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Wellness Policy

Two young students with the word 'Health' in the middle
Section 204 of Public Law 108-265—June 30, 2004
Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004
SEC. 204 LOCAL WELLNESS POLICY(

IN GENERAL - Not later than the first day of the school year beginning after June 30, 2006, each local education agency participating in a program authorized by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C.1751 et seq.) or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.) shall establish a local school wellness policy for schools under the local educational agency that, at a minimum:

1) Includes goals for nutrition education, physical activity and other school- based activities that are designed to promote student wellness in a manner that the local educational agency determines is appropriate;

2)  Includes nutrition guidelines selected by the local educational agency for all foods available on each school campus under the local educational agency during the school day with the objectives of promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity;

3) Provides an assurance that guidelines for reimbursable school meals shall not be less restrictive than regulations and guidance issued by the Secretary of Agriculture pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of section 10 of the Child Nutrition Act (42 U.S.C. 1779) and section 9(f)(1) and 17(a) of the Richard B Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(f)(1), 1766(a)0, as those regulations and guidance apply to schools;

4)  Establishes a plan for measuring implementation of the local wellness policy, including designation of 1 or more persons within the local educational agency or at each school, as appropriate, charged with operational responsibility for ensuring that the school meets the local wellness policy; and

5) Involves parents, students, and representatives of the school food authority, the school board, school administrators, and the public in the development of the school wellness policy.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND BEST PRACTICES: The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Education and in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shall make available to local educational agencies, school food authorities, and State educational agencies, on request, information and technical assistance for use in: Establishing healthy school nutrition environments; (B) Reducing childhood obesity; and Preventing diet-related chronic diseases.

CONTENT: Technical assistance provided by the Secretary under this subsection shall— (A) Include relevant and applicable examples of schools and local educational agencies that have taken steps to offer healthy options for foods sold or served in schools; (B) Include such other technical assistance as is required to carry out the goals of promoting sound nutrition and establishing healthy school nutrition environments that are consistent with this section;

Be provided in such a manner as to be consistent with the specific needs and requirements of local educational agencies; and (D) Be for guidance purposes only and not be construed as binding or as a mandate to schools, local educational agencies, school food authorities, or State educational agencies.

FUNDING: On July 1, 2006, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer to the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out this subsection $4,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2009.

RECEIPT AND ACCEPTANCE: The Secretary shall be entitled to receive, shall accept, and shall use to carry out this subsection the funds transferred under subparagraph (A), without further appropriation.
The Everett Public School District is committed to providing a school environment that enhances awareness and learning of lifelong wellness.  Through the following Wellness Committee goals, the school district will provide developmentally appropriate nutrition and physical education:
  • To provide child nutrition programs that comply with federal, state and local requirements
  • To ensure that child nutrition programs are accessible to all children
  • To promote and provide interdisciplinary nutrition education
  • To ensure that meaningful physical activity connects to students’ lives
  • To provide and promote school-based activities that are consistent with local wellness policy goals
  • To ensure that foods and beverages made available on campuses are consistent with current Dietary Guidelines for Americans and Hunger Free Healthy Kids Act.
  • To ensure that foods made available on campuses adhere to food safety regulations
  • To provide school environments that are safe, comfortable, pleasing, and allow ample time for eating meals
  • To ensure that food and physical activity are not used as a reward or punishment.
The USDA released a final rule outlining new nutritional requirements for meals served under the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, as required by the Hunger-Free, Healthy Kids Act of 2010. It is the goal of the Everett Schools and the Wellness Committee to comply with all of the new requirements.  The following standards apply to all public elementary, middle and high school students.Juice:

Juice: 100% fruit and vegetable juice, with no added sugar.  No more than a four-ounce serving.

Milk: Low-fat (1% or less) and fat-free milk.  Flavored milk with no more than 22 grams total sugar per 8 ounces.
Water: No added sugars, sweeteners or artificial sweeteners.  May contain natural flavorings and/or carbonation.
Calories in Snacks: Foods shall not exceed 200 calories per items. A la carte entrees shall not exceed the calorie count of entrée selections offered as part of the National School Lunch Program.
Fat: No more than 35% of total calories from fat.
Saturated Fat: No more than 10% of total calories from saturated fat.
Trans Fat: All foods shall be trans fat-free.
Sugar: No more than 35% of total calories from sugar.
Sodium: No snack food shall contain more than 200mg of sodium per item.  A la carte entrees shall not contain more than 480mg of sodium per item.
Grains: All bread or grain- based products shall be whole grain, i.e. whole grain should be listed first in the ingredient statement.
Caffeine: No food or beverage shall contain more than trace amounts of caffeine.
Artificial Sweeteners: No food or beverage shall contain an artificial sweetener.

The new law is another opportunity to better understand the goal of feeding and nurturing our children. 

Our pledge is and will always be to:
• Provide a wide variety of nutritious food.  We will feature foods and menus that go beyond simply meeting nutrition guidelines.  We will incorporate great tasting, good-for-you foods.  Under the program, our menus include foods that are nutrient rich, high quality, safe, wholesome and healthful, and environmentally responsible and local when available.

• We want to teach students to make good choices.  We provide tools that teach children about healthy choices.  Easy and fun to implement, the tools aid our children in making smart moves every day toward a lifetime of good health.
  1. The Nutrition Education program meets State Standards
  2. Students in grades pre-K through 12 receive interactive nutrition education.
  3. Nutrition education teaches students the skills they need to adopt healthy eating behaviors.
  4. Nutrition education is offered in the school dining room as well as in the classroom and is coordinated between teachers and foodservice staff.
  5. Students receive consistent nutrition messages throughout the school, classroom, cafeteria, home community and other media.      
  6. District health education curriculum standards and guidelines include nutrition education and physical education.
  7. Nutrition education is integrated into the coordinated school health program and physical education.
  8. Nutrition education integrates the core curriculum into areas of Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and Language Arts.
  9. Staff that provides nutrition education has appropriate training.
  10. Schools are USDA Team Nutrition schools.
  11. Schools conduct nutrition education activities and promotions that involve parents, students and the community.
  12. Family/parent nutrition opportunities are provided.
  13. School menus are followed and analyzed using USDA-approved software, such as Nutrikids.
  14. School foodservice staff is trained in the appropriate substitution of foods in order to meet the nutritional goals of the program.
  15. Students are offered a variety of meats/poultry, fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains at breakfasts and lunches.
  16. Students are offered a variety of milk, including fat-free and low fat, at breakfasts and lunches.
  17. A registered dietician or qualified health professional is consulted, as needed, for special diets.
  18. Nutrition guidelines are established for a la carte, vending and other foods available on the school campus.
  19. Communications are made available in as many languages as district population warrants.
  20. Faculty and foodservice staff work together to promote sound nutrition messages.

Physical Activity

  1. Students are regularly assessed for attainment of physical education skills.
  2. Qualified teachers are hired to teach physical education and supervise physical activities in the district.
  3. Resources for physical education are available for students and teachers.
  4. District policy for physical education is consistent with State policy or guidelines.
  5. Students are provided many choices of physical activity, including cooperative and competitive games.
  6. Students are provided with physical activity choices.
  7. District encourages physical activity outside of the school day.
  8. Recess is scheduled to promote safe physical activity and to encourage better consumption of meals.
  9. Recreational facilities are safe, clean and accessible for all students.

 Other School-Based Activities

  1. School dining areas are clean, safe and pleasant environments that reflect the value of the social aspects of eating.
  2. Enough serving areas are provided to ensure access to school meals with a minimum of wait time.
  3. Meal times are scheduled near the middle of the day.
  4. Students are given time to enjoy eating healthy meals.
  5. Food or physical activity is not used as a reward or punishment.
  6. Physical education and Health education are not cancelled or delayed for instructional make-up time.
  7. Physical education and Health education are not denied or used as a form of discipline.
  8. The District has adopted nutrient standards for all foods sold on school campuses.
  9. Pouring-rights contracts with soft drink companies are not allowed.
  10. Fundraising efforts cannot violate the competitive food law; bake sales are prohibited during the school day.
  11. The District examines existing in-school advertising and marketing efforts to ensure that appropriate messages are communicated
  12. All in-school advertising and marketing send positive healthy foods and physical activity messages.
  13. On-going professional training and development in the areas of nutrition and physical education are provided for foodservice staff and teachers.
  14. Students have access to physical activity facilities outside of school hours.

Nutrition Standards and Education
Policy Statement: Nutrition education integrates the core curriculum into areas of Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and Language Arts.

Action Steps

Due Date

Refer to Massachusetts Health/Physical Education Curriculum Frameworks.

Ongoing

Integrate Wellness into Professional Development training.

0ngoing

 

Policy Statement: Faculty and foodservice staff work together to promote sound nutrition messages. 

Action Steps

Due Date

Provide Professional Development training to include foodservice staff with Health and Physical Education teachers.

Ongoing

Provide opportunities for foodservice staff to address students and parents at school assemblies.

Ongoing

 

Policy Statement:  Food service and Everett Public Schools will work toward full compliance of the Hunger Free Healthy Kids Act.

Action Steps

Due Date

Director of Child Nutrition Services will oversee nutritional requirements and implementation of standards into the breakfast and lunch program.

Ongoing

Action Steps

Physical Activity 

Policy Statement: Students are regularly assessed for attainment of physical education skills.

Action Steps

Due Date

Administer President’s Fitness Test in grades 6-8, twice a year

Ongoing

Regularly assess locomotor and non-locomotor skills in grades 1-5

Ongoing

Provide Professional Development to Physical Education teachers.

Ongoing

  

Policy Statement: Recess is scheduled to promote safe physical activity and to encourage better consumption of meals.

Action Steps

Due Date

Promote benefits of recess before lunch throughout K-8 schools.

Ongoing

Monitor implementation of recess before lunch throughout K-8 Schools.

0ngoing

 

Action Steps
Other School-Based Activities 

Policy Statement: Food or physical activity is not used as a reward or punishment.

Action Steps

Due Date

Building Administrators will monitor implementation of the directive.

Ongoing

 

Everett Public Schools Administrators will monitor implementation of the directive.

Ongoing

 

Policy Statement: Physical education and health education are not cancelled or delayed for instructional make-up time.

Action Steps

Due Date

Building administrators will monitor implementation of the directive.

Ongoing

Everett Public Schools Administrators will monitor implementation of the directive.

Ongoing

 

Policy Statement: Physical Education and Health Education are not denied or used as a form of discipline. 

Action Steps

Due Date

Building administrators will monitor implementation of the directive

Ongoing

Everett Public Schools Administrators will monitor implementation of the directive.

Ongoing

 

Policy Statement: Fundraising efforts adhere to the competitive food law; bake sales are prohibited during the school day.

Action Steps

Due Date

Building administrators will monitor implementation of the directive

Ongoing

 

Everett Public Schools, and the food service provider will monitor implementation of the directive.

Ongoing

 

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