California Local School Policy: Guide for Wellness Councils
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) anticipates releasing the Final Rule for Local School Wellness Policy (LSWP)
during the 2016. The Final Rule is anticipated to require broad stakeholder engagement, more emphasis on implementation, and
new requirements to address marketing. To help school districts stay on track toward meeting the requirements, and be successful
during the Administrative Review, this document contains suggested steps, timelines, and resources to engage stakeholders in the
process. Each district’s timeline may vary depending on meeting schedules, current infrastructure, and internal approval processes.
Planning
1.
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Research your local school wellness policy and your wellness council structure.
Locate and review your district’s current LSWP policy.
Review the federal requirements under the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.
Research the policy adoption process.
Research your district’s committees—is there an existing wellness council? Are there other related committees? If so, do you
need additional stakeholders to further engage your school community?
Consider the stakeholders you would like to be on your council and determine who you would like to invite. Research how you
will invite them.
Review potential policy review tools and select one for your council.
Selected Resources for Policy Review
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CSBA Sample Student Wellness Policy 5030 (Revised July 2013)–The California School Board Association has
developed model policy language to meet the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 requirements on their Web page at
http://www.csba.org/GovernanceAndPolicyResources/DistrictPolicyServices/~/media/CSBA/Files/GovernanceResources/Poli
cyNews_Briefs/StudentHealth/201305BP5030StudentWellness.ashx.
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5-2-1-0 Goes to School Wellness Policy Guide from Maine includes a general process for board approval, wellness
committee start up tools, and a policy review tool on this Web page at http://www.letsgo.org/wpcontent/uploads/LG_Wellness_Policy_Guide-2013_FINAL.pdf (1MB).
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The Well SAT 2.0-Sat is an excellent online policy review tool. Access the Web page at http://www.wellsat.org/.
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Developed by the California Department of Education 2015
California Local School Policy: Guide for Wellness Councils
General Resources
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The California Local School Wellness Policy Collaborative Web site for an array of resources to help you get started
under Local School Wellness Policy Requirements and Administrative Review Toolkit on this Web page at
http://www.teamcaliforniaforhealthykids.org/school-wellness/school-wellness-policy-resources/.
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Food and Nutrition Services Web site has multiple resources for Local School Wellness Policy on this Web page at
http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/local-school-wellness-policy including the Alliance for Healthier Generation’s model policy
which is listed under Additional Resources on this Web page at http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/implementation-tools-andresources.
2. Plan and schedule out your wellness council meetings for School Year
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Develop or update the wellness council description and goals and objectives for the wellness council. Consider posting this
description and other Local School Wellness Policy information on your district Web site.
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Schedule out the year’s wellness council meetings with the general topics to be covered. At least six meetings are
recommended.
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Secure a location, date, and time for your first meeting and if possible, for all the meetings.
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Send out a welcome invitation to your council. If possible, personalize the invite to describe their role in the council.
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Compile a wellness council binder with a roster, council description, timeline of meetings, and general resources to share at
the first meeting, such as local school wellness policy requirements, wellness policy fact sheets, your district wellness policy,
a policy review tool, and other resources as needed.
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Send a reminder one to two weeks before the first meeting.
Selected Resources: for Getting a Wellness Council Started
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Shaping New Jersey Toolkit has committee descriptions and other tools for wellness councils/committees on their Web
page at http://www.state.nj.us/education/students/safety/health/csh/SchoolToolkitJune2012.pdf (4MB).
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The Wisconsin Wellness Policy Tool Kit has some excellent resource for developing a council/committee roster, under
wellness committee section on their Web page at http://fns.dpi.wi.gov/fns_wellnessplcy2.
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Developed by the California Department of Education 2015
California Local School Policy: Guide for Wellness Councils
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The Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s School Health Council Kit contains a sample invitation letter, meeting agenda
template, and other resources to start your council on their Web Page at https://www.healthiergeneration.org/
_asset/wwj4dq/09-875_SWCToolkit.pdf (185 KB).
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The Arkansas School Wellness Committee Toolkit (2013) has sample invitation letters and other related resources to start
your wellness committee under part four Tools on their Web page at
http://www.healthy.arkansas.gov/programsservices/familyhealth/childandadolescenthealth/documents/schoolwellnesscommitt
eetoolkit.pdf (1 MB).
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Kansas Department of Education has a meeting agenda and minutes template on their Web page at http://www.kneat.org/SNP/SNP_Menus/SNP_Guidance_Wellness_Policies_M2_Committees-Coaches.htm.
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5-2-1-0 Goes to School Wellness Policy Guide from Maine includes wellness committee start up tools including roles of
committee members on their Web page at http://www.letsgo.org/wp-content/uploads/LG_Wellness_Policy_Guide2013_FINAL.pdf (1 MB).
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School Wellness Toolkit from New Orleans Public School s contains specific reasons how each committee member is
critical to the wellness committee on their Web page at http://lphi.org/CMSuploads/School-Wellness-Toolkit-82802.pdf (2 MB).
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Lompoc Unified School District has a wellness committee description and meeting minutes on their Web page at
http://www.lusd.org/Page/41.
School Year
3. Conduct First Meeting (Orientation/Policy Review) August–September
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Prepare your agenda. Suggested agenda items are:
o Welcome and Purpose and timeline of the committee
o Warm-Up/Team Building Activity
o A Motivation piece on Student Wellness
o Background on local school wellness policy and requirements
o Your district’s policy, policy review tool
o Council assignments (policy review section)
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Be the expert, there is a lot to know about wellness policy. Reference the binder for documents.
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Keep the meetings short (less than two hours) and stay on time. Be sure to include discussion time.
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After the meeting, send out minutes, and thank you.
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Developed by the California Department of Education 2015
California Local School Policy: Guide for Wellness Councils
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Plan for second meeting (Policy Review/Assessment), including reviewing potential assessment tools.
Selected Resources for the agenda item about motivation
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HBO's The Weight of the Nation has several video clips on their Web page at
http://theweightofthenation.hbo.com/films/main-films/Consequences.
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The Healthy Schools Program video from Alliance for a Healthier Generation is another good resource on YouTube at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWlFWWu4P.
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Wellness Impact Report from GenYouth is an excellent summary of the rationale for student wellness on their Web page at
http://www.genyouthfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The_Wellness_Impact_Report.pdf (5 MB).
Selected Resources for LSWP Requirements
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Adapt Indiana’s Local School Wellness Policy power point to help you explain the LSWP requirements on their Web page
at http://www.doe.in.gov/nutrition/school-wellness-policy.
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Food and Nutrition Services Web site has multiple resources for Local School Wellness Policy on their Web page at
http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/local-school-wellness-policy including the Alliance for Healthier Generation’s model policy
which is listed under Additional Resources on this Web page at http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/implementation-tools-andresources.
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The California Local School Wellness Policy Web site for an array of resources to discuss requirements, on the Team
California for Health Kids Web page at http://www.teamcaliforniaforhealthykids.org/school-wellness/school-wellness-policyresources/.
4. Conduct Second Meeting (Policy Review/Assessment) October–November
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Prepare your agenda. Suggested agenda items are:
 Welcome and Introductions
 Warm-up/team building activity
 Review of the purpose and timeline of the committee
 Review council assignments for policy review together
 Selection of assessment tool and process for assessment
 Council assignments (assessment areas)
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Developed by the California Department of Education 2015
California Local School Policy: Guide for Wellness Councils
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Keep the meetings short (less than two hours) and stay on time. Be sure to include discussion time.
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After the meeting, send out minutes, and thank you.
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Plan for third meeting (Assessment/Action Plan) by determining process for prioritizing goals and compiling formats
and resources for developing an action plan.
Selected Resources for Assessment:
 The Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2014 School Health Index: Self-Assessment and Planning Guide is a
comprehensive tool for schools to use on their Web page at http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/SHI/.
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WellSAT has a draft tool for assessing implementation on their Web page at http://wellsat.org/faq.aspx#implementation.
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A Guide to Implementing and Monitoring Wellness Policies from Maryland has goals and activities for each section of the
wellness policies that can be used to complete an action plan on their Web page at http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/
nr/rdonlyres/7c62b6ee-4733-48a4-b1d6-cdd8f908e887/20559/wellness_guide_full_version.pdf (1 MB).
General Resources
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The California Local School Wellness Policy Web site for an array of resources on the Team California for Healthy Kids
Web page at http://www.teamcaliforniaforhealthykids.org/school-wellness/school-wellness-policy-resources/.
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Food and Nutrition Services Web site has multiple resources for Local School Wellness Policy, including information on the
requirements, on their Web page at http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/local-school-wellness-policy.
5. Conduct Third Meeting (Assessment/Action Plan)December–January
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Prepare your agenda. Suggested agenda items are:
 Welcome, Review of Minutes, and Warm-up/team building activity
 Update on the timeline of the council
 Review council assignment for assessment areas together
 Prioritize areas for implementation
 Select the action plan format and provide resources for completing it
 Council assignments (develop action plan for assigned area, also volunteer to summarize assessment)
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Keep the meetings short (less than two hours) and stay on time. Be sure to include discussion time.
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Developed by the California Department of Education 2015
California Local School Policy: Guide for Wellness Councils
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After the meeting, send out minutes, and thank you.
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Plan for fourth meeting (Action Plan/Policy Update) by compiling resources for policy update
Selected Resources for Prioritizing and Developing Action Plans:
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The Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2014 School Health Index: Self-Assessment and Planning Guide is a
comprehensive tool for schools to use which includes help with determining the action plan on their Web page at
http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/SHI/
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Montana’s School Wellness in Action–A Step by Step Guide to School Wellness Policy Implementation contains
worksheets/formats for action plans, how to prioritize goals on their Web page at
http://opi.mt.gov/pdf/schoolfood/WellnessImpGuide.pdf (318 KB).
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The Wisconsin Wellness Policy Tool Kit has some sample implementation plans under handouts in Chapter 13 on their
Web page at http://fns.dpi.wi.gov/fns_wellnessplcy2.
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Minneapolis’ Principal’s Implementation Manual has sample three year implementation/action plan on their Web page at
http://sss.mpls.k12.mn.us/sites/6c9fd336-96c5-451c-a8a6-b6f00373668d/uploads/Principals_toolkit_final.pdf (1 MB).
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5-2-1-0 Goes to School Wellness Policy Guide from Maine has multiple resources including implementation plans on their
Web page at http://www.letsgo.org/wp-content/uploads/LG_Wellness_Policy_Guide-2013_FINAL.pdf (1 MB).
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School Wellness Toolkit from New Orleans Public School s contains ways to prioritize and sample action plans on their
Web page at http://lphi.org/CMSuploads/School-Wellness-Toolkit-82802.pdf. (2 MB)
General Resources:
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.
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The California Local School Wellness Policy Web site for an array of resources on the Team California for Healthy Kids
Web page at http://www.teamcaliforniaforhealthykids.org/school-wellness/school-wellness-policy-resources/.
Food and Nutrition Services Web site has multiple resources for Local School Wellness Policy on their Web page at
http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/local-school-wellness-policy.
6. Conduct Fourth Meeting (Policy Update/Board Approval)February–March 2016
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Developed by the California Department of Education 2015
California Local School Policy: Guide for Wellness Councils
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Prepare your agenda. Suggested agenda items are:
 Welcome, Review of Minutes, and Warm-Up/team building activity
 Update on timeline of the council
 Review council assignments for action plan together
 Draft action plan
 Discuss Board Approval timeline and potential roles for presentation
 Review resources to update policy
 Council assignments (sections of policy to update)
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Keep the meetings short (less than two hours) and stay on time. Be sure to include discussion time.
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After the meeting, send out minutes, and thank you.
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Plan for fifth meeting (Finalize Policy Update and Action Plan) by sending out final policy to Board, prior to Board
meeting
Selected Resources For Updating Policy
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The San Diego Childhood Obesity Prevention Initiative provides a policy clearinghouse with sample policy language for
key sections of the wellness policy on their Web page at http://www.ourcommunityourkids.org/resources/policyclearinghouse.aspx.
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Kansas Department of Education provides sample policy language at various levels of implementation on their Web page
at http://www.kn-eat.org/SNP/SNP_Docs/SNP_Guidance/Wellness_Policies/Wellness_Policy_Guidelines_Booklet_SY201415_NewPicsFINAL.pdf (655 KB).
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CSBA Sample Student Wellness Policy 5030 (Revised July 2013) developed model policy language to meet the
Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 requirements on their Web Page at
http://www.csba.org/GovernanceAndPolicyResources/DistrictPolicyServices/~/media/CSBA/Files/GovernanceResources/
PolicyNews_Briefs/StudentHealth/201305BP5030StudentWellness.ashx (61 KB).
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Dairy Council of California has a directory of wellness policies in California on their Web page at
http://www.healthyeating.org/Schools/School-Wellness.aspx.
General Resources
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Developed by the California Department of Education 2015
California Local School Policy: Guide for Wellness Councils

The California Local School Wellness Policy Web site for an array of resources to help you get started on their Team
California for Healthy Kids Web page at http://www.teamcaliforniaforhealthykids.org/school-wellness/school-wellness-policyresources/.
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Food and Nutrition Services Web site has multiple resources for Local School Wellness Policy on their Web page at
http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/local-school-wellness-policy including the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s model policy
which is listed under Other Resources at their Web page http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/implementation-tools-and-resources.
7. Conduct Fifth Meeting (Prepare for Board Approval/Evaluation) April–May
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Prepare your agenda. Suggested agenda items are:
 Welcome, Review of Minutes, and Warm-up/team building activity
 Review the timeline of the council
 Finalize policy and action plan
 Review Evaluation Indicators and add to plan
 Discuss Council Celebration ideas and next meeting time (one longer meeting or an extra celebration activity)
 Council Assignments (board approval and report)
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Keep the meetings short (less than two hours) and stay on time. Be sure to include discussion time.
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After the meeting, send out minutes, and thank you.
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Plan for Sixth meeting (Celebration) by making arrangements for celebration, compiling resources for public
notification, scheduling meetings for next year
Selected Resources for Board Presentations
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The National Food Service Management Institute’s Resource to Sustain and Strengthen Local Wellness Initiatives
provides a sample PowerPoint for reporting to the board on their Web page at
http://www.nfsmi.org/documentlibraryfiles/PDF/20130228111227.pdf (4 MB).
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Lompoc Unified School District has several reports to the board on their Web page at http://www.lusd.org/Page/43.
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Portland Public Schools District (2011) Wellness Advisory Committee Report to the Board on their Web page at
http://www.pps.k12.or.us/files/wellness/WAC_Report_to_the_Board_April_2010-11_FINAL.pdf (19 KB).
Selected Resources For Evaluation
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Developed by the California Department of Education 2015
California Local School Policy: Guide for Wellness Councils
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The California School Boards Association’s Monitoring for Success: Student Wellness Policy Implementation and
Monitoring guide has evaluation indicators on their Web page at http://www.csba.org/Newsroom/
CSBANewsletters/2012/July/ElectronicOnly/~/~/media/Files/EducationIssues/Wellness/200910_MFS_Guide.ashx (441 KB).
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The National Food Service Management Institute’s Resource to Sustain and Strengthen Local Wellness Initiatives
provides guidance for monitoring and evaluation local school wellness policies on their Web page at
http://www.nfsmi.org/documentlibraryfiles/PDF/20130228111227.pdf (4 MB).
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Indiana’s Healthy School Toolkit has a chapter on evaluation with sample evaluation plans for various areas of local school
wellness policy on their Web page at http://www.inhealthyweight.org/files/Evaluation.pdf (1 MB).
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A Guide to Implementing and Monitoring Wellness Policies from Maryland has evaluation indicators for both process and
impact, along with data collection suggestions on their Web page at http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/nr/rdonlyres/
7c62b6ee-4733-48a4-b1d6-cdd8f908e887/20559/wellness_guide_full_version.pdf (1 MB).
8. Conduct Sixth Meeting (Celebration) May–June
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Prepare your agenda. Schedule a slightly longer meeting to include celebration. Suggested topics are:
 Welcome and Review of Minutes
 What Went Well/Areas for Improvement
 Review schedule of meetings for next year
 Discuss ways to communicate success
 Celebration of Achievements
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After the meeting, send out minutes, and thank you.
Selected Resources For Communicating Success:
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Policy to Action: Steps to Implementing Your Local School Wellness Policy, Minnesota Department of Education has
tips for effective communication on their Web page at http://www.health.state.mn.us/cdrr/nutrition/docsandpdf/
implementlocalwellness.pdf (1 MB).
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5-2-1-0 Goes to School Wellness Policy Guide from Maine provides sample ways to communicate the policy to the public
on their Web page at http://www.letsgo.org/wp-content/uploads/LG_Wellness_Policy_Guide-2013_FINAL.pdf (1 MB).
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Developed by the California Department of Education 2015
California Local School Policy: Guide for Wellness Councils
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Montana School Wellness in Action-A Step by Step Guide to School Wellness Policy Implementation is a concise
guide that provides general ideas for communicating the policy and tools for sharing wellness success with the media on their
Web page at http://opi.mt.gov/pdf/schoolfood/WellnessImpGuide.pdf (319 KB).
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School Wellness Policy Best Practices from Washington State includes public notification ideas and other
implementation tools on their Web page at http://www.k12.wa.us/ChildNutrition/SchoolWellness/.
The California Local School Wellness Policy Web site for an array of resources on their Web page at
http://www.teamcaliforniaforhealthykids.org/school-wellness/school-wellness-policy-resources/.
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Developed by the California Department of Education 2015
California Local School Policy: Guide for Wellness Councils
Sample Wellness Council Meeting Schedule
Activity
Planning
Meeting 1
Orientation
Stakeholder
Engagement
Schedule
meetings
Invite
stakeholders
Policy Review
and Update
Review
policy
Select policy
review tool
Research
Policy
Adoption
Process
Council
Goals, Roles,
Meeting
Schedule
LSWP 101
and binder
Policy
Review Tool
Policy
Adoption
Process
Assign
policy parts
to review
LSWP
Assessment
Meeting 2
Policy Review
Meeting 3
Assessment
Meeting 4
Action Plan
Meeting 5
Policy Update
Meeting 6
Celebration
Assess what
went well
Review Policy
Together
Select
Assessment
Tool
Assign
Assessment
Areas
LSWP Action
Plan
(implementation)
LSWP
Monitoring and
Evaluation
LSWP Public
Post council
Notification
information
Celebration
Italicized items are council assignments
Review
Assessments
Together
Assign
Summary of
Assessment
Prioritize
Areas
Action Plan
Format
Assign
Action Plan
Parts
Assign Policy
Update
Finalize policy
Assign
board
approval
tasks
Review Action
Plan Together
Draft Action
Plan
Finalize
Action Plan
Include
communication
methods
Add
Evaluation
Indicators
Determine
how to
celebrate
Board
Approval of
Revised
Policy
Celebrate
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Developed by the California Department of Education 2015
California Local School Policy: Guide for Wellness Councils
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Developed by the California Department of Education 2015