East Muskingum Local School District
Bylaws & Policies
 

8510 - WELLNESS

As required by law, the Board of Education establishes the following wellness policy for the East Muskingum Local School District as a part of a comprehensive wellness initiative.

The Board recognizes that good nutrition and regular physical activity affect the health and well-being of the District's students. Furthermore, research suggests 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.

Schools alone, however, cannot develop in students healthy behaviors and habits with regard to eating and exercise. 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.

With regard to nutrition education, the District shall:
   
 

1.

Nutrition education shall be included in the Health curriculum so that instruction is sequential and standards-based and provides students with the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to lead healthy lives.
     
 

2.

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.
   
 

3.

Nutrition education standards and benchmarks shall be age-appropriate and culturally relevant.
   
 

4.

Nutrition education shall include enjoyable, developmentally appropriate and culturally relevant participatory activities, such as contests, promotions, taste testing, and others.
   
 

5.

Nutrition education shall extend beyond the classroom by engaging and involving the school's food service staff.
   
 

6.

Nutrition education posters, such as the Food Pyramid Guide, will be displayed in the cafeteria.
   
 

7.

Nutrition education shall extend beyond the school by engaging and involving families and the community.
     
 

8.

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

9.

Staff responsible for providing instruction in nutrition education shall regularly participate in professional development activities designed to better enable them to teach the benchmarks and standards.
   
 

10.

Instruction related to the standards and benchmarks for nutrition education shall be provided by highly qualified teachers.
   
 

11.

The District shall provide information to parents that is designed to encourage them to reinforce at home the standards and benchmarks being taught in the classroom.
     
 

B.

With regard to physical activity, the District shall:
   
 

1.

Physical Education
   
 

a.

A sequential, comprehensive physical education program shall be provided for students in K-12 in accordance with the physical education academic content standards and benchmarks adopted 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.

Physical education classes shall provide students with opportunities to learn, practice, and be assessed on developmentally appropriate knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to engage in lifelong, health-enhancing physical activity.
   
 

d.

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

e.

Teachers properly certificated/licensed in the subject area of physical education shall provide all instruction in physical education.
   
 

f.

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

g.

Planned instruction in physical education shall meet the needs of all students, including those who are not athletically gifted.
   
 

h.

Planned instruction in physical education shall be presented in an environment free of embarrassment, humiliation, shaming, taunting, bullying or harassment of any kind.
   
 

i.

Planned instruction in physical education shall include cooperative as well as competitive games.
   
 

j.

Planned instruction in physical education shall take into account gender and cultural differences.
   
 

2.

Physical Activity
   
 

a.

Physical activity should not be employed as a form of discipline or punishment.
   
 

b.

Physical activity and movement shall be integrated, when possible, across the curricula and throughout the school day.
   
 

c.

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.
   
 

d.

The school shall provide information to families to encourage and assist them in their efforts to incorporate physical activity into their children's daily lives.
   
 

e.

In addition to planned physical education, the school shall provide age-appropriate physical activities (e.g., recess during the school day, intramurals and clubs before and after school, and interscholastic sports) that meet the needs of all students, including males, females, students with disabilities, and students with special health care needs.
   
 

f.

All students in grades 7-12 shall have the opportunity to participate in interscholastic sports programs.
     
 

C.

With regard to other school-based activities the District shall:
   
 

1.

The schools shall provide at least thirty (30) minutes daily for students to eat.
   
 

2.

The schools shall schedule mealtimes so there is minimum disruption by bus schedules, recess, and other special programs or events.
   
 

3.

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

4.

Activities, such as tutoring or club meetings, shall not be scheduled during mealtimes, unless students may eat during those meetings.
   
 

5.

An organized wellness program shall be available to all staff.
   
 

6.

The schools may use environmentally friendly practices, such as the use of locally grown foods and non-disposable tableware and dishes.
   
 

7.

The schools may demonstrate support for the health of all students by hosting health clinics and screenings and encouraging parents to enroll their eligible children in Medicaid or in other children's health insurance programs for which they may qualify.
   
 

8.

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.
   
 

9.

Students are discouraged from sharing their foods or beverages with one another during meal times, given concerns about allergies and other restrictions on some students' diets.
     
 

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

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

A.

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 standards to 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.
     
 

F.

The food service program will strive to be financially self-supporting; however, if it is necessary to subsidize the operation, it will not be through the sale of foods with minimal nutritious value.
   
 

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.

All foods available on campus at any time 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 well as foods that are served as classroom snacks, from vending machines, for fund raisers, for classroom parties, at holiday celebrations, at concession stands, or at any school-related event.
   
 

I.

The school food service program may involve students, parents, staff, and/or school officials in the selection of competitive food items to be sold in the schools.
     
 

J.

All foods available to students in District programs, other than the food service program, shall be served with consideration for promoting student health and well-being.
   
 

K.

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

L.

Continuing professional development shall be provided for all staff of the food service program.

The Board designates the Superintendent and/or designee as the individual(s) charged with operational responsibility for measuring and evaluating the District's implementation and progress under this policy. The Superintendent shall develop administrative guidelines necessary to implement this policy.

The Superintendent shall appoint a District-wide Wellness Committee that includes parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, educational staff (including health and physical education teachers), mental health and social services staff, school health professionals, members of the public, and school administrators to oversee development, implementation, evaluation and periodic update of this policy. The Wellness Committee shall be an ad hoc committee with members recruited and appointed 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 Board for approval;
   
 

D.

measurement of the implementation of the policy; and
   
 

E.

recommendation for the revision of the policy, is necessary.

Before the end of each school year, the Wellness Committee shall recommend to the Superintendent any revisions to the policy it deems necessary and/or appropriate. In its review, the Wellness Committee shall consider evidence-based strategies in determining its recommendations.

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

The District shall assess the Wellness Policy at least once every three (3) years on the extent to which schools in the District are in compliance with the District policy, the extent to which the District policy compares to model wellness policies, and the progress made in attaining the goals of the District Wellness Policy. The assessment shall be made available to the public on the School District's web site.

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

Adopted 6/8/06
Revised 12/8/11
Revised 12/12/13
Revised 11/14
Revised 6/8/17

© Neola 2017