Approved: November 14, 2018 458
Revised: February 26, 2020
WELLNESS POLICY
The Evansville Community School District Board of Education supports the health and wellbeing of the District’s students by promoting nutrition and physical activity at all grade levels. In accordance with federal law, it is the policy of the Board to provide students access to healthy foods and beverages, provide opportunities for developmentally appropriate physical activity, provide nutrition education, and require that all meals served by the District meet or exceed the federal nutritional guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Policy Leadership:
The designated official for oversight of the wellness policy is the Director of Student Services. The official shall convene the Wellness Committee and lead the review, updating, and evaluation of the policy. The Wellness Committee shall meet no less than once every three years to establish goals and oversee school health policies and programs, which include development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the Wellness Policy. The District shall invite a diverse group of stakeholders to participate on the Wellness Committee.
Stakeholders may include:
- Administrator
- Board Member
- Teacher
- Physical Education Teacher
- School Food Service Representative
- School Nurse
- Community Member/Parent
- Student
- Nutrition and/or Health Education Teachers
Standards and Guidelines for School Meal Programs:
The District is committed to serving healthy meals to our students. The school meal programs aim to improve the diet and health of students, model healthy eating patterns, and support healthy choices. All meals meet or exceed current nutrition requirements established under the Healthy Hungerfree Kids Act of 2010 (www.fns.usda.gov). All meals are accessible to all students. Drinking water is available for students during mealtimes. Students are provided at least 20 minutes to eat after being seated. Menus shall be posted on the District website and will include nutrient content. All school nutrition program directors, managers, and staff hired shall meet or exceed annual and continuing education/training requirements in the USDA professional standards for child nutrition professionals.
Promotion of School Meal Programs:
The District shall notify families of the availability of the breakfast, lunch, and summer food programs and shall be encouraged to determine eligibility for reduced or free meals. The District shall restrict the scheduling of club/organizational meetings during the lunch period unless students are allowed to purchase lunch to be consumed during the meetings. The District shall provide nontraditional breakfast service models to increase breakfast participation.
Foods and Beverages Sold Outside of School Meals:
All food and beverages sold and served outside of the school meal programs (“competitive” foods and beverages) shall, at a minimum, meet the standards established in USDA’s Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in Schools (Smart Snacks) rule.
Foods Offered/Provided but Not Sold:
The District encourages foods offered on the school campus meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards including those provided at celebrations and parties and classroom snacks brought by staff or family members. A list of nonfood celebrations will be available to staff and family members.
Fundraising:
Foods and beverages that meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks standards may be sold through fundraisers during the school day. No restrictions are placed on the sale of food/beverage items sold outside of the school day.
Marketing:
Schools will restrict food and beverage marketing to only those foods and beverages that meet the nutrition standards set forth by USDA’s Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in Schools.
Nutrition Education:
The primary goal of nutrition education is to influence students’ lifelong eating behaviors. Nutrition education, a component of comprehensive health education, helps students develop lifelong healthy eating behaviors. The District aims to teach, model, encourage, and support healthy eating by providing nutrition education. Schools shall provide nutrition education that helps students develop lifelong healthy eating behaviors. Staff members responsible for nutrition curriculum will regularly participate in relevant professional development. Nutrition education shall be provided to families.
Nutrition Promotion:
The District is committed to providing a school environment that promotes students to practice healthy eating. Students shall receive consistent nutrition messages that promote health throughout schools, classrooms, cafeterias, and school media. School nutrition services shall implement at least one Smarter Lunchroom Strategy at each school.
Nutritional Guidelines and Standards:
The District will adhere to the USDA Standards intended to help raise a healthier generation of children. These standards align school meals with the latest nutritional science and the real world circumstances.
Physical Activity:
The District is committed to providing a school environment that promotes physical activity. The District shall provide students with age and grade appropriate opportunities to engage in physical activity. Teachers shall incorporate movement and kinesthetic learning approaches into “core” subject instruction when possible. Physical activity during the school day shall not be withheld as punishment.
Elementary schools shall offer at least 20 minutes of recess on all or most days during the school year (early dismissal/late arrival days are exempt). Outdoor recess shall be offered weather permitting [indoor recess shall be provided when outdoor temperature feels below zero degrees Fahrenheit or the National Weather Service has declared a heat advisory].
Recess monitors/teachers shall encourage students to be active during recess. District facilities shall be made available to students and community members before and after school, during the week and evenings, and on weekends.
The District shall support active transport to and from school by engaging in the following activities: Designation of safe or preferred routes to school, promotional activities such as participation in International Walk to School Week, National Walk and Bike to School Week, etc. Secure storage facilities for bicycles (e.g., bike racks) shall be provided. Crossing guards are used and crosswalks exist on streets leading to schools.
Physical Education:
All District elementary students in each grade shall receive at least 90 minutes of physical education per week throughout the school year and shall have physical education a minimum of three times per week.
All District middle school students in each grade are required to take the equivalent of one academic year of physical education.
All District high school students in each grade are required to receive 1.5 credits of physical education prior to graduation.
Waivers, exemptions, or substitutions for physical education courses are not granted. Students shall be moderately to vigorously active for at least 50% of class time during all physical education class sessions dependent on the activity/unit. All physical education classes are taught by licensed teachers who are certified to teach physical education and shall receive professional development on a yearly basis.
Health Education:
The District shall include topics of physical activity, such as:
- The physical, psychological, and social benefits of physical activity
- How physical activity can contribute to a healthy weight
- How physical activity can contribute to the academic learning process
- How an inactive lifestyle contributes to chronic disease
- Decreasing sedentary activities
Other Activities that Promote School Wellness:
As appropriate, schools shall support students, staff, and family’s efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The District supports the implementation of other programs that help create a school environment that conveys consistent wellness messages in an effort to promote student wellbeing. Students shall be allowed to bring and carry throughout the day approved water bottles filled with only water.
Staff Wellness:
The District shall provide the following, nonexclusive, opportunities for staff wellness:
- Educational activities for school staff members on healthy lifestyle behaviors
- Organization of employee physical activity clubs
- Administration of flu shots at school
- Provide an annual opportunity for an on-site health screening for blood pressure, blood cholesterol, body mass index, and other health indicators
- Provide annual administration of individual health risk appraisals to help staff members establish personal health improvement goals
Community Engagement:
The District will inform and invite families to participate in school sponsored wellness activities throughout the year. The District will actively inform families and the public about the content of, and any updates to, the Wellness Policy through the district website and social media. The District shall provide information on how the public can participate in the school wellness committee.
Monitoring and Evaluation:
The Wellness Policy Committee will evaluate compliance with the Wellness Policy no less than once every three years. The assessment will include the extent to which each school is in compliance with the policy and how the policy compares to a model policy, as established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Legal Ref.: Wisconsin Wellness, Putting Policy into Practice, WI DPI
USDA Guide to Smart Snacks in Schools
USDA Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act 2010
Sec. 204. Local School Wellness Policy Implementation of Public Law 111-296
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