Polk County Schools Wellness Policy


 

 

On June 30, 2004, the President signed Public Law 108-265, the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004. Section 204 of this law requires school districts/LEAs participating in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program to develop a local wellness policy that addresses student wellness and the growing problem of childhood obesity, by the school year 2006.

 

General Statements concerning Wellness:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Polk County School District is committed to providing school environments that promote and protect childrenÕs health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating and physical activity.  Therefore, it is the policy of the Polk County School District that:

 

á                The school district will engage students, parents, teachers, school nutrition professionals, health professionals, and other interested community members in developing, implementing, monitoring, and reviewing district-wide nutrition and physical activity policies.

á                All students in grades K-12 will have opportunities, support, and encouragement to be physically active on a regular basis.



á                Foods and beverages sold or served at school will meet the nutrition recommendations of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

á                Qualified child nutrition professionals will provide students with access to a variety of affordable, nutritious, and appealing foods that meet the health and nutrition needs of students; and will provide clean, safe, and pleasant settings and adequate time for students to eat.

 

á               All schools in our district will participate in available federal school meal programs including the School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program .

 

 

 

TO ACHIEVE THESE POLICY GOALS:

 

School Health Council or School Wellness Councils TEAM .

 

James Jones – Director of Schools

David Bigham- School Board Member

Phyllis Hamby- School Nurse

Janice Brewer- Food Service Manager

Jill Swafford- Testing Supervisor

Treva Hyatt- Parent

Louetta Moats- Curriculum Director

Chandler Moats – Student                              

James Keel-Teacher –PE       

Jennifer Wood- Food Service Supervisor

 

The school district and/or individual schools within the district will create, strengthen, or work within existing school health councils to develop, implement, monitor, review, and,  revise school wellness policies. The council also will serve as resources to school sites for implementing those policies.The School Wellness Team consists of a group of individuals representing the school and community, and should include parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, members of the school board, school administrators, teachers, health professionals, and members of the public.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Local Wellness Policy Components:

 

1.   Nutrition Education Goals

2.   Physical Activity Goals

3.   Nutrition Standards

4.   Other School-Based Activities

 

 

1.Nutrition  Education Goals:

 

 

Nutrition Education:

á                is offered at each grade level as part of a sequential, comprehensive, standards-based program designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect their health.



á                will be evident in the cafeteria/lunchroom setting by bulletin boards, posters, and menus that promote fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, healthy food preparation methods, and health-enhancing nutrition practices.

 

á                will be include community outreach by the use of the LEAs  Internet Website,Parent Menus and Flyers.

 

á               materials are provided to USDA Team Nutrition schools. All schools will be USDA Team Nutrition Schools.

 

 

Qualifications of School Food Service Staff.  Qualified nutrition professionals will administer the school meal programs.  As part of the school districtÕs responsibility to operate a food service program, we will provide continuing professional development for all nutrition professionals in schools. Staff development programs should include appropriate certification and/or training programs for child nutrition directors, school nutrition managers, and cafeteria workers, according to their levels of responsibility.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Nutritional Guidelines of Foods and Beverages Available on Campus

 

Nutrition guidelines are implemented for a la carte, vending and other foods available on the school campus effective July 1, 2006. The State Nutrition Standards/Alacarte Law will be followed by the Elementary, and Middle Schools.



School Meals:

 

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

á                be appealing and attractive to children;

á                be served in clean and pleasant settings;

á                meet, at a minimum, nutrition requirements established by local, state, and federal regulations;

á                offer a variety of fruits and vegetables daily; fresh fruits and vegetables

á                at least twice weekly.

á               serve a variety of milk, including fat-free, lowfat, flavored ,unflavored and !/2 % chocolate milk on a daily basis.

á                ensure that half of the served grains are whole grain.

 

 

Schools should engage students and parents, through taste-tests of new entrees and surveys, in selecting foods sold through the school meal programs in order to identify acceptable new, healthful, and appealing food choices. In addition, schools should share information about the nutritional content of meals with parents and students. Such information could be made available on menus, a website, on cafeteria menu boards.

 

 

 

 

School menus are followed and analyzed using USDA-approved software.

 

 

 

 

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:

á               Schools will, to the extent possible, operate the School Breakfast Program.

á               Schools will, to the extent possible, arrange bus schedules and utilize methods to serve school breakfasts that encourage participation. High

á               Schools will offer Ògrab-and-goÓ breakfast, or breakfast during morning break or recess.

á               Schools that serve breakfast to students will notify parents and students of the availability of the School Breakfast Program.

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

 

 

Summer Food Service Program.  Schools in which more than 50% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price school 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.

 

 

 

 

 

Meal Times and Scheduling.

 

 Schools:

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

 

á                should schedule meal periods at appropriate times, e.g., lunch should be scheduled between 10:30 am. and 1:00 p.m.

 

á                grades pre-k thru 5 will provide students access to hand washing or hand sanitizing before they eat meals or snacks; and



 

 

4.OTHER SCHOOL BASED ACTIVITIES:

 

 

Cafeteria Atmosphere: 

1.          School dining areas have sufficient space for students to sit and consume meals.

2.          School dining areas are clean, safe and pleasant environments that reflective the value of the social aspects of eating.

3.          Enough serving areas are provided to ensure student access to school meals with a minimum of wait time.

4.          Meal times are scheduled near the middle of the day.

5.          Students are given adequate time to enjoy eating healthy meals with friends.

6.          Food can be used  as a reward in grades k thru 5 but must meet State Nutrition Standards.

 

 

Fundraising Activities.  To support childrenÕs health and school nutrition-education efforts, school fundraising activities during schools hours will not involve food or will use only foods that meet the above nutrition and portion size standards for foods and beverages sold individually.  Schools will encourage fundraising activities that promote physical activity.

 

 

Snacks.  Snacks served during the school day must meet State Nutrition Standards.

 

 

Rewards.  Schools will not use foods or beverages, especially those that do not meet the nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold individually (above), as rewards for academic performance or good behavior. In Elementary Schools.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrations.  Schools will limit celebrations that involve food during the school day to no more than one party per class per month.  Each party should include no more than one food or beverage that does not meet nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold individually. The Wellness Team will disseminate a list of healthy party ideas to parents and teachers.



School Field Trips  .   Teachers will be encouraged to to utilize the school cafeteriaÕs student lunch program for field trips.

 

Communications with Parents.  The Polk County schools will support parentsÕ efforts to provide a healthy diet and physical activity for their children. The schools will send home nutrition information, post nutrition tips on website.The wellness         Committee will provide parents a list of foods that meet the districtÕs standards and ideas for healthy celebrations/ parties, rewards, and fundraising activities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monitoring and Policy Review

 

Monitoring.  The school principals or the SHI team leader will ensure compliance with established district-wide nutrition and physical activity wellness policies.

 

School nutrition staff, at the school or district level, will ensure compliance with nutrition policies within school food service areas and will report on this matter to the school nutrition supervisor.  In addition, the school district will report on the most recent USDA School Meals Initiative (SMI) review findings and any resulting changes. 

 

The DOS or designee will develop a summary report every three years on district-wide compliance with the districtÕs established nutrition and physical activity wellness policies, based on input from schools within the district.  That report will be provided to the school board and also distributed to all school health councils, parent/teacher organizations, school principals, and school health services personnel in the district.



Policy Review.  To help with the initial development of the districtÕs wellness policies, each school in the district will conduct a baseline assessment of the schoolÕs existing nutrition and physical activity environments and policies.  The results of those school-by-school assessments will be compiled at the district level to identify and prioritize needs.

 

Assessments will be repeated every three years to help review policy compliance, assess progress, and determine areas in need of improvement.  As part of that review, the school district will review our nutrition and physical activity policies; provision of an environment that supports healthy eating and physical activity; and nutrition and physical education policies and program elements.  The district, and individual schools within the district, will, as necessary, revise the wellness policies and develop work plans to facilitate their implementation.

 

The School Health Index Assessment Tools for modules 1, 3, and 4 will be used to conduct the assessment. The top three priories for each module will be incorporated into the Wellness Policies Goal if not already a part of the goals.

 

Resources for Local School Wellness Policies on Nutrition and Physical Activity   May want to give to the committee members for reference or make available upon request.

 

Crosscutting: