.
Fat
No more than 35% of total calories from fat,
except as provided in 105 CMR 225.200(B)(4).
Saturated Fat
No food shall contain more than 10% of its total
calories from saturated fat, except as provided in
105 CMR 225.200(B)(4).
Exceptions to Standards on
Fat and Saturated Fat Content
Regardless of the limits established in 105 CMR
225.200(B) for fat and saturated fat content,
schools may provide or sell up to one ounce of
nuts, nut butters, seeds or reduced fat cheese.
Trans Fat
All foods will be trans fat-free.
Sugar
No food shall contain more than 35% of its total
calories from total sugars; provided, however, that
a public school may provide or sell: Non-fat or
low-fat yogurt, including drinkable yogurt, which
contains a maximum of 30 grams of total sugars
per eight ounce packaged serving and 100% fruit
juice with no added sugar.
Sodium
No foods shall contain more than 200 mg of sodium
per item. A la carte entrees shall not have more
than 480 mg of sodium per item.
Grains
All bread or grain-based products shall be whole
grain. These include crackers, granola bars, chips,
bakery items, pasta, rice, etc.
Caffeine
No food or beverage will contain more than trace
amounts of caffeine.
Artificial Sweeteners
No food or beverage will contain an artificial sweetener.
Water
Potable water will be made available to all student
through the school day.
In accordance with the Massachusetts School Nutrition Law, all competitive foods sold or provided to
students outside of the National School Lunch Program, will meet the standards listed above. The
standards will apply 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after the school day. Competitive foods are
foods and beverages sold or provided in school stores, snack bars, vending machines available to
students, and a la carte items offered in school cafeterias.
Food Services shall support classroom activities for all students that promote health and reduce obesity
through bulk ordering of nutritious food offerings as requested.
Foods and beverages sold for/at fundraisers shall support healthy choices and provide age appropriate
selections for elementary, middle and high school students. The Nutrition Standards listed above will
apply 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after the school day. This will be monitored by administrative
personnel at the school and central office level.
Dining areas shall be attractive and have enough space for seating all students.
Students should be provided adequate time to eat meals.
At a minimum, one Food Services staff member in each building will successfully complete a Serve Safe
Food Handler's Course per Massachusetts food code. The HACCP plan will be in place for each school. This
follows the guideline of FDA recommendation. FDA recommends Hazard analysis and critical control point
(HACCP manual managing food safety).
All members of the Food Services staff will be trained annually on Foreign Body/Obstructed Airway
Management, Life Threatening Allergies and Blood Borne Pathogens and other applicable Rockland
Public Schools policies.
Due to the Nutrition Standards and food allergies, school celebrations should not include food or
beverages brought in from students’ homes, whether homemade or store bought.
Other School-Based Activities Designed to Promote Student Wellness
The Rockland Public Schools provide programs that support physical, social, and emotional health and
well being of students, families, and staff to build a healthy school environment.
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School and Community Resource Assistance - Students, families, and staff are provided a
supportive environment that includes nursing, guidance, and/or counseling services to
encourage assistance, as needed to school or community resources.
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Educational and Extracurricular Opportunities – Students are provided with skills through
educational and extracurricular opportunities to express thoughts and feelings in a responsible
manner and to give and receive support from others.
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Understanding and Respecting Individual Differences – Students are encouraged to understand
and respect the differences in others. The district provides a variety of organizations and
programs to develop positive life-long social skills including the curriculum, Gay and Straight
Alliance, Mentor Programs, Peer Teacher and Leadership Programs, and High School Self-Esteem
Program.
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Opportunities to Improve Health and Wellness of Students, Families, and Staff – Many
opportunities are available to improve the health and wellness of students, families, and staff
including results of mandated screenings for students (vision, hearing, postural, height and
weight measurements), surveys (School Health Index), and community health information. The
community health information may be distributed through handouts, materials included with
report cards, school newspaper articles, cable programs, and presentations.
Responsibilities
Implementation of the Wellness Procedural Guidelines will commence upon approval of the Wellness
Policy by the Rockland School Committee. The Superintendent of Schools and the Health & Wellness
Advisory Committee will monitor compliance beginning September, 2013 and at the district level every
two years.
The Health & Wellness Advisory Committee will be responsible for preparing a report annually that may
include the implementation of this policy and include the following:
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Implementation of district nutrition and physical activity standards.
Integration of nutrition and physical activity in the overall curriculum.
Assurance that staff professional development includes nutrition and physical activity issues.
Assurance that students receive nutrition education and engage in vigorous physical activity.
Pursuance of contracts with outside vendors that encourage healthful eating.
Consistent healthful choices among all school venues that involve the sale of food.
Approved by Rockland School Committee May, 2013