As required by law, the Board of Education establishes the following wellness policy for the Upper Arlington City 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 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.
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. | With regard to nutrition education, the District shall:
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| | | 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.
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| | | 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.
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| | B. | With regard to physical activity, the District shall:
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| | | | a. | The physical education curriculum shall provide sequential instruction related to the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to participate in lifelong, health-enhancing physical activity.
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| | | | b. | Physical education classes shall provide students with opportunities to learn, practice, and be assessed on developmentally appropriate motor skills and social skills, as well as knowledge.
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| | | | c. | Properly certificated, highly qualified teachers shall provide all instruction in physical education.
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| | | | a. | Physical activity shall not be employed as a form of discipline or punishment.
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| | | | b. | 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 healthcare needs.
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| | C. | With regard to other school-based activities the District shall:
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| | | 1. | The schools shall schedule mealtimes so there is minimum disruption by bus schedules, recess, and other special programs or events.
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| | | 2. | The school shall provide attractive, clean environments in which the students eat.
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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 as well as to the fiscal management of the program.
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| | 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).
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| | C. | 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.
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| | D. | The food service program shall be administered by a qualified nutrition professional.
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The Board designates the Superintendent 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.
Review of this policy shall occur every three (3) years, by a committee consisting of a representative(s) of the administration, the food service provider, the parents, the students, and the public. The committee shall provide the Superintendent with any recommended changes to this policy.
42 U.S.C. 1751, Sec. 204
42 U.S.C. 1771