| File: ADF SCHOOL DISTRICT WELLNESS PROGRAM
Federal Law (PL 108.265, Section 204) requires all schools to develop a local wellness policy and establish a plan for measuring the implementation of the policy. Children need access to healthful foods and educational content and experiences that promote wellness. Good health fosters student attendance and educational success. Obesity rates and chronic diseases continue to increase and challenge maximum academic performance. Participation in vigorous physical activity, quality physical education, nutrition education, and balanced food choices foster life long health habits leading to long healthy lives. The purpose of this policy is to insure that each student is provided ongoing opportunities designed to maximize the prospect that the student will make positive decisions throughout life. Health education provides critical content for students to develop and demonstrate health-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Physical education and regular physical activity is an integral part of the total education of students, which contributes to the physical development of the individual through promotion and appreciation of physical fitness. School food services will provide students with a variety of affordable, nutritious, and appealing foods that meet the health and nutrition needs of the students. I. Nutrition Education, Physical Activity, Physical Education, and Wellness Promotion A. Nutrition Education · Nutrition instruction will be taught at as a standards-based program designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect health. (MGL Chapter 71, Section 1) · Nutrition instruction will be developmentally appropriate and culturally relevant · Nutrition instruction will contain Food Pyramid Guidelines, caloric balance, and media literacy. · Nutrition educators will collaborate with the food service staff to strengthen and expand instruction. B. Physical Activity · Opportunities for physical activity will be incorporated daily at the elementary and middle school levels, weather permitting. · Physical activities programs, such as intramurals (K-8), before and after school programs, extra-curricular activities, and interscholastic sports are available before and after school hours for all levels. · Physical activity during the school day will not be used as punishment (e.g., running laps, pushups) nor shall physical activity be restricted for disciplinary reasons unless related to violations that occur during the physical activity periods. C. Physical Education · Physical education shall be taught as a required subject in grades K-12 for all students (MGL Chapter 71, Section 3). · Physical education will be taught by a certified physical education teacher. · Student involvement in other activities involving physical activity will not be substituted for physical education class. · Physical education should be taught to students throughout the school year to provide the maximum activity exposure and instructional continuity. · Physical education instruction will incorporate NASPE’s Quality Physical Education Guidelines including opportunity to learn, meaningful content, and appropriate instruction. · The physical education program should match the Massachusetts Department of Education’s Health Curriculum Framework and the National Standards for Physical Education (NASPE). D. Wellness Promotion · Instruction in health education shall be taught as a standards-based program and incorporate the Massachusetts Department of Education’s Health Curriculum Framework standards (MGL Chapter 71, Section 1). · The health education program should match the Massachusetts Department of Education’s Health Curriculum Framework and the National Health Education Standards. II. All Foods Available on School Campus (during the day)
A. Beverages · Low fat milk is offered for consumption during all lunches (as required by the Massachusetts Department of Education). · In the elementary schools, only 100% juices or water in 8 oz. containers or less will be offered for sale on an “A LA CARTE” basis. · In the middle school, only 100% juices or water in 12 oz. containers or less will be offered for sale on an “A LA CARTE” basis. · In the junior and senior high schools, the school lunch department will provide a variety of beverage choices to students, such as water, flavored waters, carbonated waters with no sugar added, 100% juice, carbonated juice products containing 100% juice, sports drinks, and/or juice drinks. No more than 50% of the vending/A LA CARTE section will be soft drinks. Beverages in 12 oz. containers or less will be offered. Assorted low fat milks and waters will be sold in any size, limited to 20 oz. units. NOTE: The emphasis will be on offering milk, water, and 100% juice products. B. Other Foods · Nutritious and appealing foods such as fruits, vegetables, low and non-fat dairy products, and whole grain products will be available whenever food is sold or offered on the school campus during the school day. · “A LA CARTE SNACKS” offered for sale to students during the school day will comply with the USDA regulations and will meet the Massachusetts Action for Healthy Kids Guidelines. · In the junior and senior high schools, the school lunch department will provide a variety of choices to students. A minimum of 50% of the “A LA CARTE” snack items will represent the required standards. The percentage of foods meeting these parameters may be increased at any time when the individual school or entire district is prepared to make changes to their “A LA CARTE” product profile. · NOTE: The emphasis will be to increase the availability of appealing, nutritious foods while minimizing the availability of high-caloric/low-nutrient counterparts. Snacks may be brought from home for children’s own consumption. However, some classrooms may need to restrict some types of recess snacks due to specific allergies that classmates or staff may have such as peanut allergies. Parents are encouraged to send healthy snacks that will provide the “fuel” for effective learning. Foods of high nutritional value will naturally have a significant amount of at least one of the following: calcium, vitamin C, Vitamin A, iron, or fiber. · Because every school may have students who have severe life-threatening allergies, parents are to refrain from sending snacks, which are to be shared with other children. No child shall be put at risk of having an allergic reaction to foods brought into school. · For any school-wide celebrations, only wrapped, store-bought foods, with ingredients listed on the labels may be sent in. Administrators, in collaboration with the school nurse, may make exceptions to the above, if an approved curriculum based food activity is taking place by the class. · Staff members are expected to follow the same procedures for any food they bring in to share with their classes or allow other students to bring in and share. · No fundraising activities or school store sales involving food will occur during the school day. · Any corporate sponsor or corporate partnerships shall meet all previously stated guidelines and shall not compromise the Agawam Public Schools School District Wellness Program. III. School Meals
A. Reimbursable school meals must meet, at a minimum, the regulations of the Secretary of Agriculture pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of Section 10 of the Child Nutrition Act (ACT U.S.C. 1779) and sections 9 (f) (l) and 17 (a) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758 (f) (l) 1766 (a), the USDA Nutritional Standards, and the American Dietary Guidelines. B. Menus will be prepared and foods will be served to incorporate variety, appeal, taste, and safety to ensure high-quality meals. C. Nutritional meal data shall be available. D. Meal times and scheduling · Lunch periods shall be scheduled as near the middle of the school day as possible. E. Environment · Facility design should be given priority in dining facility renovations and new construction. Creative, innovative construction should be applied to minimize noise level within the eating area. The eating environment should be located such that there is convenient access to hand-washing facilities before meals. The food service area design should minimize the time students are waiting in line. IV. Evaluation of the Local Wellness Policy A. The Superintendent or his/her designee will be charged with the operational responsibility for ensuring that the schools meet the local wellness policy. B. The Health Education Department will administer the Youth Risk Behavior Survey yearly to students in grades 6 – 11. This data will be used to modify and improve instructional content to meet the changing needs of the student body. C. The Health Advisory Council will meet to review and make revision recommendations to the Wellness Policy. V. Local Wellness Policy Committee The school district will establish a wellness committee that consists of a least one (1) parent, student, nurse, school food service representative, school committee member, school administrator, member of the public, and other community members as appropriate. If available, a qualified, credentialed nutrition professional will be a member of the wellness committee. The school committee designates the following individual(s) as wellness program coordinator(s): Superintendent of Schools. Only employees of the district who are members of the wellness committee may serve as wellness program coordinators. Wellness coordinators, in consultation with the wellness committee, will be in charge of implementation and evaluation of this policy. The following individuals participated in the development of this local wellness policy: Superintendent of Schools; Food Service Director; Director of Athletics, Physical Education, and Student Services; School Committee member; school nurse; high school principal; elementary principal; health education teacher; physical education teacher; physical therapist/trainer; high school student; and parent. References: MASC April 20, 2006 Cross Refs: EFC, Free and Reduced-Cost Food Services IHAMA, Teaching About Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs KI, Public Solicitations/Advertising in District Facilities Legal Refs: The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, Section 204, P.L. 108 to 265. The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1751 – 1769h The Child Nutrition Act of 1966, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1771 – 1789 Agawam School Committee 2006 Approved by School Committee on June 27, 2006, by a vote of 7 – 0. |