Adopted: May 2006
Revised: June 2015
1. Philosophy
District 196 is committed to providing a healthy school and community environment that enhances student learning and the development of lifelong wellness practices. Achieving a healthy environment for physical, social and emotional health includes nutrition education, physical education opportunities and the provision of nutritious food and beverage options through community partnerships and actions designed to promote student and staff wellness.
2. Beliefs
The District 196 Wellness Policy is grounded in the following beliefs.
2.1 District 196 has a responsibility to foster a learning environment that encourages students to maintain lifelong healthy eating habits, and physical, social and emotional health.
2.2 There is an evidence-based link between healthy lifestyles and improved student attendance and educational outcomes.
2.3 Nutrition and physical activity are essential components of the educational process.
3. Goals
Through district curriculum and community partnerships, students will learn that nutrition education and physical education are essential components of the educational process leading to lifelong habits of healthy eating and physical activity.
3.1 Physical Activity
3.1.1 Through district curriculum (Policy 617, Physical Education Curriculum Beliefs and Goals, and Policy 612, Health Curriculum Beliefs and Goals), District 196 will:
3.1.1.1 Educate students to recognize that physical education is an essential component of the educational process and that good health fosters student achievement;
3.1.1.2 Provide opportunities to strengthen the skills and knowledge needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle through the district’s physical education and health curricula, and
3.1.1.3 Provide a developmentally appropriate individual, goal-driven fitness plan to include ongoing evaluations of current personal fitness and health levels.
3.1.2 Teachers will be encouraged to develop opportunities for physical activity that can be incorporated into subject lessons and are encouraged to provide short, physical activity breaks during class.
3.1.3 Understanding the importance of physical activity in a child’s ability to focus and learn in the classroom, withholding of participation in physical education will be used on a limited basis and only when the physical education teacher must restrict the student’s participation to gain control of the student’s behavior, or when the student has an injury or other health considerations. These guidelines will not apply to cocurricular activities governed by the Minnesota State High School League rules.
3.2 Nutrition Education
3.2.1 Through district curriculum (Policy 609, Family and Consumer Science (FACS) Education Beliefs and Goals, and Policy 612, Health Curriculum Beliefs and Goals), District 196 will:
3.2.1.1 Provide nutrition education that follows national and state standards and focuses on understanding the relationship between personal behavior, individual health and the impact of food choices, and
3.2.1.2 Provide nutrition education that is developmentally appropriate, culturally relevant and includes participatory activities.
3.2.2 District 196 school cafeterias will serve as “learning laboratories,” engaging students in the displays of nutritional education materials.
3.2.3 Teachers will be encouraged to incorporate nutritional information into subject lessons when appropriate.
3.2.4 Nutrition education information and opportunities will be provided to parents through a variety of formats.
3.3 School-based Activities
3.3.1 District 196 will support and promote physical activities for students and families through a broad range of before- and after-school activities, intramurals, summer activities, community education offerings, cocurricular athletics and physical education offerings. These offerings will meet the needs, interests and abilities of all students.
3.3.2 District 196 will support the use of district facilities for physical activities by students, staff and the community outside the normal school day consistent with Administrative Regulation 801.5AR, Community Use of District Facilities.
3.3 District 196 will support school and community partnerships that encourage physical and emotional health.
3.3.4 District 196 will support the use of federal child nutrition guidelines for fund-raising efforts held outside the school day.
3.4 Nutrition Promotion
3.4.1 Students will be encouraged to develop healthy eating habits both during and after the school day.
3.4.2 District 196 will support families’ efforts to provide healthy food choices for children and will share information about healthy food choices available in school and suggestions for home.
3.4.3 Schools will utilize competitive pricing, signage, product placement and promotional strategies to let students know which items are healthy, such as salads and fruit, and to encourage these healthy food choices consistent with federal child nutrition guidelines.
3.4.4 Advertising agreements with the district must comply with Administrative Regulation 801.6.2AR, Advertising, and the district will strive for advertising of products and services that promote wellness and healthy lifestyles.
4. Nutrition Guidelines
Federal child nutrition guidelines apply to all foods and beverages available at each District 196 school during the school day (including reimbursable school meals) with the objectives of promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity.
4.1 District 196 schools will strive to eliminate students’ access to unhealthy foods on school grounds. Middle School vending machines will not be turned on during the school day.
4.2 Non-food items and healthy food choices (in compliance with federal child nutrition guidelines) will be encouraged for school celebrations. Caution will be exercised when offering foods and materials that may cause allergic reactions.
4.3 Food and beverages will not be part of student birthday recognition events.
4.4 District 196 encourages parents, staff, organizations and individuals to support a healthy school environment by following the federal child nutrition guidelines for all foods and beverages brought into schools.
4.5 Food will not be used as a reward or punishment for academic performance or behavior. Building administrators may allow the purchase of food or snacks for testing days based on research and recommended best practices. Per the Americans with Disabilities Act, special consideration will be given for students with an Individual Education Plan, 504 accommodation or with special health or dietary requirements.
4.6 To the extent possible, District 196 will ensure that all students have access to an adequate time to eat school breakfast.
5. Implementation/Compliance
District and school administrators, school staff and those responsible for cocurricular activities will ensure that all school activities, including classroom practices, are consistent with federal child nutrition guidelines and district policy, and will communicate that to the District 196 community.
5.1 District Wellness Committee
5.1.1 District 196 will maintain a Wellness Committee to support the goals of the Wellness Policy.
5.1.2 The District Wellness Committee membership will include representation from the following:
5.1.2.1 School and district-level administration, including Food and Nutrition Services;
5.1.2.2 Staff, including physical education teachers and school health professionals;
5.1.2.3 Students, parents and the District 196 community, and
5.1.2.4 School Board.
5.1.3 The District Wellness Committee will be responsible to the superintendent or designee for:
5.1.3.1 Establishing standards for all foods and beverages available to students and staff in the district during the school day and at school-sponsored events, when appropriate, in accordance with federal child nutrition guidelines and district policy;
5.1.3.2 Establishing methods to monitor results of the Wellness Policy;
5.1.3.3 Regularly compiling data reported from schools to assess compliance with the Wellness Policy;
5.1.3.4 Annually reviewing the policy and reporting to the superintendent or designee on the progress made by the district in attaining the goals of the Wellness Policy, and
5.1.3.5 Making recommendations for revisions to the Wellness Policy to the superintendent, when necessary.
5.1.4 The superintendent or designee will ensure compliance with the Wellness Policy and report annually to the School Board.
5.2 School Wellness Committees
5.2.1 Each school will establish and maintain a wellness committee to promote healthy living to staff, students and parents and assist in the reporting and monitoring requirements of this policy.
5.2.2 The principal or designee will work with the school wellness committee to report annually to the District Wellness Committee about the school’s compliance with the Wellness Policy.
5.3 The district communications director will periodically inform the District 196 community about school and district progress in attaining the goals of the Wellness Policy.
References:
- Child Nutrition and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Reauthorization Act of 2004, Public Law 108-265
- Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, Public Law 111-296
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Services Program Regulations 210, 215, 220, 225 and 245
- Policy 604, Cocurricular Student Activities
- Policy 801, District-Community Relations