To implement the Wellness Policy, the following district specific goals have been established:
Goal 1 – Nutrition Education and Promotion: Schools will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that help students develop lifelong healthy eating behaviors. The goals for addressing nutrition education and nutrition promotion include the following:
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Provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect their health;
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Ensure nutrition education and promotion are not only part of health education classes, but also integrated into other classroom instruction.
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Include enjoyable, developmentally-appropriate, culturally-relevant, and participatory activities, such as cooking demonstrations or lessons, school meal related promotions, taste-testing, and school gardens;
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Promote fruits, vegetables, whole-grain products, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, and healthy foods;
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Emphasize caloric balance between food intake and energy expenditure (promotes physical activity/exercise);
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Link with school meal programs, cafeteria nutrition promotion activities, school gardens, and nutrition-related community services (summer meals, end of the month, food pantry)
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Implement evidence-based healthy food promotion techniques through the school meal programs using Smarter Lunchroom techniques.
Goal 2 – Physical Activity: Schools will provide students and staff with age and grade appropriate opportunities to engage in physical activity that meet federal and state guidelines, including the Iowa Healthy Kids Act. The goals for addressing physical activity include the following:
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Utilize a comprehensive, school-based physical activity program (CSPAP) including the following components:
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Physical education, recess;
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Classroom-based physical activity;
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Walk to school; and
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Out of school time activities;
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Promote the benefits of a physically active lifestyle and help students develop skills to engage in lifelong healthy habits;
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Engage students in moderate to vigorous activity during at least 50 percent of physical education class time;
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Encourage classroom teachers to provide short physical activity breaks (3-5 minutes) throughout the day;
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Encourage teachers to incorporate movement and kinesthetic learning approaches into core subject instructions when possible;
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Offer classroom health education that complements physical education by reinforcing the knowledge and self-management skills needed to maintain a physically active lifestyle;
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Physical activity shall not be used for or withheld as a punishment;
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All physically able students in grades six through twelve shall be required to engage in physical activity for a minimum of one hundred twenty minutes per week. This may include Physical Education and recess.
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All physically able students in kindergarten through grade five shall be required to engage in a physical activity for a minimum of thirty minutes per school day. This may include both Physical Education and recess.
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All elementary students shall have recess according to the following:
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At least 20 minutes a day;
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Outdoors as weather and time permits;
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Encourages moderate to vigorous physical activity; and
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Scheduled to avoid extended periods of inactivity (i.e., periods of two or more hours).
Goal 3 – Other School-Based Activities that Promote Student Wellness: Schools will support student, staff, and parents’ efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle, as appropriate. The goals for addressing other school-based activities that promote student wellness include the following:
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Provide parents a list of healthy foods and beverages for classroom snacks and parties. Parties are strongly encouraged to have a fruits and/or non-fried vegetable served. Homemade snacks are not allowed. All food items must have an ingredient label with the exception of fresh fruits and vegetables which may not have a label (e.g., bananas, apples)
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Provide school staff a list of alternative ways to reward children without using food (Non-food Rewards List).
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Foods and beverages will not be used as a reward and foods/beverages will not be withheld as punishment;
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Engage students, through taste-tests of new school meal items and surveys to identify new, healthful, and appealing food choices;
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Share information about the nutritional content of school meals with parents and students;
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Support the consumption of breakfast at school by promoting school breakfast availability in school newsletter, web page and social media;
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Permit students to bring and carry water bottles filled with water throughout the day;
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Make drinking water available where school meals are served during meal times;
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Encourage fundraising efforts held outside school hours to sell non-food items, promote physical activity;
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Schedule at least 10 minutes to eat after sitting down for breakfast and 20 minutes after sitting down for lunch;
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Students shall not share foods or beverages during meal or snack times, given concerns about allergies and dietary needs;
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Apply for USDA’s Healthier US School Challenge: Smarter Lunchroom Award, a certification initiative that recognizes schools for nutrition and physical activity excellence.
Public Involvement: There is a process for permitting parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, teachers of physical education, school health professionals, the school board, administrators and the public to participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the policy.
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The district has a local wellness policy committee to advise the district on the development, implementation, and improvement of the school wellness policy;
The superintendent or superintendent’s designee invites suggestions or comments concerning the development, implementation, and improvement of the school wellness policy. As such, interested persons are encouraged to contact the superintendent or superintendent’s designee.
Approved: 7/15/2019 Reviewed: Revised:
