8510 - WELLNESS

Cedar Springs Public School District

Bylaws & Policies

8510 - WELLNESS

Note: The final rule does not change the provisions allowing "Infrequent" school sponsored fund raisers. The Options selected in Policy 9211 and Policy 5830 are, therefore, not affected by these final rules.

As required by law, the Board of Education establishes the following wellness policy for the Cedar Springs Public School District.

The Board recognizes that good nutrition and regular physical activity affect the health and well-being of the District's students. Furthermore, research concludes that there is a positive correlation between a student's health and well-being and his/her ability to learn. Moreover, schools can play an important role in the developmental process by which students establish their health and nutrition habits by providing nutritious meals and snacks through the schools' meal programs, by supporting the development of good eating habits, and by promoting increased physical activity both in and out of school.

The Board, however, believes this effort to support the students' development of healthy behaviors and habits with regard to eating and exercise cannot be accomplished by the schools alone. It will be necessary for not only the staff, but also parents and the public at large to be involved in a community-wide effort to promote, support, and model such healthy behaviors and habits.

The Board sets the following goals in an effort to enable students to establish good health and nutrition habits:

A.	Withregardtonutritioneducation,theDistrict shall provide:

	1.	Nutrition education shall be integrated into other subject areas of the curriculum, when appropriate, to complement, but not replace, the standards and benchmarks for health education.

	2.	Nutrition education standards and benchmarks shall be age-appropriate.


	3.	Nutrition education standards and benchmarks promote the benefits of a balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, and dairy products.

B.	Withregardtophysicalactivity,theDistrictshall:

	1.	Physical Education

		a.	A sequential, comprehensive physical education program shall be provided for students in K-12 in accordance with the standards and benchmarks established by the State.

		b.	The physical education curriculum shall provide sequential instruction related to the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to participate in lifelong, health-enhancing physical activity.

		c.	The sequential, comprehensive physical education curriculum shall stress the importance of remaining physically active for life.

		d.	Planned instruction in physical education shall teach cooperation, fair play, and responsible participation.

	2.	Physical Activity

		Schools shall encourage families to provide physical activity outside the regular school day, such as outdoor play at home, participation in sports sponsored by community agencies or organizations, and in lifelong physical activities like bowling, swimming, or tennis.


C.	Withregardtootherschool-basedactivitiestheDistrictshall:

	1.	The school shall provide attractive, clean environments in which the students eat.

	2.	Schools in our system utilize electronic identification and payment systems, therefore, eliminating any stigma or identification of students eligible to receive free and/or reduced meals.

D.	With regard to nutrition promotion, 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.

	Additionally, the District shall:

	1.	encourage students to increase their consumption of healthful foods during the school day;

	2.	create an environment that reinforces the development of healthy eating habits, including offering healthy foods that comply with the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards.

Furthermore, with the objectives of enhancing student health and well being, and reducing childhood obesity, the following guidelines are established:

In accordance with Policy 8500, entitled Food Service, the food service program shall comply with Federal and State regulations pertaining to the selection, preparation, consumption, and disposal of food and beverages, including but not limited to the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards, as well as to the fiscal management of the program.


	B.	As set forth in Policy 8531, entitled Free and Reduced Price Meals, the guidelines for reimbursable school meals are not less restrictive than the guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

		The sale of foods of minimal nutritional value in the food service area during the lunch period is prohibited.

	C.	The sale of foods and beverages to students that do not meet the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standardsto be consumed on the school campus during the school day is prohibited.

	D.	All food items and beverages available for sale to students for consumption on the school campus (any area of property under the jurisdiction of the school that is accessible to students during the school day) between midnight and thirty (30) minutes after the close of the regular school day shall comply with the current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards, including, but not limited to, competitive foods that are available to students a la carte or as entrees in the dining area (except entree items that were offered on the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP) menu on the day of and the day after they are offered on the NSLP or SBP menu), as well as food items and beverages from vending machines, from school stores, or as fund-raisers, including those operated by student clubs and organizations, parent groups, or boosters clubs.

	E.	All foods offered on the school campus during the school day shall comply with the current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, including competitive foods that are available to students a la carte in the dining area, as classroom snacks, or from vending machines.


		Note: The final rules state that a policy must have standards for food and beverages "provided" at school, such as provided for a class party or as a reward to students. These standards do not have to meet the requirements imposed on food sold at school. A district can adopt the same standard as for sold food or establish its own standards as long as it has something in place for food provided in school other than through sales. This does not apply to food brought in for individual consumption, i.e. a sack lunch.

	F.	All food and beverages that are provided, other than through sale, on the school campus during the school day (which may include classroom snacks, for classroom parties, and at holiday celebrations) shall comply with the food and beverage standards approved by the principal.

	G.	The food service program will provide all students affordable access to the varied and nutritious foods they need to be healthy and to learn well.

	H.	The school food service program mayinvolve students, parents, staff, and school officials in the selection of competitive food items to be sold in the schools.

	I.	The food service program shall be administered by a director who is properly qualified, certificated, licensed, or credentialed, according to current professional standards.

	J.	All food service personnel shall receive pre-service training in food service operations.

The Board designates the Superintendent and the Food Service Director as the individual(s) charged with operational responsibility for verifying that the District meets the goals established in this policy.

The Superintendent shall appoint a District wellness committee that includes parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, educational staff (including physical education teachers), school health professionals, members of the public and school administrators to oversee development, implementation, evaluation and periodic update of the wellness policy. The Wellness Committee shall be an ad hoc committee with members recruited and chosen annually.

The Wellness Committee shall be responsible for:

	A.	assessment of the current school environment;

	B.	review of the District�s wellness policy;

	C.	presentation of the wellness policy to the school board for approval;

	D.	measurement of the implementation of the policy;

	E.	recommendation for the revision of the policy, as necessary.

Before the end of each school year the Wellness Committee shall recommend to the Superintendent any revisions to the policy it deems necessary.

The Superintendent shall report annually to the Board on the progress of the Wellness Committee and on its evaluation of policy implementation and areas for improvement, including status of compliance by individual schools and progress made in attaining goals of policy.

The Superintendent is also responsible for informing the public, including parents, students and community members, on the content and implementation of this policy. In order to inform the public, the Superintendent shalland post the policy on the District�s website, including the Wellness Committee'sassessment of the implementation of the policy.

42 U.S.C. 1751, Sec. 204
42 U.S.C. 1771
7 C.F.R. Parts 210 and 220