Wellness Board Policy

 

Board Policy        

                                                                            Descriptor Code EEE

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The Board of Education recognizes that student wellness and proper nutrition are related to students’ well being, growth, and development. The Board is committed to providing a school environment that promotes and protects student wellness, proper nutrition, nutrition education, and regular physical activity as a part of the total learning experience.  In a healthy school environment, students will learn about and participate in positive dietary lifestyle practices that can improve student achievement.  The Board also believes that healthy staff can more effectively perform their assigned duties and model appropriate wellness behaviors for students.  This policy encourages a holistic approach to staff and student wellness that is sensitive to individual and community needs.

 

Development of Wellness Policy:

In accordance with federal law, the District has involved parents, representatives of school nutrition, the Board, School administrators and the public in developing a district-wide wellness policy.  After considering input from various stakeholders interested in the promotion of overall student health and well-being, the board establishes in this policy goals to promote student wellness.

 

Nutrition Guidelines:

All schools shall participate in available federal school meal programs.  All foods and beverages made available on campus during the school day shall be consistent with the requirements of federal and state law.  Guidelines for reimbursable school meals shall not be less restrictive than regulations and guidance issued by the U.S. Secretary pursuant to the Child Nutrition Act and the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, as those regulations and guidance apply to schools.  The superintendent or designee shall develop procedures for operation of school nutrition at each school during the day with the objectives of promoting school health and reducing childhood obesity.  Each school shall provide meals that are consistent with the dietary guidelines and the USDA Standards for school meals.

 

Nutrition Education:

It is the intent of the Board that the district shall teach, encourage and support healthy eating by students.  Schools shall provide nutrition education consistent with federal and state requirements that teach skills needed to encourage healthy eating habits by providing nutrition education opportunities.

 

Physical Education:

All students in grades PK-12 shall have opportunities, support and encouragement to be physically active on a regular basis.  The district will provide physical education consistent with federal and state requirements and encourage physical activity on a regular basis by providing structured opportunities.

 

 

 

Other School-based Activities:

The superintendent or designee shall develop procedures that support and encourage healthy eating habits and physical activity in school-based activities , in the home and community.

 

Implementation:

Each school will annually develop and implement the goals and activities in their school improvement plans.  The superintendent or designee shall be responsible for overseeing the implementation of this wellness policy and shall develop procedures for evaluation, including indicators that may be used to measure the schools’ success in meeting the goals and activities set forth herein.  In each school, the principal or designee shall be charges with operational responsibility for ensuring that the school works toward meeting the goals and activities set within the school improvement plan and shall report on the schools’ compliance to the Superintendent or designee.

 

School nutrition staff at the school or district level shall monitor compliance with nutrition guidelines within school nutrition areas and will report on this matter to the Superintendent at the district level, or to the school principal at the school level.  The Superintendent or designee shall develop an annual summary report on district-wide compliance with the wellness policy, based on input from schools within the district.  That report shall be provided to the board and, upon request, to interested parties.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Lanier County Schools                                                                    Date Adopted:

                                                                        10/9/2006
Wellness Policy Guidelines

Lanier County Schools

 

Nutrition Education Goals  Goal 1:  Nutrition Education:  To teach the skills

 

needed to encourage healthy eating habits by providing nutrition education

 

opportunities.

 

 

1. Students in grades PK – 12 receive nutrition education that is interactive and teaches the skills they need to adopt healthy eating behaviors.
2. Nutrition education is offered in the school dining room as well as in the classroom with coordination between the foodservice staff and teachers.
3. Students receive consistent nutrition messages throughout the school, classroom, cafeteria, home, community and media.
4. State and district health education curriculum standards and guidelines include both nutrition and physical education.
5. Nutrition is integrated into the health education curricula or core curriculum (e.g., math, science, language arts).
6. School link nutrition education activities with the coordinated school health program.
7. Staffs that provide nutrition education have appropriate training.
8. All schools in district apply to become Team Nutrition Schools.

 

Suggested Activities

• Partner with UGA Extension office as a resource for monthly Nutrition Education classes for grades Pre-K through 5^th grade.  Provide nutrition education information displays in cafeteria for grades 6 -12.
• Provide resources for school nutrition staff and teachers in developing grade level appropriate nutrition education activities for students.
• Provide school wide promotional days involving parents, grandparents and guardians.  These days would involve sharing information on the benefits of good nutrition and physical activity.
• Provide a Nutrition Education Program to each school’s parent organizational meetings.
• Provide Nutritional School wide information through newsletters/websites that addresses the Wellness Policy goals.
• Provide monthly Nutritional/Wellness messages,  posted on school buses,  parent pick up areas, school offices, dining rooms and classrooms.

 

Physical Education Goals       Goal 2:  Physical Activity:  To encourage physical

 

activity on a regular basis by providing structured opportunities.

 

 

1.      At a minimum, students in grades K-5 should have 90  minutes of physical activity each week.

2.      Students in grades 6-12 should be given opportunities for physical activity during the school day through daily recess periods, elective physical education (PE) classes, walking programs, and the integration of physical activity into the academic/technical curriculum.

3.      Students should be given opportunities for physical activity through a range of after-school programs including intramurals, interscholastic athletics, and physical activity clubs.

4.      Schools should work with the community to create an environment that is safe and supportive of students’  walking  to and from school.

 

Suggested Activities

·        Provide an incentive program for fitness based field trips.  Use discipline, attendance, grades, extra curricular activities, fitness log, etc. as determining eligibility.

·        Create intramural program at the middle school and high school levels.

·        Increase physical education course offerings to increase physical education participation.

·        Physical Education Fitness Activity Log:  could be a family activity or a student activity with the parent signing off on completed activity.

·        Family Fitness Night – PTO

·         Promote in and out of school physical activity at PTO.

·         Have parent participation in PE classes followed by a healthy snack.

·        Encourage a parent/child fitness log of activities with recognition at the end –of-the year assembly.

·        Have a county-wide fitness program with incentives (i.e. gas card, food card, etc.)

·        Have Morning Fitness classes with teacher participation (5-10 min.)

·        Have a Walking Club with adult participants.

 

·        Have student/faculty activities during school such as basketball, flag football, etc.

 

Other School-based Activities.         Goal 3:  Other School-based Activities

 

designed to promote student wellness.

 

1.      Provide a clean, safe, enjoyable meal environment for students.

2.      Provide adequate time for students to enjoy eating healthy foods with friends, scheduled as near the middle of the school day as possible.

3.      Provide enough space and serving areas to ensure student access to school meals with a minimum of wait time.

4.      Denial of student participation in recess or other physical activity as a form of discipline, or cancellation of recess or other physical activity time for instructional makeup time can be authorized by administrator only.

5.      Encourage fundraising efforts to be supportive of healthy eating.

6.      Provide on-going professional training and development for foodservice staff and teachers in the areas of nutrition and physical education.

7.      Provide access to physical activity facilities outside school hours.

8.      Develop strategies for parents, teachers, school foodservice professionals, and community members to serve as role models in practicing healthy eating and being physical active, both in school and at home.

9.      Implement proper hand washing procedures for students and staff.

 

 

Suggested Activities

·              Provide school council opportunity to participate in wellness activities in each school.

·              Encourage teachers and staff to use non-food for reward and/or punishment.

·              Encourage an after school component in physical activity with the after school tutoring.

·              Promote after school use of physical activity areas.

·              Encourage relationship with local recreation department and how they can provide after school physical activity.

·              Encourage parent organizations to implement a wellness component into their yearly plan of work.

 

Nutrition Standards for All Foods Available on School Campus During the School day

 

Goal 4:  Nutrition Guidelines:  To provide school meals that are consistent with the

 

dietary guidelines and the USDA standards for school meals.  To establish guidelines

 

for foods and beverages sold on campus and during other school related extra-

 

curricular activities, to include no foods of minimal nutritional value.

 

 

1. Child Nutrition program complies with federal, state and local requirements.
2. Child Nutrition program is accessible to all children.
3. Schools promote breakfast as a means to enhance academic achievement.
4. School lunch participation will be encouraged to meet consistently high participation guidelines set according to state standards.
5. The sale price of meals shall be controlled to encourage student purchases but should be adequate to provide healthy foods.
6. Healthy food choices shall be offered at extracurricular activities when food is sold.
7. Drinking water is accessible to students throughout the day.
8. Foods and beverages available at school shall meet the nutritional needs of students.
9. To promote behavior change and healthy school meal consumption, students shall be encouraged to test healthy food items with which they are not familiar.
10. Foods served in the school meal program are developmentally appropriate and encourage consumption within the time allotted.
11. Lunch is scheduled as near to the middle of the school day as possible.
12. Serving areas area adequate to ensure students do not have to wait too long in line.
13. Food storage and preparation facilities and equipment are adequately funded and available to meet the needs of preparing and storing healthy foods.
14. Dining areas are attractive and provide a pleasant atmosphere for dining.
15. Sanitation deficiencies sited on local inspections are corrected accordingly, including facility deficiencies.
16. Refreshments served at parties, celebrations and meeting will offer healthy choices.
17. Beverages sold in vending machines will consist of bottled reduced fat milks (including flavored milk), and beverages containing 50 – 100% fruit juices. 
18. Foods sold in vending machines will consist of healthy choices and will include no foods of minimum nutritional value.
19. Food vending machines will not be turned on until the end of the last lunch period.

 

Suggested Activities

·        Encourage non-food items for fundraising such as books, gift wrap, candles, plants, flowers, school promotional items.

·        Whenever food and beverages are sold that raise funds for school include at least some health food choices.

·        Organizations operating concessions at school functions should include at least some healthy food choices in their offerings.  It is recommended that groups market these healthy options at a lower profit margin to encourage selection by students.

·        The use of foods of minimal nutritional value as learning incentives should be kept to a minimum, and healthy food choices or non-food items should be substituted.

·        When using food as a part of class or student incentive programs staff and students are encouraged to utilize healthy, nutritious food choices.

·        School nutrition continually monitors foods and choices served daily in the cafeterias.

·        School Nutrition staff participates in 12 hours of staff development each year.

·        School Nutrition director promotes and conducts school nutrition staff training related nutrition, safety, sanitation, state and federal guidelines, customer services and employees wellness.