2285 (JCLF) - Wellness

2285 (JLCF) Wellness 2285 (JLCF)

The Board recognizes the importance of proper nutrition and developmentally appropriate physical activity as ways of promoting healthy lifestyles, minimizing childhood obesity, and preventing other diet-related chronic diseases. The Board also recognizes that health and student success are inter-related. It is, therefore, the goal of the Board that the learning environment positively influences a student's understanding, beliefs, and habits as they relate to good nutrition and physical activity.

This policy outlines the District’s approach to ensuring environments and opportunities for all students to practice healthy eating and physical activity behaviors throughout the school day while minimizing commercial distractions. This policy applies to all students, staff, and schools in the District.

I. DISTRICT WELLNESS COMMITTEE

The Superintendent, in consultation with Members of the District Wellness Advisory Committee (DWAC) will facilitate development of updates to the District Wellness Policy, subject to School Board approval, and will oversee compliance with the policy. In addition, the Superintendent shall designate a D.W.A.C. Representative for each school to help ensure compliance with this policy at the building level.

The Superintendent shall convene a representative “District Wellness Advisory Committee” whose functions will include review and recommendations regarding implementation of and updates to this policy, and establishment of specific goals for nutrition promotion, education, and physical activity.

The Superintendent or his/her designee shall serve as the Chairperson of the District Wellness Committee, and shall maintain an updated roster of D.W.A.C. Committee representatives and other persons serving on the Committee.

The District Wellness Advisory Committee shall meet no less than three times per school year.

The District Wellness Advisory Committee should represent each school and the diversity of the community, and to the extent, feasible include the Superintendent or her/his designee, of D.W.A.C. Committee representatives, parents, students, physical education teachers, health education teachers, school counselors, school administrators, a school board member, health professionals, individual school building representatives, and members of the public.

Staff appointments to the Wellness Committee will be made by the Superintendent. The School Board Chair shall appoint the School Board member. Remaining members, other than those who are ex officio, shall be appointed and approved by the Wellness Committee.

As a statutory committee, the Wellness Committee shall comply with the requirements of RSA 91-A regarding meetings.

II. WELLNESS POLICY IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING, ACCOUNTABILITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

A. Implementation Plan

Each Building Wellness Coordinator, with the assistance of the Wellness Committee, will conduct a school level assessment based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s School Health Index, using tools available through such programs as the Alliance for a Healthier Generation Healthy Schools Program, and to create an action plan and generate an annual progress report. The school-level assessment/report should be completed annually by June 30th of each school year and provided to the Superintendent or designee.

B. Annual Notification of Policy

The District will annually inform families and the public of basic information about this policy, including its content, any updates to the policy, and implementation status. The District will make this information available via the district website. This information will include the contact information of the District official(s) chairing the Wellness Committee (i.e., the Superintendent or his/her designee) and any Building Wellness Coordinator(s), in addition to on how the public can get involved with the District Wellness Committee.

C. Triennial Progress Assessments

Every three years, the Food Services Director will assess:

- - The extent to which each of the District’s schools are in compliance with the wellness policy;
  - The extent to which the District Wellness Policy compares to model wellness policies; and
  - A description of the progress made in attaining the goals of the District’s Wellness Policy.

The Wellness Committee will make recommendations to update the District Wellness Policy based on the results of the annual School Health Index and triennial assessments and/or as District priorities change; community needs change; wellness goals are met; new health science, information, and technology emerges; and new Federal or state guidance or standards are issued. The Board will review and act upon such assessments as required or as the Board deems appropriate.

D. Recordkeeping

The Superintendent will retain records related to this Policy, to include at least the following:

- - The District Wellness Policy;
  - The most recent assessment on the implementation of the local school wellness policy;
  - Documentation on how the District Wellness Policy and Policy assessments are/were made available to the public;
  - Documentation confirming annual compliance with the requirement that District Wellness Policy, including updates, and the most recent assessment on the implementation of the Policy have been made available to the public; and
  - Documentation of efforts to review and update the District Wellness Policy; including who is/was involved in each update and methods the District uses to make stakeholders aware of opportunities to participate on the District Wellness Committee.

E. Community Involvement, Outreach and Communications

The District will communicate ways in which representatives of D.W.A.C. and others can participate in the development, implementation, review, and update of the wellness policy through a variety of means appropriate for that district, as needed. The District will also inform parents/guardians of the improvements that have been made to school meals and compliance with school meal standards, availability of child nutrition programs and how to apply, and a description of and compliance with Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards.

III. NUTRITION

A. School Meals

All schools within the District participate in USDA child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) [and the School Breakfast Program (SBP)]. District schools are committed to offering school meals that:

- - Are accessible to all students;
  - Are appealing and attractive to children;
  - Are served in clean and pleasant settings;
  - Promote healthy food and beverage choices; and
  - Meet or exceed current nutrition requirements established by local, state, and Federal statutes and regulations. The District offers reimbursable school meals that meet USDA nutrition standards, which may be found at: https://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/nutrition-standards-school-meals

B. Staff Qualifications and Professional Development

All school nutrition program directors, managers and staff will meet or exceed hiring and annual continuing education/training requirements in the USDA professional standards for school nutrition professionals, which may be found at:

https://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/professional-standards

C. Water

To promote hydration, free, safe, unflavored drinking water will be available to all students at every school throughout the school day, including mealtimes.

Students shall be permitted to bring water bottles to school that:

(1) Are made of material that is not easily breakable;
(2) Have lids to prevent spills; and
(3) Are filled exclusively with water

School Principals may discipline students for the misuse of water bottles, consistent with
Board policy {JICD}.

D. Competitive Foods and Beverages and Marketing of Same in Schools

“Competitive foods and beverages” (i.e., foods and beverages sold and served or marketed during the school day, but outside of the school meal programs) must meet the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards, which may be accessed at:

https://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/smart-snacks-school

These standards will apply in all locations and through all services where foods and beverages are sold, which may include, but are not limited to, à la carte options in cafeterias and vending machines.

Except as may be provided elsewhere in this Policy, any foods and beverages marketed or promoted to students on the school campus during the school day will meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards. Food and beverage marketing is defined as advertising and other promotions in schools, including, but is not limited to:

- - Brand names, trademarks, logos, or tags, except when placed on a physically present food or beverage product or its container.
  - Displays, such as on vending machine exteriors.
  - Corporate brand, logo, name, or trademark on school equipment, such as marquees, message boards, scoreboards, or backboards (note: immediate replacement of these items are not required; however, districts will replace or update scoreboards or other durable equipment when existing contracts are up for renewal or to the extent that is in financially possible over time so that items are in compliance with the marketing policy.).
  - Corporate brand, logo, name, or trademark on cups used for beverage dispensing, menu boards, coolers, trash cans, and other food service equipment; as well as on posters, book covers, pupil assignment books, or school supplies displayed, distributed, offered, or sold by the District.
  - Advertisements in school publications or school mailings.
  - Free product samples, taste tests or coupons of a product, or free samples displaying advertising of a product.

Corporate brand names, logos, and trademarks for companies that market products that comply with the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards will not be prohibited because they offer some non-compliant food or beverage items in their product line. Likewise, the marketing restrictions do not apply to clothing or other examples of expression which include brand information for non-compliant food or beverage items.

As the District, school athletic department, and parent teacher associations review existing contracts and consider new contracts, equipment and product purchasing (and replacement) decisions should reflect the applicable marketing guidelines established by the District wellness policy.

E. Celebrations and Rewards

All foods offered during the school day on the school campus will meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards. Foods and beverages will not be used as a reward or withheld as punishment for any reason. The District’s School Nutrition Services will make available a list of healthy party ideas on smart snack list (Links).

F. Food Sale Fundraising

Foods and beverages that meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in Schools nutrition standards may be sold through fundraisers on the school campus during the school day. Fundraising groups are encouraged to choose non-food fundraisers, and to consider healthy fundraising ideas. Notwithstanding this provision, each school may allow up to nine bake sales or other fundraising food sales of non-compliant foods (i.e., that do not meet Smart Snack standards), which are no more than one day in duration each.

G. Nutrition Promotion

The District will promote healthy food and beverage choices for all students throughout the school campus, as well as encourage participation in school meal programs. This promotion will include.

- - Implementation of at least 1 or more evidence-based healthy food promotion techniques in the school meal programs using methods included in the Smarter Lunchroom Movement, which may be found at:

https://www.smarterlunchrooms.org/scorecard-tools/smarter-lunchrooms-strategies

- - Ensuring 100% of foods and beverages promoted to students during the school day meet the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards. Additional promotion techniques that the District and individual schools may use are available through the Smart Flood Planner of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, available at:

https://www.healthiergeneration.org/our-work/business-sector-engagement/improving-access-to-address-health-equity/smart-food-planner.

H. Nutrition Education

The District will teach, model, encourage and support healthy eating by all students.

- - Nutrition education shall be included in the health curriculum so that instruction is sequential and standards-based and provides students with the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to lead healthy lives.
  - Nutrition education posters will be displayed in [each school cafeteria] [each room in which students regularly eat their lunches].
  - Consistent nutrition messages shall be disseminated throughout the school.
  - Schools may provide additional nutrition education that:

- - - Is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect their health;
    - To the extent practicable is integrated into other classroom instruction through subjects such as math, science, language arts, social sciences and elective subjects;
    - May include enjoyable, developmentally-appropriate, culturally-relevant and participatory activities, such as cooking demonstrations or lessons, promotions, taste-testing, farm visits and school gardens;
    - Promotes fruits, vegetables, whole-grain products, low-fat and fat-free dairy products and healthy food preparation methods;
    - Emphasizes caloric balance between food intake and energy expenditure (promotes physical activity/exercise);
    - Links with school meal programs, cafeteria nutrition promotion activities, school gardens, Farm to School programs, other school foods and nutrition-related community services;
    - Teaches media literacy with an emphasis on food and beverage marketing; and
    - Includes nutrition education training for teachers and other staff.

IV. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

The District will provide physical and wellness education in alignment with national and state standards. Physical activity during the school day (including but not limited to recess, classroom physical activity breaks, or physical education) will only be withheld for a limited time, not to exceed entire physical activity period.

A. Classroom Physical Activity Breaks

In addition to any recess periods provided in the ordinary daily schedule, students will be offered periodic opportunities to be active or to stretch throughout the day. The District recommends teachers provide short physical activity breaks to students during and between classroom time at least three days per week. These physical activity breaks will complement, not substitute, for physical education class, recess, and class transition periods.

B. Before and After School Activities

The District offers opportunities for students to participate in physical activity after school through interscholastic and intramural sports and clubs.

C. Walking and Biking to School

The District will support walking or biking to school by students or faculty only if determined safe by the building principal.

V. OTHER ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE STUDENT WELLNESS

The District will endeavor to integrate wellness activities across the entire school setting, not just in the cafeteria or physical education and athletic facilities. In furtherance of this objective, each school in the District will identify at least one activity or list of options when feasible to engage in one or more each school year.

VI. PROFESSIONAL LEARNING/WELLNESS OPPORTUNITIES

A. When feasible, the District will offer annual professional learning opportunities and resources for staff to increase knowledge and skills about promoting healthy behaviors in the classroom and school (e.g., increasing the use of kinesthetic teaching approaches or incorporating nutrition lessons into math class).

B. Provide opportunities for Social-Emotional Learning and physical activity on a regular basis.

Adopted: 6/19/2006

Revised: 10/2009, 11/2014, 6/20/22, 10/17/22