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507.9 Wellness Policy

507.9 Wellness Policy

The board promotes healthy students by supporting wellness, good nutrition and regular physical activity as a part of the total learning environment. The school district supports a healthy environment where students learn and participate in positive dietary and lifestyle practices. By facilitating learning through the support and promotion of good nutrition and physical activity, schools contribute to the basic health status of students. Improved health optimizes student performance potential.

The school district provides a comprehensive learning environment for developing and practicing lifelong wellness behaviors. The entire school environment, not just the classroom, shall be aligned with healthy school district goals to positively influence a student's understanding, beliefs and habits as they relate to good nutrition and regular physical activity.

Wellness Goals

The district has the following goals that will encourage wellness in students and staff:

  1. Encouraging physical activity, as outlined in the Student Wellness Plan – Physical Activity Policy.
  2. Providing nutrition education and promotion, as outlined in the Student Wellness Plan – Nutritional Guidelines policy
  3. Establishing other school-based activities that are designed to promote student and staff wellness, as outlined in the Student Wellness Plan – Other Activities to Promote Wellness policy.


Plan for Measuring Implementation of the Wellness Plan and Nutrition Guidelines

  1. Wellness Policy Committee
    1. The district will establish a local wellness policy committee that may be comprised of any of the following: representatives of the board; representatives of the district, including administrators; representatives of the public; parents, students; representatives of the school food authority; and nutrition/wellness experts, including teachers of physical education and/or school health professionals.
    2. The wellness policy committee will implement, monitor, evaluate/measure and update the wellness policy. This committee will report annually to the board and to the general public regarding these efforts.
    3. The district will designate one or more officials from the wellness policy committee to ensure that each school within the district and the district as a whole complies with the local wellness policy.
  2. Implementation
    1. The district, through the committee and/or the designated official, will inform and update the public, including parents, students and the general community, about the content and implementation of the district’s wellness policy.
  3. Monitoring
    1. The superintendent, the principal at each school, and the committee and/or designee will ensure compliance with established district-wide nutritional and physical activity wellness polices.
    2. Additionally, the following actions will occur:
      1. food service staff, at the school or district level, will ensure compliance with nutritional policies within food service areas and will report on this matter to the superintendent or principal;
      2. the school district will report on the most recent USDA School Meals Initiative (SMI) review findings and any resulting changes;
      3. The Food Service Director and/or the superintendent will develop a summary report on school district-wide compliance with the school district’s wellness policy, based on input from schools within the school district; and
      4. the report will be provided to the school board and also distributed to the district.
  4. Policy Review
    1. To help with the initial development of the district’s wellness policy, each school in the school district has conducted a baseline assessment of the school’s existing nutritional and physical activity environments and practices. The results of those school-by-school assessments will be compiled at the school district level to identify and prioritize needs.
    2. Periodic assessments will be conducted to review implementation and compliance, to assess progress, and to determine areas in need of improvement. As part of that review, the committee and/or the designated official will do the following:
      1. generally consider whether there exists an environment that supports health eating and physical activity;
      2. review the nutritional and physical activity policies and practices to determine the extent to which the district and schools within the district are in compliance with the local wellness policy;
      3. consider the extent to which the district’s local wellness policy compares to the model local wellness policy;
      4. assess the progress the district has made in attaining the goals of its local wellness policy;
      5. provide to the board any recommended updates to the district’s wellness policy.

The committee and/or the designated official will make the assessment available to the general public. The board will revise the wellness policies and develop plans to facilitate their implementation.

The school district supports and promotes proper dietary habits contributing to students' health status and academic performance. All foods available on school grounds and at school-sponsored activities during the instructional day should meet or exceed the school district nutrition standards and in compliance with state and federal law. Foods should be served with consideration toward nutritional integrity, variety, appeal, taste, safety and packaging to ensure high-quality meals.

The school district will make every effort to eliminate any social stigma attached to, and prevent the overt identification of, students who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. Toward this end, the school district may utilize electronic identification and payment systems, regardless of income; promote the availability of meals to all students; and/or use nontraditional methods for serving meals, such as "grab-and-go" or classroom breakfast.

The school district will develop a local wellness policy committee comprised of representatives of the board, superintendent, principals, nurses, physical education staff, parents and food service expertise. The local wellness policy committee will develop a plan to implement and measure the local wellness policy and monitor the effectiveness of the policy. The committee will designate an individual to monitor implementation and evaluation the implementation of the policy. The committee will report annually to the board regarding the effectiveness of this policy.

Legal Reference:  42 U.S.C. §§ 1751 et seq.
42 U.S.C. §§ 1771 et seq.
Iowa Code §§ 256.7(29); 256.11(6).
281 I.A.C. 12.5; 58.11

Cross Reference:


Adopted: 04/17/06
Modified:  08/16/21
Reviewed:  08/02/21
 

STUDENT WELLNESS PLAN – PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
  1. The district will provide at least thirty (30) minutes of physical activity per day for students in kindergarten through fifth grade. The district will provide at least one-hundred twenty (120) minutes of physical activity per week for students in sixth through twelfth grade.
  2. Physical Education
    1. The school district will provide physical education that:
      • is for all students in grades K-12 for the entire school year;
      • is taught by a certified physical education teacher;
      • includes students with disabilities, students with special health-care needs may be provided with alternative educational settings; and,
      • encourages students in moderate to vigorous activity during physical education class time (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends at least 150 minutes a week for elementary students and 225 minutes a week for middle and high school students);
  3. Daily Recess
    1. Elementary schools should provide recess for students that:
      • is at least 20 minutes a day;
      • is preferably outdoors;
      • encourages moderate to vigorous physical activity; and
      • discourages extended periods (i.e., periods of two (2) or more hours) of inactivity.
    2. When activities, such as mandatory school-wide testing, make it necessary for students to remain indoors for long periods of time, schools should give students periodic breaks during which they are encouraged to stand and be moderately active.
  4. Physical Activity and Discipline
    1. Employees should not use physical activity (e.g., running laps, pushups) or withhold opportunities for physical activity (e.g., recess, physical education) as punishment.

STUDENT WELLNESS PLAN – NUTRITION GUIDEINES

School Meals

  1. Meals served through the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs will:
    1. be appealing and attractive to children;
    2. be served in clean and pleasant settings;
    3. meet, at a minimum, nutrition requirements established by state and federal law:
    4. offer a variety of fruits and vegetables;
    5. include low-fat (1%) and fat-free milk and nutritionally equivalent non-dairy alternatives (as defined by the USDA); and,
    6. encourage serving of whole grain products; and
    7. accommodate alternatives for those students with allergies that meet the above guidelines as closely as possible.

Schools should:

  • engage students and parents, through taste-tests of new entrees and surveys, in selecting foods offered through the meal programs in order to identify new, healthful and appealing food choices; and
  • share information about the nutritional content of meals with parents and students. (The information could be made available on menus, a web site, on cafeteria menu boards, placards or other point-of-purchase materials.)
  1. Breakfast
    1. To ensure that all children have breakfast, either at home or at school, in order to meet their nutritional needs and enhance their ability to learn, schools will notify parents and students of the availability of the district’s breakfast program and encourage parents to provide a healthy breakfast for their children.
  2. Beverages
    1. The district will seek to provide water without added caloric sweeteners; fruit and vegetable juices and fruit-based drinks that contain at least 50 percent fruit juice and that do not contain additional caloric sweeteners; unflavored or flavored low-fat or fat-free milk; and nutritionally equivalent nondairy beverages (as defined by the USDA).
  3. Free and Reduced-Priced Meals
    1. The school district will make every effort to eliminate any social stigma attached to, and prevent the overt identification of, students who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. Toward this end, the school district will utilize electronic identification and payment systems and promote the availability of meals to all students.
  4. Sharing of Food
    1. The district prohibits students from sharing foods or beverages with one another during meal or snack times, given concerns about allergies, spreading of germs and communicable disease, and other restrictions on student diets.
  5. Meal Times and Scheduling
    1. The school district:
      1. provide students with adequate and appropriate time for meals;
      2. schedule meal periods at appropriate times, e.g., lunch should be scheduled between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; will provide students access to hand washing or hand sanitizing before they eat meals or snacks; and,
      3. take reasonable steps to accommodate the tooth-brushing regimens of students with special oral health needs (e.g., orthodontia or high tooth decay risk).
  6. Qualification of Food Service Staff
    1. Qualified nutrition professionals will administer the meal programs. As part of the school district’s responsibility to operate a food service program, the school district will provide continuing professional development for all nutrition professionals; and, provide staff development programs that include appropriate certification and/or training programs for child nutrition directors, nutrition managers and cafeteria workers, according to their levels of responsibility.

Other food Available at School
  1. Foods Sold Outside the Meal (e.g. vending, a la carte, sales)
    1. All foods and beverages sold individually outside the reimbursable meal programs (including those sold through a la carte [snack] lines, vending machines, and sales foods during the school day, or will meet federal and state nutritional standards
    2. Elementary Schools – The food service program will approve and provide all food and beverage sales to students in elementary schools.
    3. Middle School and High School –The food service program and the school make available to middle and high schools foods and beverages meeting federal and state nutritional standards regarding calorie, sodium, saturated fat, trans fat, total fat, sugar and dietary fiber content of food and the ingredients in beverages..

Fundraising Activities
  1. Fundraising Activities
    1. Regulated fundraising groups’ activities, which offer the sale of food and/or beverages on school property to students by students and/or student groups/organizations, must use foods and/or beverages that are compliant with the school’s wellness policies. These groups’ activities will be encouraged to promote physical activity.
    2. To support student health and school nutrition-education efforts, non-regulated school fundraising groups’ activities will be encouraged to use foods and/or beverages that are compliant with the school’s wellness policies and promote physical activity. The District will make available a list of ideas for fundraising activities
  2. Snacks
    1. Snacks served during the school day will make a positive contribution to students’ diets and health. The district will disseminate a list of suggested snack items to teachers and parents. The district encourages parents and teachers to provide food that is commercially packaged or comes from a commercial bakery.
    2. Each school will be encouraged to evaluate their celebration practices that involve food during the school day. The district will disseminate a list of healthy party ideas to parents and teachers.
  3. Foods and Beverages at School-Sponsored Events
    1. Foods and beverages made available and/or sold at school-sponsored events that occur outside of the school day are encouraged to meet the nutrition standards for meals and for foods and beverages outlined in this policy.

Food Safety
  1. All foods made available on campus adhere to food safety and security guidelines.
  2. All foods made available on campus will comply with the state and local food safety and sanitation regulations. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plans and guidelines are implemented to prevent food illness in schools.
  3. For the safety and security of the food and facility, access to the food service operations are limited to child nutrition staff and authorized personnel.

Nutrition Promotion and Education
  1. The District will promote general nutrition and the specific nutritional goals and requirements outlined in this policy by doing any and/or all of the following:
    1. Promote nutrition and/or provide nutrition education at each grade level by including and incorporating general nutritional standards and the provisions of this nutritional policy into the teaching curriculum;
    2. Promote educational learning activities, specifically participatory activities, which focus on nutrition (i.e., preparing nutritious food, attending field trips, planting a garden, etc.);
    3. Develop nutrition extra-curricular and/or curricular programs that relate to the school lunch program and emphasize health choices within the school lunch program;
    4. Emphasize caloric balance between food intake and physical activity;
    5. Provide nutrition training for administrators, teachers and other staff members.


The school district will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that:

  1. is offered at each grade level as part of a sequential, comprehensive, standards-based program designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect their health;
  2. promotes fruits, vegetables, whole-grain products, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, healthy food preparation methods and health-enhancing nutrition practices;
  3. emphasizes caloric balance between food intake and physical activity;
  4. links with meal programs, other foods and nutrition-related community services.

Other Aspects of Wellness Plan – Nutrition Guidelines

 

  1. Fundraising Activities
    1. Regulated fundraising groups’ activities, which offer the sale of food and/or beverages on school property to students by students and/or student groups/organizations, must use foods and/or beverages that are compliant with the school’s wellness policies. These groups’ activities will be encouraged to promote physical activity.
    2. To support student health and school nutrition-education efforts, non-regulated school fundraising groups’ activities will be encouraged to use foods and/or beverages that are compliant with the school’s wellness policies and promote physical activity. The District will make available a list of ideas for fundraising activities.
  2. Rewards
    1. The District will discourage the use of foods or beverages, especially those that do not meet the nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold individually, as rewards for academic performance or good behavior, and will not withhold food or beverages (including food served through meals) as a discipline.

Celebrations
Schools should evaluate their celebrations practices that involve food during the school day. The school district will disseminate a list of healthy party ideas to parents and teachers.

School-Sponsored Events
Foods and beverages offered or sold at school-sponsored events outside the school day are encouraged to meet the nutrition standards for meals or for foods and beverages sold individually.
 

STUDENT WELLNESS PLAN – OTHER ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE WELLNESS


Activities that promote student wellness

  1. For students to receive the nationally recommended amount of daily physical activity and for students to fully embrace regular physical activity as a personal behavior, students need opportunities for physical activity beyond the physical education class. Toward that end, the District will:
    1. Integrate physical activity into classroom settings, by doing the following:
      1. Offering classroom health education that compliments physical education by reinforcing the knowledge and self-management skills needed to maintain a physically active lifestyle and to reduce time spent on sedentary activities;
      2. Discouraging sedentary activities, such as watching television, playing computer games, etc.;
      3. Providing opportunities for physical activity to be incorporated into other subject lessons; and
      4. Encouraging classroom teachers to provide short physical activity breaks between lessons or classes, as appropriate.
    2. Market food in school in a manner consistent with nutritional education and health promotion, by doing the following:
      1. Limiting food and beverage marketing to the promotion of foods and beverages that meet the nutritional standards for meals or for foods and beverages sold individually;
      2. Prohibiting school-based marketing of brands promoting predominantly low-nutrition foods and beverages;
      3. Promoting healthy foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products; and
      4. Marketing activities that promote healthful behaviors.
    3. Communicate with parents regarding providing students with a healthy diet and daily physical activity, by doing the following:
      1. Sending home nutrition information and post nutrition tips on a school web site;
      2. Encouraging parents to pack healthy lunches and snacks and to refrain from including beverages and foods that do not meet the established nutritional standards for individual foods and beverages;
      3. Providing parents a list of foods that meet the school district’s snack standards, ideas for healthy celebrations/parties, rewards, and fundraising activities;
      4. Asking parents or guardians to notify the school if their student has any food allergies or special dietary requirements;
      5. Providing information about physical education and other physical activity opportunities before, during, and after the school day;
      6. Supporting parents’ efforts to provide their children with opportunities to be physically active outside of school; and
      7. Sharing information about physical activity and physical education through a web site and/or newsletter.
  2. The district will also provide instruction concerning cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to all students, so that each student has completed instruction in CPR prior to their high school graduation. The district may offer this instruction as it deems appropriate, including offering it through its physical education program.

Activities that Promote Staff Wellness

 

  1. The district values the health and well-being of every staff member. Staff members are encouraged to plan and implement activities that support efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle.


Legal Reference:

Cross Reference:

Adopted:  04/17/06
Modified:  08/16/21
Reviewed:  08/02/21

  • Series 500 Students