Healthy Schools Toolkit
Tips and resources for
creating a healthier
school environment.
Contents
Role of Wellness Monitor/How to Use This Toolkit.…………………………………………………..3
Where to Begin??……………………………………………………………………………………………………….4
Connecting Health and Academics ………………………………………………………………………….11
Why Encourage Healthy Classroom Practices? ………………………………………………………13
Teacher’s Guide to Healthy Classroom Management……………………………………………..14
Dear Parents – Letter re: Healthy Snacks and Celebrations………………………………….15
Healthy Fundraising………………………………………………………………………………………………….16
Physical Activity Breaks in the Classroom ………………………………………………………………18
More Resources for Active Classrooms …………………………………………………………………..19
Incorporating Nutrition Education into the Classroom……………………………………………20
Nutrition Education Resources…………………………………………………………………………………21
School-Wide Wellness Ideas…………………………………………………………………………………….22
Adams 12 Wellness Policy……………………………………………………………………………………….23
Adams 12 Wellness Procedures……………………………………………………………………………….25
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
What is the Role of the Wellness Monitor?
As the Wellness Monitor, you are the advocate for health and wellness at your
school. You’re the promoter of the Superintendent Wellness Policy (Policy 3720),
as well as the champion for encouraging healthier practices at your school. This
role will look different at every school, but the basic duties include:






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Serve as District Wellness Coordinator’s primary contact at the school
Make the Wellness Policy and Procedures known to your school staff
Distribute information and resources to principal, staff, parents, and
students from this Toolkit and as provided by Wellness Coordinator
Attend or complete a professional development opportunity which will be
offered free of charge
Complete an initial Wellness Inventory to determine a minimum of one focus
area/priority for your school to improve around health/wellness
Complete Health and Wellness Assessment at end of school year
Distribute additional health/wellness-related information and opportunities to
students, staff, and parents as you see appropriate
How to Use this Toolkit
This Toolkit is designed to support the Wellness Monitors in promoting healthy
classrooms and overall healthy school environments to teachers, principals, and
parents at their school.
This Toolkit contains ideas, sample letters, and resources that you can use and
also share with others at your school. The hope is that the following pages can
serve as templates so feel free to tweak them as you see appropriate for your
school. Also, at the end of this Toolkit you’ll find the Adams 12 Wellness
Procedures. This has many ideas for implementing each part of the Wellness Policy
and can be found on the district website to share with principals and staff at
www.adams12.org/nutrition_health_wellness
Remember that you have my support! If you have questions or need additional
resources, please contact:
Antonio Ricciardi, M.S.
School Wellness Coordinator
Antonio.Ricciardi@adams12.org, 720-972-4015
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
Where to begin?
There are so many different aspects of health and wellness that it can be
overwhelming to figure out what to promote or work toward, and the Wellness
Policy can also be difficult to interpret. Here is an overview of the Policy as well as
some priorities that are associated with healthier and better performing students:
Guidelines from Wellness Policy:

Non-food rewards – According to the Policy, candy and junk food cannot
be used to reward students in classrooms. Ideally, non-food rewards such as
pencils, stickers, jump ropes, homework passes, PBS bucks, etc should be
used to reward good behavior. If a teacher wants to use food, it needs to
meet guidelines for fat, calories, and sugar (see Wellness Procedures).
Clementines, pretzels, animal crackers, or applesauce/fruit cups are good
options.

Alternative birthdays – The district is not going to control what parents
send with their children for birthdays. However, as a school, you can set
guidelines or you can encourage parents and students to celebrate in a
different way. See “Parent Letter” for a template with alternatives.

Healthier parties – All school and classroom parties must include healthier
options such as fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and whole grains. Sweets
can still be available as well, but at least 50% of the options at parties
should be healthy. Again, your school can develop further guidelines. Having
a parent sign-up sheet can help to ensure healthy options are covered, or
breakfast parties with yogurt parfaits have become a popular alternative to
avoid as many sweets.

No recess punishment – The Policy states that recess cannot be taken
away as a punishment under any circumstances. Students can be limited to
certain activities, but they still need to have the opportunity to be active in
some way.

Healthier fundraisers – The Policy sets nutritional guidelines for all foods
that are SOLD on the school campus from midnight until a ½ hour after
school. This includes foods sold by staff, students, parents, or outside
organizations. See “Healthy Fundraising” for the guidelines as well as many
alternative ideas.
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
Other Best Practices in School Health:

Activity breaks – Short, 3-5 minute activity breaks have been connected to
improved focus and behavior in the classroom. Plus, state law now requires
elementary students to get a minimum of 600 minutes of activity each
month at school. See “Connecting Health and Academics” and “Physical
Activity Breaks in the Classroom” for information to share with your principal
and staff.

Health Education – Colorado now has Comprehensive Health Standards
that should be followed at every grade level. PE teachers are incorporating
these standards into their classes, but there are also pieces for the
classroom. Healthteacher.com is a great resource to share with classroom
teachers for health lessons that align with the core standards (see
“Procedures” for log on instructions).

Student involvement – It’s been shown, especially as children get older,
that they find a lot more value in health and wellness when they’re a part of
it. Forming a Student Wellness Club or working with Student Council are
great ways to allow students to determine what their priority is around
wellness at the school.

Staff wellness – Your health is important, too! Just as students are better
learners when they’re healthy, adults also feel better and are more
productive. Plus, teachers are great role models for their students and it’s
amazing how students will follow the lead of their teacher. Initiating a staff
exercise challenge or group workouts after school can be fun and healthy for
the staff, while also modeling to students that health really is important.

Recess before lunch – This has been shown to improve students’ behavior
both in the cafeteria and in the classroom after lunch, increase students’
food and nutrient intake, and decrease waste. Although it requires a
schedule change many schools have successfully done it so talk to your
principal to see if this is a possibility.
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
Consider choosing 1 (or more) of these areas as a priority for this school year.
Discuss possibilities with your principal and share information with staff and
parents to gain support. In order to help you prioritize and map out your yearly
goals, use the School Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) document below. Our
Coordinated School Health schools complete two SHIPs on an annual basis to focus
their efforts.
What is the School Health Improvement Plan (SHIP)?
The School Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) is a school’s one-year work plan to
address the school’s health need(s). The following provides guidance for
completing each component of a SHIP.
What is a SMART objective?
Well-written objectives always answer the following question: WHO is going to do
WHAT, WHEN, and TO WHAT EXTENT? They should describe participants, actions
or interactions, and activities.
•
Specific: Who? (Target Population) and What? (Action/Activity)
•
Measurable: How much change is expected?
•
Attainable: Can it be realistically accomplished given current resources and
constraints.
•
Relevant: Does it address needs and proposes reasonable action steps to
lead to desirable results.
•
Time-phased: Does it provide a timeline indicating by when the objective
will be met.
What data will you collect to show you achieved your SMART objective?
Data collected should show evidence that you successfully met or made progress
towards meeting the SMART objective. Data can be qualitative (e.g., student
reactions) or quantitative (e.g., student grades or results from an assessment.)
Generally speaking, data are collected to get a baseline and then again after a
plan has been implemented. Make sure to include data collection activities when
writing the SHIP’s action steps.
What are Action Steps?
Action steps are the activities that are needed to implement the SHIP and reach
the stated SMART objective. When writing action steps, start them with a verb.
Make sure to complete all sections, including person(s) responsible, timeline of
when the action step will be completed (make sure everything is not due at the
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
same time), and budget needed. Make sure that tasks and responsibilities are
spread across the team and that one person is NOT doing all the work. All SHIPs
should include the following action steps:
a.
Meeting with your school health team
b.
Work on your school/district wellness policy (e.g., assessing,
communicating, revising, implementing, etc.)
Things to Remember
1.
Focus the SHIP on your school’s needs identified through the School Health
Index.
2.
Get input from other individuals in your school on how best to address your
school’s health needs.
3.
The SHIP is developed for one year. Don’t try to take on everything at once.
4.
Meet regularly with your school health team and monitor SHIP progress.
I also have many more resources related to each of these topics so please let me
know if you would like more information or if you could use more support. I’m
happy to help with creating a Student Wellness Club, meet with staff to discuss
integrating Health Education, meet with parents to talk about alternative parties or
fundraisers, or any other creative ideas you might have! Also, check out the
nutrition resources website for links to many wellness resources for parents,
teachers, and students: http://www.adams12.org/nutrition_resources
Antonio Ricciardi – Antonio.Ricciardi@adams12.org x4015
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
Healthy Schools Successful Students: School Health Improvement Plan (SHIP)
Date:
School Name:
Co-leader Name(s):
SMART Objective (desired change):
What data will you collect that will indicate the objective has been achieved?
Action steps to achieve SMART Objective
Timeline
(By When)
Person(s) Responsible
Budget
Needed
Action Step
Completed
Describe other activities that support and further the health and wellness of students, staff, and family in your school:
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
Getting Started – Wellness Inventory
This inventory can give you a basic overview of what’s currently happening at your
school and where you’d like to focus your efforts.
Our school has a Wellness Council/Committee made up of teachers, parents, staff,
students, etc that meets at least every other month during the school year.
 Yes
 No
Our school cafeteria offer samples/taste tests of new items or different fruits and
vegetables that may not be the most popular.
 Yes
 No
Our school participates in fundraisers that do not include unhealthy foods (cookie
dough, candy bars, cupcakes, butter braids, etc).
 Yes
 No
Our school participates in active fundraisers (Fun Runs, Dodgeball Tournament,
Dance Off, etc).
 Yes
 No
Our school provides parents with a guide/list of healthy snack items for birthdays
and celebrations.
 Yes
 No
Staff and teachers encourage students and parents to become leaders in health
education (including nutrition, physical activity, mental health, etc.).
 Yes
 No
Staff and teachers encourage students and parents to live an active lifestyle with
proper nutrition and balance academics with health.
 Yes
 No
Connecting Health and Academics
There have now been numerous studies that reveal a connection between the
health of students and their academic performance. Here are some connections
that have been made:
NUTRITION
 Well-nourished students tend to be better performing students, while
undernourished or hungry students have more difficulty focusing. (1,8)
 Students who participate in a school breakfast program have shown:
 IMPROVED: test scores, attendance, alertness, concentration, academic
performance, and classroom participation
 LESS: tardiness, illness, and behavioral problems (1,3,6,8,11)
 Students who are overweight have been found to be absent from school
significantly more often than students who are not overweight. (7,14)
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
 Exercise has been shown to improve cognitive function by affecting the area of
the brain that deals with memory and learning. It’s also connected to improved
academic performance, concentration, and classroom behavior. (1,2,5,16,17)
 3rd and 5th graders who were more physically fit performed better on
standardized tests in both math and reading. (4)
 Short activity breaks improve concentration and student behavior in the
classroom. In one study, the least on-task students improved on-task behavior by
20% following a 10-minute classroom-based physical activity program.
(5,9,10,13,16)
 It’s suggested that physically active teens are less likely to have low self-esteem
and more likely to have higher grades. (12)
 4th grade students who received 56 or more hours of PE per school year scored
significantly higher on standardized test scores in English and language arts
than did students who received 28 hours of PE per school year. (15)
 Several studies have found that providing more time for PE or physical activity in
the school day either improves academic performance or has no effect on
performance. There is currently no evidence that taking time away from PE to
provide more “academic” time is beneficial in improving academic performance, and
it may be detrimental to students’ health. (2,5,13,16,17)
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
Resources
1. Action for Healthy Kids (2004). The learning connection: the value of improving nutrition
and physical activity in our schools. Available at www.actionforhealthykids.org/resources/
files/ learning-connection.pdf. Accessed Dec 2010.
2. Basch CE. (2010). Healthier students are better learners: a missing link in school reforms to
bridge the achievement gap. Equity Matters: Research Review No.6. New York: The
Campaign for Educational Equity.
3. Brown JL, Beardslee WH, Prothrow-Stith D. (2008). Impact of school breakfast on children’s
health and learning. Sodexho Foundation. Available at http://www.sodexofoundation.
org/hunger_us/Images/Impact%20of%20School%20Breakfast%20Study_tcm150212606.pdf. Accessed Aug 2011.
4. Castelli D, Hillman C, Buck S, et al. (2007). Physical fitness and academic achievement in
third and fifth grade students. Journal of Sport and Exercise, 29: 239-252.
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The association between school based physical
activity, including physical education, and academic performance. Atlanta, GA: U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services; 2010.
6. Food Research and Action Center. Breakfast for Learning. Available at http://frac.org/wpcontent/uploads/2009/09/breakfastforlearning1.pdf. Accessed Jan 2011.
7. Geier AB, Foster GD, Womble LG, et al. (2007). The relationship between relative weight
and school attendance among elementary schoolchildren. Obesity, 15: 2157-2163.
8. Kleinman RE, Hall S, Green H, et al. (2002). Diet, Breakfast, and Academic Performance in
Children. Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism,46(suppl 1):24-30.
9. Maeda JK, Randall LM. (2003). Can academic success come from five minutes of physical
activity? Brock Education, 13(1):14–22.
10. Mahar MT, Murphy SK, Rowe DA, et al. (2006). Effects of a classroom-based program on
physical activity and on-task behavior. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise,
38(12):2086–2094.
11. Murphy JM. Breakfast and learning: an update. (2007). Journal of Current Nutrition and
Food Science, 3(1): 3-36.
12. Nelson MC, Gordon-Larsen P. (2006). Physical activity and sedentary behavior patterns are
associated with selected adolescent health risk behaviors. Pediatrics, 117: 1281–1290.
13. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (2009). Active education: physical education, physical
activity and academic performance. Active Living Research: Research Brief.
14. Shore SM, Sachs ML, Lidicker JR, et al. (2008). Decreased scholastic achievement in
overweight middle school students. Obesity, 16: 1535-1538.
15. Tremarche PV, Robinson EM, Graham LB. (2007). Physical education and its effect on
elementary testing results. Physical Educator, 64(2):58-64.
16. Trost SG, van der Mars H. (2009). Why we should not cut PE. Health and Learning,
67(4):60-65.
17. Trudeau F, Shephard R. (2008). Physical education, school physical activity, school sports
and academic performance. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical
Activity, Vol 5, No 10.
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
Why Encourage Healthy Classroom Food Practices?
Moving away from unhealthy foods helps to:

Encourage students to select healthier foods and find more meaningful ways
to raise funds, be rewarded, or celebrate.

Support parents who are trying to minimize their children’s intake of foods
high in sugar, fats and/or sodium.

Promote a message consistent with the nutrition education that students
receive at school, emphasizing the importance of personal health.

Improve students’ ability to focus and learn
by providing foods that support brain
function rather than foods that undermine
health.

Minimize the image of unhealthy foods as
“fun”, as connected to mood, or as a way to
reward oneself. These behaviors can reduce
children’s ability to decipher hunger and can
lead to more random eating.

Reduce exposure to unhealthy foods – where there is already an
overabundance of foods and messages about foods.

Prevent future health problems for children, such as diabetes, high blood
pressure, and cavities which are impacted by poor food choices.

Make schools part of the solution for childhood overweight and obesity.
Challenge to Teachers: Start Small
Commit to one or more of the following healthy classroom practices:

Ask your students’ parents to support creative, non-food classroom
celebrations and birthdays.

Use non-food items to reward students for good behavior. Extra recess time
and short activity breaks are great rewards!

Send home a list of healthy snack options for parents to send with their
children for daily snacks or celebrations.

Create a food sign-up sheet for parties to ensure that fruits and vegetables
are included and sweet treats are limited.

Start a Birthday Book Club or create a “Birthday Menu” with activities
students can choose from to celebrate their birthday instead of bringing a
treat.
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
Teacher’s Guide to a Healthy Classroom
You can help promote a positive learning environment by providing healthy
rewards and celebrations that shift the focus from the food to the student. You
have the power to impact their lives for good and encourage healthy habits for a
lifetime. Find more resources at: http://www.adams12.org/nutrition_resources
Healthy Classroom Management
Rewarding children in the classroom should not involve candy or other junk food that
undermines children’s health and reinforces unhealthful eating habits.
A wide variety of alternative rewards can be used to provide positive reinforcement for
children’s behavior and academic performance.
Sit by friends
Earn play money for privileges or PBS bucks
Read outdoors
Get “free choice” time at end of day
Teach the class
Listen to music while working
Extra recess or art time
Make deliveries to the office
Homework pass
Healthy Classroom Celebrations
When food is served, ½ of the options need to be healthy (non-sweets) with at
least one fruit or vegetable option. Try using a parent sign-up sheet for parties to
ensure that you meet these guidelines and have a variety of options. Breakfast parties
are also a great way to avoid all the sweets – make yogurt parfaits, fruit salad, etc.
Non-food celebrations are enjoyed by all students, including those who are diabetic,
have allergies, or have been taught at home to avoid unhealthy food. Non-food parties
can include:
Playing games or craft stations
A scavenger hunt for items in the classroom or school
Provide “free choice” activity time at the end of the day
A dance party or talent show
Lunch outside
Extra recess time
Healthy Birthday Celebrations
Instead of every student bringing a treat for their birthday, consider these ideas:
Make a sash, crown, button, or badge for the birthday child to wear all day
Let the birthday child be your assistant for the day or join them for lunch
Encourage students to donate a book to the classroom in place of bringing a treat
Encourage donations of other classroom or playground items
Create a “menu” of alternative birthday celebrations (extra recess, dance party, read
aloud time, games) and each student can choose the activity they would like on their
special day.
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
Dear Parents,
Let’s Party! While food can be a part of a class party, _(school/ classroom)_ is trying
to have healthier options at celebrations.
From birthday parties to holidays, there are many celebrations in school and we
love celebrating with your children. However, as we teach students about the
importance of making healthy choices and how eating well will help them to learn,
it can be confusing when every celebration involves junk food or when snacks from
home aren’t in line with what they’re learning. So we are asking for your support
in our effort to create a healthier school environment by replacing sugary, high fat
treats with more nutritious options. Here are a few ideas:
Birthday Celebration Ideas
Non-food celebrations are enjoyed by all students,
including those who are diabetic, have allergies, or
have been taught at home to avoid unhealthy food.
Consider alternatives to sending your child to school
with a treat for their birthday. Some ideas are:
A simple craft for each classmate to do
Donate a book to the classroom or school library
with your child’s name in it
Donate other classroom or playground supplies
(contact the teacher for ideas)
If you’d like to send a snack for the class, try to stick
with the healthier food suggestions listed to the right.
Healthier Classroom Celebrations
For holiday parties, try getting creative with snacks:
Banana ghosts (bananas dipped in yogurt and
frozen with raisin eyes)
Heart shaped fruit (cutting slices of apples or
watermelon with a heart cookie cutter)
Popcorn garland (popcorn and dried fruit)
Come up with fun themes or activities to be the focus
of parties, rather than the food. For example:
Have a Monster Freeze Dance or Musical Pumpkins
(instead of musical chairs) with eerie music
Make snow globes or sing carols in the winter
Have a heart hunt with activities (5 jumping jacks,
hop on 1 leg, etc) written on hidden paper hearts
Healthier Foods for
Snacks & Parties
Fruit kabobs
Fresh veggies with low
fat dip or hummus
Yogurt parfaits with low
or non-fat yogurt, fruit
and reduced fat granola
Fruit smoothies
Crackers (such as
Triscuits, Wheat Thins,
Kashi, etc)
Tortilla chips with salsa
Baked chips
Low fat pudding
Popcorn
Graham crackers or
animal crackers
Mini bagels with cream
cheese
Trail mix*** Check with
teacher about nut
allergies
Apples with caramel dip
String cheese
Gogurt
Applesauce or fruit cups
Water
Milk (1% or skim)
100% Fruit juice
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
Healthy Fundraising
The Superintendent Wellness Policy (3720) has set nutritional guidelines
“for all beverages and food items sold on school grounds (including school
cafeterias, vending machines, school stores, and fundraising activities) from
midnight until one-half hour after the end of the last class period.” This
means there are clearer requirements about the foods that can be sold as
fundraisers during the school day.
We recognize, especially at the high school level, that fundraisers happen
frequently and are necessary for supporting student clubs, sports teams,
and many other organizations. The goal of this policy is not to end
fundraisers or to make funding these activities a lot more difficult; the hope
is to reduce the amount of junk food that students have access to at school
and encourage students to think “outside the box.” Although candy bars and
cookie dough may be easy sells, there are many other possibilities out there
that can raise just as much (or more!) money while supporting healthier
habits in students.
This is a big change and no one expects it to happen overnight, nor are
teachers now expected to be food police. But if you’re an advisor for a
student club or a coach for a sports team, perhaps the next time your
students are brainstorming for a fundraiser you can encourage them to
initiate a penny war competition between staff and students or challenge
them to find healthier recipes for their bake sale. These changes will be
gradual and will take time, but each effort made is a step toward a healthier
future for our country.
If you have questions about any of the suggestions below or if you have
ideas to share that have been successful for you please contact Antonio
Ricciardi at Antonio.Ricciardi@adams12.org.
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
Non-food fundraisers are highly encouraged. Some ideas for non-food or healthy
fundraisers include:
 Walk-a-thon with pledges
 King Soopers Reloadable Gift Card
program
 Penny wars
 Car wash
 Fun run
 Sports tournament
 Target Visa card program
 Recycling program
 Entertainment books/E-books
 Albertson’s Community Partners program
 Discount cards
 Movie tickets
 Raffle tickets for donated items
 Custom silicone bracelets
 Colorado peaches –
http://www.cunninghampeaches.com
/fundraising.html
 Competitions between teachers and
students
 Silent auction with donated gifts
 Gift wrap, greeting cards, candles, etc.
 Fundraising toolbar (i.e. Yahoo)
 Orchard Town Center Shopping 4
Students
 www.onecause.com
 Spirit wear
 Custom-labeled bottled water
 Rubber duck races
 Safeway’s eScrip program
 Subway cards
 Coffee, tea, spices
 Pasta – www.funpastafundraising.com
 Citrus sales –
www.halegrovesfundraising.com
If food fundraisers are used, all foods and beverages that are sold during the
school day must meet the same nutritional guidelines as the Smart Snacks in
Schools Regulations, which are:
 No more than 35% of calories from fat (with the exception of nuts, nut butters,
seeds, and reduced fat cheese)
 No more than 10% of calories from saturated fat
 No more than 35% of total weight in sugar (with the exception of fresh fruit, dried
fruit, low-fat dairy products, and fruit packaged in their own juices)
 No more than 200 calories for snack items and 350 calories for entrée items
 No more than 230 mg sodium for snack items and 480 mg sodium for entrée items
 No soda (diet or regular)
 Please see the Wellness Procedures for further nutrition and beverage requirements
and resources to implement the guidelines:
http://www.adams12.org/files/school_lunch/WELLNESS_PROCEDURES_13-14.pdf
Some ideas for food fundraisers that meet these guidelines are:
 Popcorn (variety of flavors, popcorn balls, popcorn mix with nuts, pretzels, etc)
 Trail mixes
 Jerky
 Granola bars
 Jamba Juice/fruit smoothies
 Holiday-themed foods, such as apple cider or caramel apples for
Halloween/Thanksgiving, red fruit kabobs or chocolate-dipped fruit for Valentine’s
Day, Jell-O jigglers in various shapes, etc.
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
Physical Activity Breaks in the Classroom
Brain science strongly supports the link of movement to learning. The brain and
body’s movement and learning systems are interdependent and interactive. Eric
Jensen, in Learning with the Body in Mind, tells us that sitting for just 10 minutes
at a time increases fatigue and reduces concentration and attention. This often
results in behavior problems for children. By contrast, most of the brain is
activated during physical activity and “the complex interplay between mind and
body…engages the learning brain.” Three- to five-minute physical activity breaks
can be incorporated into any classroom. Here are some examples of how to get
students moving. Feel free to get creative and come up with your own!
Activity Break Ideas
1. Morning Stretch: Plan a break time partway through each morning to do a couple
minutes of stretches, such as seated leg lifts, toe touches, jumping jacks, etc.
2. Task Master: Have students stand up and push in their chairs. Explain that you are
going to give them a series of tasks and the goal is to complete them as quickly as
possible. Direct students that once they have completed the task, they should stop where
they are and raise their hand. For the first task have students touch 10 chairs not in a row.
For the next task have students touch elbows with 8 classmates. For the last task, touch
toes with 6 classmates wearing 6 different colored shirts.
3. No Stress Test: Make it a classroom tradition to have a 5-minute walking break before
a test to help everyone unwind and relax.
4. Take a Tour: Lead students on an imaginary tour of a different country or state in a
charades-like game. For example, take a tour of Texas: march to the Alamo, climb an oak
tree, hike Guadalupe Peak, swim in the Gulf of Mexico. Create other simulations that point
out landmarks within a state or tie into areas you’re teaching.
5. Play Cards: Using a standard card deck, assign an activity to each of the four suits
(ex: jumping in place, running in place, sit-ups, squats). Pass out a card to each student
and they have to do the activity for that suit for 20 seconds. Have students pass their cards
to their neighbor and repeat for 5 passes. Add a twist: have students perform the activity
the number of times designated on the card.
6. Acting Out: Read a paragraph or page of a book, and every time an action verb comes
up, the students have to act it out.
7. Action Answers: Keep a cup full of cut up papers with various activities (ex: air guitar,
march in place) that can be used when students answer questions. For example, if you write
a math equation on the board and students decide if it’s true or false, true = shoot a
basket, false = lunge.
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
More Resources for Physically Active Classrooms
Lesson Ideas and Brain Breaks
Active Academics provides practical ideas for integrating physical activity in K-5 math,
reading/language arts, health/nutrition, and physical education classes.
http://www.activeacademics.org/
Secondary Breaks – Brain break activities for secondary level classrooms.
http://www.coloradoedinitiative.org/resources/teacher-toolbox-activity-breaks/
Brain Breaks provides physical activity lessons for K-6 classrooms. Lesson menu is broken into
specific content areas and other settings.
http://www.emc.cmich.edu/BrainBreaks/
Energizers are classroom based physical activities for grades K-8 that integrate physical activity
with academic concepts.
http://eatbettermovemore.org/sa/enact/school/documents/afterschool.pa.programs.K-5Energizers.pdf
Middle School Energizers are classroom activities for grades 6-8, separated by subject.
http://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/Energizers/Middle.html
JAMmin’ Minutes are 1-minute fitness routines done right in the classroom.
http://www.healthetips.com/jam-program.php
Go Noodle provides quick, easy online breaks that connect with classroom content areas while
motivating the kids with their own avatar. Contact Antonio Ricciardi at x4015 for login information.
https://www.gonoodle.com/
Jump Start Teens is a series of 8 cross-curricular lesson plans to encourage teens to eat healthy
and be active.
http://www.californiaprojectlean.org/doc.asp?id=193
Research
Gray Matters- Kim Bevill -To bring meaningful change in education, Kim has insisted on training
educators on the applicable neuroscience and the instructional strategies that work for anyone with
a brain! http://teacherrecertificationcourses.com/
Action Based Learning - puts brain-based learning into action with teacher friendly, “kid-tested,
kid-approved” strategies that move students to learn! See the "articles" tab.
http://www.actionbasedlearning.com/
Brain Rules - A multimedia resource detailing 12 key rules scientists know about how the brain
works. For each brain rule, Dr. John Medina presents the science and then offers ideas for
investigating how the rule might apply to our daily lives, especially at work and school.
http://www.brainrules.net/about-brain-rules
"Spark, The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain" - In this book, Dr. John
Ratey presents groundbreaking research linking the connection between exercise and the brain’s
performance. Evidence shows how even moderate exercise will supercharge mental circuits to beat
stress, sharpen thinking, enhance memory, and much more. Chapter two is dedicated to physical
activity and education. http://www.johnratey.com
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
Incorporating Nutrition Education into the Classroom
Education is the key when it comes to making healthy food choices. Unfortunately,
health and nutrition aren’t a part of the curriculum at every grade level. Below are
some ideas for including nutrition topics in your classroom and traditional subjects.
Elementary Ideas:
Take a poll of students’ favorite fruits or veggies and use graphs or charts
to represent the results.
As students learn about the 50 states have them research the foods
produced in each state.
Have a daily nutrition trivia question posted in your classroom.
Use a nutrition label to practice various math skills.
List fruits and veggies on the board and have students put them in
alphabetical order.
Do a blindfolded taste test of some fruits and veggies and have students
describe the foods using descriptive adjectives, or discuss the 5 senses.
Discuss the growth of foods from seed to table.
Practice creative writing with stories such as “How the peach got its fuzz.”
Secondary Ideas:
Discuss food-related issues when students are investigating environmental
issues, such as organic vs conventional farming, how our food demands
are impacting natural resources, or genetically engineered food.
Ask students to bring in food advertisements from magazines and discuss
how the advertiser used word, photos or other marketing strategies.
If students are learning about graphs or statistics, have them poll their
peers about favorite fruits or veggies and create a graph representation.
As students learn about U.S. relations with other countries, discuss food
imports and exports, how terrain impacts production, etc.
As students learn about finances, have them put together a sample budget
for groceries to make a healthy, well-balanced meal. Also compare grocery
store ads and use ratio concepts to determine the best deals.
Use food labels to practice math skills.
Post a daily or weekly nutrition trivia question in your classroom.
Offer extra credit if students bring in current articles related to food,
nutrition, or health.
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
Nutrition Education Resources
Dole K-5 Lesson Plans:
Lessons for Language Arts, Social Studies, Math, Science and Music.
http://www.dole.com/Superkids
Health Teacher Lesson Plans:
Lessons that meet all of the National Health Education Standards for K-12
and align with the Common Core.
http://www.healthteacher.com
“Food for Thought” K-5 Curriculum:
Lessons for each grade level that integrate healthy eating and active living
into Math and Language Arts.
http://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/FoodForThought/FoodForThought.ht
ml
Fuel Up to Play Lessons:
A variety of lesson ideas for kindergarten through high school.
http://school.fueluptoplay60.com/tools/nutrition-education/lessons.php
Kaiser Permanente Educational Theater Programs:
Various theater productions or programs related to health for K-12.
http://www.etpcolorado.org/programs-overview
Discovery Education Lesson Plans:
Here you can find health lessons by grade level for K-12.
http://www.discoveryeducation.com/teachers/free-lesson-plans/
Food Timeline:
Lessons relating food to other topics, such as history and economics. (K-12)
http://www.foodtimeline.org/food2a.html
Adams 12 Nutrition Kits:
Nutrition Services has Nutrition Kits with lesson plans that you’re always
welcome to borrow. I would also be more than happy to come out and teach
on the benefits of proper nutrition and physical activity. Contact Antonio
Ricciardi at x4015 if you’re interested.
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
School-Wide Wellness Ideas
Here are a few more ideas for incorporating wellness into your school’s
environment and getting students involved and invested in their own
health!
Healthy Headquarters – Choose a bulletin board in a prominent location
in the school to designate as the “Healthy Headquarters.” Choose a
monthly theme or have different classrooms volunteer to update the
bulletin board each month. Some topics could be: comparing the
nutritional value of different beverages, fun and healthy after-school
snacks, the importance of physical activity, eat 5 fruits and veggies
everyday.
Door Decorating Contest - Have each class decorate their classroom door
in a way that will promote the importance of healthy eating and active
living to the rest of the school. The decorated doors could be judged by a
panel of members from the school and the winning class could win a
prize, such as extra time in the gym or an extra recess.
Fit Facts – Have students from different classes plan and make weekly or
daily announcements related to living a healthy lifestyle, such as nutrition
information, food trivia, physical activity ideas, leading the school in
stretches, etc.
Wellness Webpage – Have students design a page on your school website
to promote healthy eating and active living.
Wellness Wall – Post a scroll of paper on a wall in the school cafeteria.
Choose certain days when students can sign their name on the “Wellness
Wall” if they make a healthy choice, such as eating both a fruit and
vegetable, finishing their milk, etc.
Caught Being Healthy – Similar to a PBS program (or as part of your PBS
program) have the principal, teachers, nurse, etc visit the cafeteria
during lunch and provide a coupon to students who are “caught being
healthy.”
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
Superintendent Policy 3720 – Wellness Policy
1.0
Adams 12 Five Star Schools is committed to providing a school environment that
promotes proper nutrition, regular physical activity, and the development of lifelong
wellness practices as part of the total learning environment. The district recognizes that
schools contribute to the overall health status of students and that well-nourished,
physically active students are better equipped to learn in the classroom. To achieve this,
each school shall strive to create an environment that supports student health by
meeting the following goals:
1.1
Goal Number 1. The district will provide a learning environment for developing
and practicing lifelong wellness behaviors.
1.1.1 The school environment shall be designed to positively influence a
student’s understanding, beliefs and habits as they relate to health,
nutrition, and physical activity. This environment will teach students to use
appropriate resources and tools to make informed and educated decisions
about lifelong healthy eating habits and beneficial physical activity.
1.2
Goal Number 2. The district will support and promote proper dietary habits
contributing to students’ health status and academic performance.
1.2.1 All beverages and food items sold on school grounds (including school
cafeterias, vending machines, school stores, and fundraising activities)
from one hour prior to the start of the first class period until one-half hour
after the end of the last class period shall meet or exceed the District’s
nutrition standards as defined in the Wellness, Physical Activity and
Nutritional Procedures. These standards are encouraged for foods
provided on the school campus at other times as well. Schools
participating in the National School Breakfast and/or Lunch program will
comply with USDA regulations and state policies as defined in
Superintendent Policy 3700.
1.2.2 In order to provide a positive eating environment, every student will have a
minimum of 10 minutes to eat breakfast and 15 minutes to eat lunch. This
does not include time spent walking to and from class, washing hands, or
waiting in line.
1.2.3 Meals shall not be denied a student as a disciplinary action.
1.2.4 In order to avoid undermining the importance of healthful eating habits,
non-food rewards and incentives shall be used as the first choice to
encourage positive behavior. If food is used as a reward, it must meet the
same guidelines as foods sold on the school campus, as defined in the
Wellness, Physical Activity and Nutritional Procedures.
1.2.5 School and classroom celebrations shall include a variety of foods, with an
emphasis on fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and whole grains, to provide
students with the opportunity to choose a healthy option. A list of
recommended party foods for parents and staff will be accessible on the
District website, and schools may determine if they would like to develop
further guidelines.
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
1.3
Goal Number 3. The district will provide opportunities for students to engage in
physical activity.
1.3.1 Physical activity may include, but is not limited to, physical education,
recess, classroom fitness breaks, field trips that include physical activity,
exercise programs, or classroom activities that include physical activity.
Schools shall include not less than the minimum required amount of
physical activity in the schedules of students attending elementary
schools, as such minimums are set forth in state law and described in the
Wellness, Physical Activity and Nutritional Procedures. Middle and high
school students shall be afforded opportunities for physical activity that are
age-appropriate.
1.3.2 Physical education shall be available at each grade level.
1.3.3 Physical activity shall not be imposed nor taken away as a form of
punishment for students. For example, students shall not be required to
run extra laps or do extra push-ups as a result of poor conduct or
academic performance, nor shall recess or physical education be taken
away from a student as a punishment. Alternative suggestions for
discipline can be found in the Wellness, Physical Activity and Nutritional
Procedures.
1.3.3.1 This policy shall not prevent a student from being limited to
certain activities at recess due to behavior issues. However, this
practice should focus on the student losing the privilege to play
with their friends and/or needing time to think about their actions
rather than on the activity itself being the punishment.
2.0 Each Principal shall designate a Wellness Monitor to coordinate and monitor the
implementation of this policy at his or her school, including the completion of an annual
policy implementation assessment. This representative will also gather and disseminate
wellness-related information and opportunities to students, staff members, and the
community as they see appropriate.
3.0 A District Wellness Committee shall monitor the implementation of this policy at the
District level, evaluate the District’s progress on this policy’s goals, serve as a resource to
schools, and recommend revisions to this policy and the attached procedures as the
committee deems necessary and/or appropriate.
LEGAL REFERENCES:
C.R.S. 22-32-134.5
C.R.S. 22-32-136
C.R.S. 22-32-136.5(3)(a) and (b)
1 CCR 301-79
Section 204 of P.L. 111-296
CROSS REFERENCES:
Code 3700
Wellness, Physical Activity and Nutrition Procedures
Most Recent Adoption
September 23, 2011
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
The Adams 12 Wellness Procedures:
Wellness, Physical Activity, and Nutritional Requirements
This document provides strategies for all Adams 12 Five Star School employees to attempt in
support of Superintendent Policy 3720 (“Wellness Policy”). The District-Wide Nutritional
Requirements under Goal #2 must be followed at all schools. Otherwise, the statements in this
document are recommendations for schools and staff to consider. Although these actions are
not required, they are highly encouraged in order to create the healthiest possible environment
for the students of Adams 12 Five Star Schools.
Goal #1: The District will provide a learning environment for developing and practicing
lifelong wellness behaviors.
This goal may be accomplished by:
 Coordinating nutrition education opportunities between the school cafeteria and classrooms
through collaboration of the Nutrition and BASE Department and school staff/teachers.
 Encouraging teachers to integrate nutrition education into traditional subject areas. Visit
http://www.eatsmartmovemorenc.com/FoodForThought/FoodForThought.html for sample
K-5 lessons.
 Continuing collaboration between Health Services and Learning Services to improve district
health education requirements.
 Utilizing resources to implement the Colorado Comprehensive Health and Physical
Education Standards, such as http://www.healthteacher.com/ (“Sign Up”  “I have an
activation code”  adams12414  create own account )
 Promoting healthy eating and active living to students, parents, school staff, and the
community. This may be achieved through resources at back-to-school events, offering
healthy snacks at open houses and school events, providing educational opportunities at
staff in-services, and providing educational resources to parents via school newsletters,
handouts, the District website, etc. Various resources may be obtained from the Nutrition
and BASE Department at x4123.
 Continuing to improve collaboration between health-related entities within the district to
develop a stronger alignment with the Coordinated School Health Model. This may include,
but is not limited to, collaboration among Student Support Services, Nutrition and BASE,
Health Services, Community Outreach, Mental Health Specialists, Physical Education
Coordinators, Staff Wellness, and community partners.
 Encouraging principals and/or teachers to establish School-level Wellness Committees to
determine health priorities at each building.
GOAL #2: The District will support and promote proper dietary habits contributing to
students’ health status and academic performance.
 The following Nutritional Requirements apply to all schools:
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
Individual food items offered at any school must meet the following:
o Be a “whole grain-rich” grain product; or
o Have as the first ingredient a fruit, a vegetable a dairy product, or a protein food; or
o Be a combination food that contains at least ¼ cup of fruit and/or vegetable; or
o Contain 10% of the Daily Value (DV) of one of the nutrients of public health concern
in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (calcium, potassium, vitamin D, or
dietary fiber).
o No more than 35% of calories from fat (with the exception of nuts, nut butters,
seeds, and reduced fat cheese)
o No more than 10% of calories from saturated fat
o No more than 35% of total weight in sugar (with the exception of fresh fruit, dried
fruit, low-fat dairy products, and fruit packaged in their own juices)
o <200 total calories for snacks; <350 total calories for entrees
o <230 mg of sodium per serving for snacks; <480 mg of sodium per serving for
entrees
o Zero grams trans fat
Only the following beverages may be offered at each grade level:
o Elementary Beverages:
 Bottled water
 Up to 8oz unflavored low-fat or fat-free milk
 Up to 8oz fat-free unflavored or flavored milk and milk alternatives up to 150
calories/8oz approved by National School Lunch Program/School Breakfast
Program
 Up to 8oz 100% fruit or vegetable juice with no added sweeteners up to 120
calories/8oz
 Up to 8oz 100% fruit or vegetable juice diluted with water (with or without
carbonation) up to 120 calories/8oz
o Middle School Beverages:
 Bottled water
 Up to 12oz unflavored low-fat or fat-free milk
 Up to 12oz fat-free unflavored or flavored milk and milk alternatives up to 150
calories/8oz approved by National School Lunch Program/School Breakfast
Program
 Up to 12oz 100% fruit or vegetable juice with no added sweeteners up to 120
calories/8oz
 Up to 12oz 100% fruit or vegetable juice diluted with water (with or without
carbonation) up to 120 calories/8oz
o High School Beverages:
 Bottled water
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
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
No more than 20oz portions of:
 Calorie free, flavored water (with or without carbonation)
 Other flavored and/or carbonated beverages that are labeled to contain
< 5 calories per 8 fluid ounces or ≤ 10 calories per 20 fluid ounces
 No more than 12oz portions of:
 Beverages with ≤ 40 calories per 8 fluid ounces, or ≤ 60 calories per 12
fluid ounces
 Up to 12oz unflavored low-fat or fat-free milk
 Up to 12oz fat-free unflavored or flavored milk and milk alternatives up to 120
calories/8oz approved by National School Lunch Program/School Breakfast
Program
 Up to 12oz 100% fruit or vegetable juice with no added sweeteners up to 120
calories/8oz
 Up to 12oz 100% fruit or vegetable juice diluted with water (with or without
carbonation) up to 120 calories/8oz
These guidelines apply to any food or beverage that is sold or provided on
campus during the extended school day (from midnight before the beginning of
school until one half-hour after the last class period), whether by staff, parents, or
an outside organization. This includes fundraising activities, foods for
celebrations, classroom rewards, items in school stores, vending machines, etc.
If a specific food item is in question the following link contains a calculator which
determines if a product meets the guidelines:
https://schools.healthiergeneration.org/focus_areas/snacks_and_beverages/smart_snac
ks/alliance_product_calculator/
The Nutrition and BASE Department may help accomplish this goal by:
o Providing every student on the National School Breakfast and/or Lunch Program
with access to a healthful meal, fresh fruits, vegetables, and water in appropriate
portion sizes.
o Making the nutritional content of all foods and beverages sold by Nutrition Services
available on the district’s website and/or in the school kitchens.
o Continuing to decrease processed foods, sodium, and trans-fats on the breakfast
and lunch menus, while increasing semi-scratch cooked menu items.
o Ensuring that the school cafeteria is a pleasant eating environment.
o Strictly enforcing all HACCP and state/local health codes in the school foodservice
operation.
o Including students in the menu planning process through taste tests and surveys.
o Collaborating with cafeteria and school staff to promote a new Harvest of the Month
item each month, including a sampling of the food item at lunch and morning
announcements to increase awareness.
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
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
o Continually improving vending machine options.
o Ensuring that all foods and beverages provided in the BASE program meet the
District-Wide Nutritional Requirements.
School Staff may help accomplish this goal by:
Fundraisers:
o Participating in non-food fundraisers (flowers, gift wrap, discount cards, coupon
books, etc) or fundraisers that promote healthy food choices (peaches, citrus,
spices, bottled water) whenever possible.
o http://www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/fundraiserfactsheet.pdf has additional
fundraising ideas.
Classroom Rewards:
o Providing non-food rewards in the classroom whenever possible. Staff is
encouraged to use constructive classroom rewards that promote positive selfesteem and good habits while protecting students’ health. Some examples include:
extra recess, praise, thank you note, certificate/recognition, free time, group activity,
homework pass, stretch break, free time, or listening to music while working. Visit
http://www.d11.org/FNS/Documents/HealthyFundraising.pdf ,
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/PDF/DEPS/Student/NutritionEd/Food_Rewards.pd
f , http://www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/constructive_rewards.pdf , and
http://www.ocde.us/healthycalifornia/Documents/For%20Educators/Ideas_for_NonFood_Classroom_Rewards.pdf for additional ideas.
Celebrations/Parties:
o Providing healthy food and beverage choices as the primary offerings at any school
function that includes food.
o Establishing guidelines for snacks brought in for parties and birthday celebrations,
emphasizing fruit and vegetable options.
o Including physical activity in any celebration, such as extra recess or creative
playtime.
o Experimenting with alternative birthday celebrations. For example, have a monthly
birthday celebration instead of a treat on every child’s birthday, allowing the birthday
child to choose an activity that the class can do (extra recess, class game, reading
aloud, lunch with the teacher, etc), or bringing in a craft/activity for the class instead
of a snack.
District Staff may help accomplish this goal by:
o Serving as a positive role model for students by modeling healthy food choices and
active lifestyles.
o Providing healthy snacks at staff meetings.
GOAL #3: The District will provide opportunities for students to regularly engage in
physical activity.
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
This goal may be accomplished by:
 Colorado State Law requirements for Physical Activity:
o Elementary schools must provide the opportunity for students to engage in a
minimum of 600 minutes of physical activity each month.
o If a school currently provides more than 600 minutes they shall not decrease the
amount of physical activity as a result of this law.
o Although non-instructional physical activity can contribute to a portion of the 600
minutes, non-instructional physical activity shall not be substituted for standardsbased physical education instruction.
 Physical Education:
o Schools are encouraged to provide:
 A minimum of 60 minutes of physical education per week at the elementary
level, with a goal of 150 minutes per week.
 A minimum of 1 trimester of physical education from 6th-8th grade, with a goal
of 1 trimester each year.
 A minimum of 2 physical education credits to graduate from high school, in
accordance with Superintendent Policies 6330 and 6340.
o Offering and encouraging physical education as an elective for students at every
grade level in secondary schools.
 Recess:
o Scheduling recess before lunch, as this has been shown to improve students’
nutritional intake, reduce waste, and improve students’ performance and behavior in
the classroom.
o Providing a minimum of 15 minutes of recess daily for elementary students, with a
goal of 2 recess periods daily totaling 30 minutes, and a minimum of 15 minutes of
recess daily for middle school students.
o Encouraging students to participate in moderate to vigorous physical activity during
recess periods.
 Other Physical Activity Opportunities:
o Incorporating physical activity into the classroom in traditional subject areas. See the
ABC for Fitness guide on the Adams 12 Health and Wellness webpage for
elementary school ideas, Middle School Energizers at
http://www.ncpublicschools.org/curriculum/healthfulliving/resources/ , or Active
Academics at http://www.activeacademics.org/ .
o Providing short physical activity breaks between lessons or classes, as appropriate.
Here are some resources for getting started: http://www.healthetips.com/jamprogram.php , www.getsweaty.com,
http://eatbettermovemore.org/sa/enact/school/documents/afterschool.pa.programs.K
-5-Energizers.pdf
Adams 12 Healthy Schools Toolkit
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

o Promoting walking or bicycling to and from school through programs such as Safe
Routes to School, Walking School Buses, Walk to School Day, and Walking and
Wheeling Week.
o Offering a variety of extracurricular physical activity programs, such as physical
activity clubs, intramural programs, or interscholastic athletics.
Physical Activity Discipline:
o Avoiding the elimination of physical activity from a student as a form of punishment.
Instead of withholding recess or physical education, some alternative disciplinary
actions include:
 Using a behavior chart with established incentives/punishments
 Catching students behaving well and praising that behavior
 Utilizing PBS/PBIS incentives
 Taking away the privilege of choice during a student’s free choice time
 Having the student write a letter of apology or a note to parent(s) during free
choice time
 Creating “Free Choice Friday” at which time students who haven’t completed
assignments during the week must complete those
 “Walk and Talk” – Walking with the student during the recess time and talking
about the behavior issue
 Limiting what the student may do during recess time. For example, no
equipment play, but they can still play with a ball or other toy.
Visit http://www.peacefulplaygrounds.com/60-alternatives-to-withholding-recess/
for additional suggestions.
Fundraisers:
o Establishing active fundraisers such as Fun Runs/Walks, Family Olympics, Dance-athon or Jump-Rope-a-thon, or various athletic tournaments as a school or as a
parent organization.
o http://www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/fundraiserfactsheet.pdf has additional ideas.
Staff Wellness:
o Encouraging staff to participate in initiatives such as walking clubs or healthy
competitions.
o Also, see the nutrition resources website for more staff wellness opportunities:
http://www.adams12.org/nutrition_resources
The U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees,
and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex,
gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status,
familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual’s income is derived
from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any
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program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply
to all programs and/or employment activities.)
If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA
Program Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html,
or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a
letter containing all of information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form
or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication,
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or
email atprogram.intake@usda.gov.
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