Policy 5030 - Student Wellness Policy on Physical Activity and Nutrition

Student Wellness: Physical Activity and Nutrition

The Board of Education recognizes the link between student health and learning and desires to provide a comprehensive program promoting healthy eating and physical activity for district students. The superintendent or designee shall coordinate and align district efforts to support student wellness through health education, physical education and activity, health services, nutrition services, psychological and counseling services, health promotion for staff, a safe and healthy school environment. In addition, the superintendent or designee shall develop strategies for promoting staff wellness and for involving parents/guardians and the community in reinforcing studentsʹ understanding and appreciation of the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

School Wellness Council/Committee

The superintendent or designee shall encourage parents/guardians, students, food service employees, physical education teachers, school health professionals, teachers, Board members, school administrators, and members of the public to participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the district’s student wellness policy.

To fulfill this requirement, the superintendent or designee may appoint a school wellness council or other district committee and a wellness council coordinator. The council or committee may include representatives of the groups listed above, as well as health educators, curriculum directors, counselors, before- and after-school program staff, health practitioners, and/or others interested in school health issues.

The wellness council or committee shall advise the district on health-related issues, activities, policies, and programs. At the discretion of the superintendent or designee, the duties of the council or committee may also include the planning, implementation, and evaluation of activities to promote health within the school or community.

Goals for Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Other Wellness Activity

The Board of Education shall adopt goals for nutrition promotion and education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that promote student wellness. In developing such goals, the Board shall review and consider evidence-based strategies and techniques.

The district’s nutrition education and physical education programs shall be based on research, consistent with the expectations established in the state’s curriculum frameworks and content standards, and shall be designed to build the skills and knowledge that all students need to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The nutrition education program shall include, but is not limited to, information about the benefits of healthy eating for learning, disease prevention, weight management, and oral health. Nutrition education shall be provided as part of the health education program and, as appropriate, shall be integrated into other academic subjects in the regular educational program, before- and after-school programs, summer learning programs, and school garden programs.

All students shall be provided opportunities to be physically active on a regular basis. Opportunities for moderate to vigorous physical activity shall be provided through physical education and recess and may also be provided through school athletic programs, extracurricular programs, before and after-school programs, summer learning programs, programs encouraging students to walk or bicycle to and from school, in-class physical activity breaks, and other structured and unstructured activities.

The Board may enter into a joint use agreement or memorandum of understanding to make district facilities or grounds available for recreational or sports activities outside the school day and/or to use community facilities to expand studentsʹ access to opportunity for physical activity.

Professional development may be regularly offered to the nutrition program director, managers, and staff, as well as health education teachers, physical education teachers, coaches, activity supervisors, and other staff as appropriate to enhance their knowledge and skills related to student health and wellness.

The superintendent or designee shall encourage staff to serve as positive role models for healthy eating and physical fitness. He/she shall promote work-site wellness and may provide opportunities for regular physical activity among employees.

In order to ensure that students have access to comprehensive health services, the district may provide access to health services at or near district schools and/or may provide referrals to community resources.

The Board recognizes that a safe, positive school environment is also conducive to studentsʹ physical and mental health and thus prohibits bullying and harassment of all students, including bullying on the basis of weight or health condition.

Nutritional Guidelines for Foods Available at School

For all foods available on each campus during the school day, the district shall adopt nutritional guidelines which are consistent with 42 USC 1758, 1766, 1773, and 1779 and federal regulations and support the objectives of promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity.

The Board of Education believes that foods and beverages available to students at district schools, including those available outside the district’s reimbursable food services program, should support the health curriculum and promote optimal health. Nutritional standards adopted by the district for all foods and beverages provided through the district’s food service program, student stores, vending machines, or other venues, shall meet or exceed state and federal nutritional standards.

In order to maximize the district’s ability to provide nutritious meals and snacks, all district schools shall participate in available federal school nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs and afterschool snack programs, to the extent possible. When approved by the California Department of Education, the district may sponsor a summer meal program.

The superintendent or designee shall provide access to free, potable water during meal times in the food service area in accordance with Education Code 38086 and 42 USC 1758, and shall encourage studentsʹ consumption of water by educating them about the health benefits of water and serving water in an appealing manner.

The superintendent or designee shall encourage school organizations to use healthy food items or non-food items for fundraising purposes. All foods sold must meet or exceed nutrition standards and regulations set by state and federal guidelines.

He/she also shall encourage school staff to avoid the use of non-nutritious foods as a reward for studentsʹ academic performance, accomplishments, or classroom behavior.

School staff shall encourage parents/guardians or other volunteers to support the district’s nutrition education program by considering nutritional quality when selecting any snacks which they may donate for occasional class parties. Class parties or celebrations shall be held after the lunch period when possible.

To reinforce the district's nutrition education program, the Board prohibits the marketing and advertising of foods and beverages that do not meet nutrition standards for sale on campus during the school day.

Program Implementation and Evaluation

The superintendent designates the school principal as the administrator responsible for ensuring that each school site complies with the district's wellness policy.

The superintendent or designee shall assess the implementation and effectiveness of this policy at least once every three years.

The assessment shall include the extent to which district schools are in compliance with this policy, the extent to which this policy compares to model wellness policies available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and a description of the progress made in attaining the goals of the wellness policy.

The Superintendent or designee shall invite feedback on district and school wellness activities from food service personnel, school administrators, the wellness council, parents/guardians, students, teachers, before- and after-school program staff, and/or other appropriate persons.

The Board and the superintendent or designee shall establish indicators that will be used to measure the implementation and effectiveness of the district activities related to student wellness. Such indicators may include, but are not limited to:

1. Descriptions of the district’s nutrition education, physical education, and health education curricula and the extent to which they align with state academic content standards and legal requirements;
2. An analysis of the nutritional content of school meals and snacks served in all district programs, based on a sample of menus and production records;
3. Student participation rates in all school meal and/or snack programs, including the number of students enrolled in the free and reduced-price meals program compared to the number of students eligible for that program;
4. Extent to which foods sold on campus outside the food services program, such as through vending machines, student stores, or fundraisers, comply with nutritional standards;
5. Extent to which other foods and beverages that are available on campus during the school day, such as foods and beverages for classroom parties, school celebrations, and rewards/incentives, comply with nutrition standards;
6. Results of the state’s physical fitness test at applicable grade levels;
7. Number of minutes of physical education offered at each grade span, and the estimated percentage of class time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity;
8. A description of district efforts to provide additional opportunities for physical activity outside of the physical education program;
9. A description of other districtwide or school-based wellness activities offered, including the number of sites and/or students participating, as appropriate.

As feasible, the assessment report may include a comparison of results across multiple years, a comparison of district data with county, statewide, or national data, and/or a comparison of wellness data with other student outcomes such as academic indicators or student discipline rates.

In addition, the Superintendent or designee shall prepare and maintain the proper documentation and records needed for the administrative review of the district's wellness policy conducted by the California Department of Education (CDE) every three years.

The assessment results of both the district and state evaluations shall be submitted to the Board for the purposes of evaluating policy and practice, recognizing accomplishments, and making policy adjustments as needed to focus district resources and efforts on actions that are most likely to make a positive impact on student health and achievement.

Notifications

The Superintendent or designee shall inform the public about the content and implementation of the district's wellness policy and shall make the policy, and any updates to the policy, available to the public on an annual basis. He/she shall also inform the public of the district's progress towards meeting the goals of the wellness policy, including the availability of the triennial district assessment.

The Superintendent or designee shall distribute this information through the most effective methods of communication, including district or school newsletters, handouts, parent/guardian meetings, district and school web sites, and other communications. Outreach to parents/guardians shall emphasize the relationship between student health and wellness and academic performance.

Each school may post a summary of nutrition and physical activity laws and regulations prepared by the CDE.

Records

The Superintendent or designee shall retain records that document compliance with 7 CFR 210.30, including, but not limited to, the written student wellness policy, documentation of the triennial assessment of the wellness policy for each school site, and documentation demonstrating compliance with the community involvement requirements, including requirements to make the policy and assessment results available to the public.

Physical Activity Opportunities and Physical Education

Daily Physical Education (P.E.) Grades K‐12 The Board of Education recognizes the positive benefits of physical activity for student health and academic achievement and encourages each student to take advantage of the various opportunities for physical activity offered by the district. The Board of Education desires to provide a physical education program that builds interest and proficiency in movement skills and encourages students’ lifelong fitness through physical activity.

All students in grades K-12, including students with disabilities, special healthcare needs, and in alternative educational settings, will receive daily physical education (or its equivalent) of 200 minutes every 10 school days for all students in grades 1-6 and 400 minutes every 10 school days for all students in grades 7-12 for the entire school year. High school students will be required to earn a minimum of twenty (20) units of credit in order to fulfill the district’s graduation requirements. All courses of study for physical education will be aligned with the State approved Physical Education Model Content Standards. Physical education in grades K-6 will be a responsibility shared by the general education/special education teachers and the district’s Elementary Physical Education Specialists. All physical education in grades 7-12 will be taught by a certified physical education teacher. Student involvement in other activities involving physical activity (e.g., interscholastic or club/intramural sports, marching band, drill team, cheerleading) will not be substituted for meeting the physical education requirement. Students will spend at least 50 percent of physical education class time participating in moderate to vigorous physical activity.

Physical Fitness Testing

During the months of February, March, April, or May, students in grades 5, 7 and 9 will undergo the physical fitness testing designated by the State Board of Education. Students with physical disabilities and students who are unable to participate in all of the testing tasks shall participate in as much of the physical fitness testing as their physical condition will permit. Summary information will be reported annually to physical education teachers and individual student reports of fitness will be distributed to parents each year.

Daily Recess All elementary school students will have at least 20 minutes per day of supervised recess, preferably outdoors, during which teachers/supervisors should encourage moderate to vigorous physical activity and provision of adequate space and equipment.

Physical Activity Opportunities Before and After School

All elementary, middle, and high schools may offer extracurricular physical activity programs, such as walking clubs or intramural programs. All high schools will offer interscholastic sports programs. Schools will offer a range of activities that meet the needs, interests, and abilities of all students, including males and females, students with disabilities, and students with special healthcare needs. 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. Schools will encourage staff participation in physical fitness activities, such as lunchtime or after-school walking clubs. Schools will encourage family involvement in physical fitness activities through regular newsletter publications that promote participation in community based recreational and athletic activities.

Physical Activity and Punishment

Teachers and other school and community personnel will not use physical activity (e.g., running laps, pushups) or withhold opportunities for physical activity (e.g., recess, physical education) as punishment.

Safe Routes to School

The school district will assess and, if necessary and to the extent possible, to make it safe for students to walk and bike to school. When appropriate, the district will work together with local public works, public safety, and/or police departments in those efforts. The school district will explore the availability of federal “safe routes to school” funds, administered by the state department of transportation, to finance such improvements.

Use of School Facilities Outside of School Hours

The Board of Education may enter into a joint use agreement to make district facilities or grounds available for recreational or sports activities outside the school day and/or to use community facilities to expand studentsʹ access to opportunity for physical activity. School policies concerning safety will apply at all times.

School Meals

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

• Be appealing and attractive to children;
• Be served in clean and pleasant settings;
• Meet, at a minimum, nutrition requirements established by local, state, and federal statutes and regulations;
• Offer a variety of fruits and vegetables;
• Serve only low-fat (1%) and fat-free milk and nutritionally-equivalent nondairy alternatives (to be defined by USDA); and
• 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 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, placards, or other point-of-purchase materials.

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, to the extent possible, operate the School Breakfast Program.
• Schools will, to the extent possible, utilize methods to serve school breakfasts that encourage participation, including promotion of serving breakfast in the classroom, ʺgrab-and-goʺ breakfast, or breakfast during morning break or recess.
• Schools that serve breakfast to students will notify parents and students of the availability of the School Breakfast Program.
• Schools will encourage parents to provide a healthy breakfast for their children through newsletter articles, take-home materials, or other means. Meal Times and Scheduling Schools, to the extent possible:
• Will provide students with at least 10 minutes to eat after sitting down for breakfast and 15 minutes after sitting down for lunch;
• Should schedule meal periods at appropriate times, e.g., lunch should be scheduled between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.;
• Should not schedule tutoring, club, or organizational meetings or activities during mealtimes, unless students may eat during such activities;
• Will provide students access to hand washing or hand sanitizing before they eat meals or snacks; and
• Should take reasonable steps to accommodate the tooth-brushing regimens of students with special oral health needs (e.g., orthodontia or high tooth decay risk).

Qualifications of School Food Service Staff

Qualified nutrition professionals will administer the school meal programs. As part of the school district’s responsibility to operate a food service program, the district will provide continuing professional development for all nutrition professionals in schools. The district recognizes the cultural diversity within the student population and will include as a part of staff development to reflect the diversity of healthy food traditions in the student population. 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.

Sharing of Foods and Beverages

Schools should discourage students from sharing their foods or beverages with one another during meal or snack times, given concerns about allergies, disease transmission and other restrictions on some children’s diets. Any adult, or any child not enrolled in the school shall not eat from a child’s plate that is considered as a reimbursable meal. A reimbursable meal must be served and consumed only on school grounds or other school approved and supervised premises