Nutrition Education and Promotion

 

 

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

 

• is offered at each grade level as part of the health and/or science curriculum designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect their health;
• is part of not only health education classes, but also classroom instruction in subjects such as math, science, language arts, social sciences and elective subjects;
• includes enjoyable, developmentally appropriate, culturally relevant participatory activities, such as contests, promotions, taste-testing, farm visits and school gardens;
• promotes fruits, vegetables, whole-grain products, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, healthy food preparation methods and health-enhancing nutrition practices;
• emphasizes caloric balance between food intake and physical activity;
•  links with meal programs, other foods and nutrition-related community services; and,
• includes training for teachers and other staff.

 

 

 

507.9 APPENDIX B PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Daily Physical Education

The school district will provide physical education that:

• is daily (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);

• 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 in alternative educational settings; and,

• engages students in moderate to vigorous activity during at least 50 percent of physical education class time.

• Addresses the development of a comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP) plan at each school

 

Curriculum Standards

• There shall be a written physical education curriculum for grades K-12

• Physical education curriculum shall be aligned with NASPE standards; according to adoption by the state of Iowa

 

Daily Recess

Elementary schools should provide recess for students that:

• is at least 20 minutes a day;

• is preferably outdoors;

• encourages moderate to vigorous physical activity verbally and through the provision of space and equipment; and,

• discourages extended periods (i.e., periods of two or more hours) of inactivity.

 

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.   

Physical Activity and Punishment

Employees should not use physical activity (e.g., running laps, pushups) or withhold opportunities for physical activity (e.g., recess, physical education) as punishment. A student recess may be interrupted for unsafe behavior.

 

Note - Iowa law now requires elementary students, K-5, to have 30 minutes of physical activity, not physical education, per day.  This requirement can be met through a combination of PE, recess, classroom and other activities.  Middle and high school students must have at least 120 minutes of physical activity per week.  Again this is not just physical education but can be met with a combination of PE, school and non-school sponsored athletics and other activities where the body is exerted.  Should a student wish to meet the requirement outside of school, the student and school district must have an agreement detailing the outside activity.  A physical activity sample agreement may be found on IASB's Web site at:  http://www.ia-sb.org/WorkArea/showcontent.aspx?id=7768  or the Iowa Department of Education Web site: http://www.iowa.gov/educate/.

 

Waivers and Exemptions

• Students 9-12 may enroll in Contract physical education or cross training; students must have a full schedule to enroll and must work out at a minimum of three hours per week

• All students K-12 may apply for exemptions due to disabilities or religious beliefs

• There is currently no substitutions for grades K-8 for physical education

 

Optional Issues

Physical Activity Opportunities after School

After-school child care and enrichment programs will provide and encourage—verbally, and through the provision of space, equipment and activities—daily periods of moderate to vigorous physical activity for all participants.

 

Note:  The above goals are samples.  School districts can choose whatever goals they want based upon their individual school district needs assessments.  The law only requires one goal but the school district can choose as many as it sees appropriate for its school district and students.

 

These sample goals are divided between those required by federal law, during the school day, and others.  Boards can determine to what extent it wants its goals to reach beyond the school day.

 

 

507.9 APPENDIX C OTHER SCHOOL-BASED ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE STUDENT WELLNESS

Integrating Physical Activity into Classroom Settings

 

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 school district will:

• offer classroom health education that complements 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;

• discourage sedentary activities, such as watching television, playing computer games, etc.;

• provide opportunities for physical activity to be incorporated into other subject lessons; and,

• encourage classroom teachers to provide short physical activity breaks between lessons or classes, as appropriate.

• Before and after school physical activities are made available to all students when deemed age appropriate.

Optional Issues

 

 

Communication with Parents

The school district will support parents’ efforts to provide a healthy diet and daily physical activity for their children.  The school district will:

 

• offer healthy eating seminars for parents, send home nutrition information, post nutrition tips on school web sites and provide nutrient analyses of school menus;

• encourage parents to pack healthy lunches and snacks and to refrain from including beverages and foods that do not meet the established nutrition standards for individual foods and beverages;

• provide parents a list of foods that meet the school district’s snack standards and ideas for healthy celebrations/parties, rewards and fundraising activities;

• provide opportunities for parents to share their healthy food practices with others in the school community;

• provide information about physical education and other school-based physical activity opportunities before, during and after the school day;

• support parents’ efforts to provide their children with opportunities to be physically active outside of school; and,

• include sharing information about physical activity and physical education through a web site, newsletter, other take-home materials, special events or physical education homework.

 

Food Marketing in Schools

School-based marketing will be consistent with nutrition education and health promotion.  The school district  will:

 

• limit food and beverage marketing to the promotion of foods and beverages that meet the nutrition standards for meals or for foods and beverages sold individually;

• prohibit school-based marketing of brands promoting predominantly low-nutrition foods and beverages;

• promote healthy foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products; and

• market activities that promote healthful behaviors (and are therefore allowable) including: vending machine covers promoting water; pricing structures that promote healthy options in a la carte lines or vending machines; sales of fruit for fundraisers; and coupons for discount gym memberships.

 

Examples: Marketing techniques include the following: logos and brand names on/in vending machines, books or curricula, textbook covers, school supplies, scoreboards, school structures, and sports equipment; educational incentive programs that provide food as a reward; programs that provide schools with supplies when families buy low-nutrition food products; in-school television, such as Channel One; free samples or coupons; and food sales through fundraising activities.

 

Staff Wellness

The school district values the health and well-being of every staff member and will plan and implement activities and policies that support personal efforts by staff to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  Each school should:

 

• establish and maintain a staff wellness committee composed of at least one staff member, local hospital representative, dietitian or other health professional, recreation program representative, union representative and employee benefits specialist;

• develop, promote and oversee a multifaceted plan to promote staff health and wellness developed by the staff wellness committee;

• base the plan on input solicited from employees and outline ways to encourage healthy eating, physical activity and other elements of a healthy lifestyle among employees.

 

 

Note:  The above goals are samples.  School districts can choose whatever goals they want based upon their individual school district needs assessments.  The law only requires one goal but the school district can choose as many as it sees appropriate for its school district and students.

 

 

 

 

 

507.9 APPENDIX D NUTRITION GUIDELINES FOR ALL FOODS AVAILABLE ON CAMPUS

School Meals

Meals served through the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs will:

• appealing and attractive to children;

• be served in clean and pleasant settings;

• meet, at a minimum, nutrition requirements established by local, state and federal law:

• offer a variety of fruits and vegetables;

• serve only low-fat (1%) and fat-free milk and nutritionally equivalent non-dairy alternatives (as defined by the USDA); and,

• ensure that all of the served grains are whole grain, containing at least 51 percent

• Free drinking water shall be made available to all students during all meal times.

• All students enrolled in the district shall have access to the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program

 

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 or upon request.

 

• Should follow the final rule for nutrition standards set forth by the USDA, as seen below

•  

  Breakfast

  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:

• operate the breakfast program, to the extent possible;

• arrange bus schedules and utilize methods to serve breakfasts that encourage participation, including serving breakfast in the classroom, “grab-and-go” breakfasts, second chance breakfast or breakfast during morning break or recess, to the extent possible;

• notify parents and students of the availability of the School Breakfast Program, where available; and,

• encourage parents to provide a healthy breakfast for their children through newsletter articles, take-home materials or other means.

•  

  Free and Reduced-Priced 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;

• Qualification for school meals will be sent to the student's home address not sent home with said students to help protect confidentiality ; and,

• promote the availability of meals to all students.

•  

  Meal Times and Scheduling

  The school district:

• will provide students with at least 10 minutes to eat after sitting down for breakfast and 20 minutes after sitting down for lunch;

• should schedule meal periods at appropriate times, e.g., lunch should be scheduled between 10:45 a.m. and 1 p.m.; should not schedule tutoring, club or organizational meetings or activities during mealtimes, unless students may eat during such activities;

• will schedule lunch periods to follow recess periods (in elementary schools);

• will provide students access to hand washing or hand sanitizing before they eat meals or snacks; and,

• will have drinking water available

•  
  

  Qualification of Food Service Staff

  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.

• All food service staff shall follow all professional guidelines set forth by the USDA Professional Standards Rule.

• ·         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.  

   

  Summer Meals

   

  Schools in which more than 50 percent of students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals will sponsor the Summer Food Service Program for at least six weeks between the last day of the academic school year and the first day of the following school year, and, preferably, throughout the entire summer vacation.

   

   

  Note:  The above goals are samples.  School districts can choose whatever goals they want based upon their individual school district needs assessments.  The law only requires one goal but the school district can choose as many as it sees appropriate for its school district and students.

   

  These sample goals are divided between those required by federal law, during the school day, and others.  Boards can determine to what extent it wants its goals to reach beyond the school day.

   

   

   

  Sharing of Foods

  The school district discourages students from sharing their foods or beverages with one another during meal or snack times, given concerns about allergies and other restrictions on some children’s diets.

   

  Foods Sold Outside the Meal (e.g. vending, a la carte, sales)

  All foods and beverages sold individually outside the reimbursable meal program (including those sold through a la carte (snacks) lines, vending machines, student stores or fundraising activities) during the school day, or through programs for students after the school day, will meet nutrition standards as required by state or federal law. For current state guidelines, http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Legislation/allfoods

   

  Fundraising Activities

   

  To support children’s health and school nutrition-education efforts, school fundraising activities will not involve food or will use only foods that meet the above nutrition and portion size standards for foods and beverages sold individually.  The school district encourages fundraising activities that promote physical activity.  The school district will make available a list of ideas for acceptable fundraising activities.

   

  Snacks

   

  Snacks served during the school day or in after-school care or enrichment programs will make a positive contribution to children’s diets and health, with an emphasis on serving fruits and vegetables as the primary snacks and water as the primary beverage.  Schools will assess if and when to offer snacks based on timing of meals, children’s nutritional needs, children’s ages and other considerations.  The school district will disseminate a list of healthful snack items to teachers, after-school program personnel and parents. The district requires pre-packaged snacks for the safety of the students.

   

  If eligible, schools that provide snacks through after-school programs will pursue receiving reimbursements through the National School Lunch Program.

   

  Rewards

   

  The school district will discourage use 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 punishment.

   

  Sack Lunches

  The District encourages healthy sack lunches brought from home. Pop will not be allowed as part of a sack lunch.

   

  Celebrations/Birthday Parties

   

  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. Parents of students in classroom where one more students have a severe food allergy will be notified and given a list of snack items to be considered. Birthday parties may be celebrated in the student's classroom. Parents will be required to provide pre-packaged items and envouraged to follow guidelines set by the district.

   

  School-Sponsored Events

   

  Foods and beverages offered or sold at school-sponsored events outside the school day will offer nutritional food options when possible.

   

  Food Safety

   

  All foods made available on campus adhere to food safety and security guidelines.

   

  ·         All foods made available on campus 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. http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/servingsafe_chapter6.pdf

 

507.9 APPENDIX E PLAN FOR MEASURING IMPLEMENTATION

Monitoring

The superintendent will ensure compliance with established school district-wide nutrition and physical activity wellness policies.

 

In each school:

• the principal will ensure compliance with those policies in the school and will report on the school’s compliance to the superintendent; and,

• food service staff, at the school or school district level, will ensure compliance with nutrition policies within food service areas and will report on this matter to the superintendent or principal.

 

In the school district:

• the school district will report on the most recent USDA School Meals Initiative (SMI) review findings and any resulting changes.  If the school district has not received a SMI review from the state agency within the past five years, the school district will request from the state agency that a SMI review be scheduled as soon as possible;

• the superintendent will develop a summary report every three years on school district-wide compliance with the school district’s established nutrition and physical activity wellness policies, based on input from schools within the school district; and,

• the Wellness Committee will revise the Wellness Policy and the school nurse will report to the school board for approval every three years

• the policy will be distributed to all school principals, parent-teacher organizations, and, posted on the district website and distributed in school handbooks.

 

Policy Review

To help with the revision of the wellness policy, building principals will review ad assess the policy every year to determine compliance, progress and areas in need of improvement. As part of that review, the school district will review the nurtition and physical activity policies and practices and the provision of an environment that supports healthy eating and physical activity.  The results of the assessments will be used to identify and prioritize needs, revise the wellness policies and develop work plans to facilitate their implementation.