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507.10 Wellness Policy

Code No.  507.10

  Page 1 of 3

 

WELLNESS POLICY

 

The board promotes healthy students by supporting wellness, good nutrition and regular physical activity as a part of the total learning environment.  The school district supports a healthy environment where students learn and participate in positive dietary and lifestyle practices.  By facilitating learning through the support and promotion of good nutrition and physical activity, schools contribute to the basic health status of students.  Improved health optimizes student performance potential.

 

The school district provides a comprehensive learning environment for developing and practicing lifelong wellness behaviors.  The entire school environment, not just the classroom, shall be aligned with healthy school district goals to positively influence a student's understanding, beliefs and habits as they relate to good nutrition and regular physical activity. 

 

The school district supports and promotes proper dietary habits contributing to students' health status and academic performance.  Foods available on school grounds and at school-sponsored activities during the instructional day should meet or exceed the school district, state, and the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutritional standards.  Foods should be served with consideration toward nutritional integrity, variety, appeal, taste, safety and packaging to ensure high-quality meals. 

 

The school district will make every effort to eliminate any social stigma attached to, and prevent the overt identification of, students who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals.  Toward this end, the school district may utilize electronic identification and payment systems; promote the availability of meals to all students regardless of income; and/or use nontraditional methods for serving meals.

 

The school district has developed a local wellness policy that included parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, the school board, school administrators, and the public in its development.  The wellness policy includes a plan to implement, measure, and monitor the effectiveness of the policy.  The policy designates that all of the Building Principals will monitor implementation and report to the Superintendent and Food Service Director. The Superintendent shall report annually to the board of education for evaluation of the policy. 

 

Specific Wellness Goals:

 

Nutrition Education and Promotion:

The school district will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion. Health education curriculum will be provided at each grade level.  The curriculum will provide knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect their health.

 

Physical Activity requirements by the State of Iowa according to the Healthy Kids Act took effect July 1, 2009.

 

Physical Activity:

 

  1. Grades K- 5 will receive 30 minutes per day of physical activity

  2. Grades 6-12 will receive 120 minutes per week of physical activity in which there are at least 5 days that week

  3. Every pupil who is physically able to do so will complete a certification course for cardiopulmonary resuscitation by the end of grade 12.

     

  4. Recess is preferably outdoors

  5. Encourage moderate to vigorous physical activity

  6. Discourage extended periods of inactivity

     

    “Physical activity” means any movement, manipulation, or exertion of the body that can lead to

    improved levels of physical fitness and quality of life.

     

    For students to receive the nationally recommended amount of daily physical activity and for students to fully embrace regular physical activity as a personal behavior, students need opportunities for physical activity beyond the physical education class.  Toward that end, the school district will:

     

  7. offer classroom health education that complements physical education

  8. reinforce the knowledge and self-management needed to maintain a physically active lifestyle

  9. reduce time spent on sedentary activities

     

    The school district values the health and well-being of every staff member and will plan and implement activities that support personal efforts by staff to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  Staff members are encouraged to model healthy lifestyle habits.  The district will provide helpful tools as needed to staff, parents, and students as provided by the Iowa Department of Education Healthy Kids Act in their Training Toolkit. More information can be found at https://www.educateiowa.gov/pk-12/learner-supports/healthy-kids-act

     

    The USDA Smart Snacks for Schools requires that all foods/beverages sold on campus from midnight through 30 minutes after the last bell of the school day must follow these requirements. To determine qualification enter each food item into the nutritional calculator (see link below) provided by the Iowa Department of Education/USDA and print out the reported results.

     

    https://schools.healthiergeneration.org/focus_areas/snacks_and_beverages/smart_snacks/alliance_product_calculator/

     

    This report shall be submitted to the Food Service Director before the items are sold.  These nutritional reports are being monitored by the Iowa Department of Education. 

     

    To ensure that all children have breakfast, either at home or at school, in order to meet their nutritional needs and enhance their ability to learn, the school will:

     

  10. operate the breakfast program according to USDA guidelines

  11. notify parents and students of the availability of the School Breakfast Program

  12. encourage parents to provide a healthy breakfast for their children

     

    As an amendment of the Healthy Kids Act Section 273.2, Code 2007 of Section 143, the board of an area education agency or a consortium of two or more area education agencies shall contract with one or more licensed dieticians for the support of nutritional provisions in individual education plans developed in accordance with chapter 256B and to provide information to support school nutrition coordinators as needed.  As part of the school district’s responsibility to operate a food service program, the school district will:

  13. provide continuing professional development for all nutrition professionals

  14. encourage parents to include healthy foods and snacks in lunches brought from home(An addition to the handbook will include a policy for no pop, energy drinks, and other non-nutritional beverages.Only clear water bottles will be allowed.)

  15. encourage staff to model healthy eating habits by choosing healthy foods and beverages

     

    At the high school level there will be a variety of healthy choices of foods and beverages for foods sold individually via A la carte outside the reimbursable meal programs.  These choices, along with all foods/beverages sold to students, including fundraisers, will follow the nutritional requirements of the Healthy Kids Act that took effect July 1, 2010 and the USDA Smart Snacks in School that is effective July 1, 2014 following their chart below:

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in Schools

     

Food/Nutrient

Standard

Exemptions to the Standards

General Standard for Competitive Food

To be allowable, a competitive FOOD item must:

  1. Meet all of the proposed competitive food nutrient standards; and
  2. Be a grain product that contains 50% or more whole grains by weight or have whole grains as the first ingredient*; or
  3. Have as the first ingredient* one of the non-grain main food groups: fruit, vegetables, dairy, or protein foods (meat, beans, poultry, seafood, eggs, nuts, seeds, etc.); or
  4. Be a combination food that contains at least ¼ cup fruit and/or vegetable; or
  5. Contain 10% of the Daily Value (DV) of a nutrient of public health concern (i.e., calcium, potassium, vitamin D, or dietary fiber).  Effective July 1, 2016 this criterion is obsolete and may not be used to qualify as a competitive food.

*If water is the first ingredient, the second ingredient must be one of items 2, 3, or 4 above.
  • Fresh fruits and vegetables with no added ingredients except water are exempt from all nutrient standards.

 

  • Canned and frozen fruits with no added ingredients except water, or are packed in 100% juice, extra light syrup, or light syrup are exempt from all nutrient standards.

 

  • Canned vegetables with no added ingredients except water or that contain a small amount of sugar for processing purposes to maintain the quality and structure of the vegetable are exempt from all nutrient standards.

 

 

NSLP/SBP Entrée Items Sold A la Carte

Any entrée item offered as part of the lunch program or the breakfast program is exempt from all competitive food standards if it is sold as a competitive food on the day of service or the day after service in the lunch or breakfast program.

 

Sugar-Free Chewing Gum

Sugar-free chewing gum is exempt from all competitive food standards.

 

Grain Items

Acceptable grain items must include 50% or more whole grains by weight, or have whole grains as the first ingredient.

 

Total Fats

Acceptable food items must have

≤35% calories from total fat as served.
  • Reduced fat cheese (including part-skim mozzarella) is exempt from the total fat standard.
  • Nuts and seeds and nut/seed butters are exempt from the total fat standard.

 

Food Nutrient

Standard

Exemptions to the Standard

 

 
  • Products consisting of only dried fruit with nuts and/or seeds with no added nutritive sweeteners or fats are exempt from the total fat standard.

 

  • Seafood with no added fat is exempt from the total fat standard.

 

Combination products are not exempt and must meet all the nutrient standards.

 

Saturated Fats

Acceptable food items must have <10% calories from saturated fat as served.
  • Reduced fat cheese (including part-skim mozzarella) is exempt from the saturated fat standard.

 

  • Nuts and seeds and nut/seed butters are exempt from the saturated fat standard

 

  • Products consisting of only dried fruit with nuts and/or seeds with no added nutritive sweeteners or fats are exempt from the saturated fat standard.

 

Combination products are not exempt and must meet all the nutrient standards.

Trans Fats

 

Zero grams of trans fat as served  (≤0.5 g per portion).

 

Sugar

Acceptable food items must have ≤35% of weight from total sugar as served.
  • Dried whole fruits or vegetables; dried whole fruit or vegetable pieces; and dehydrated fruits or vegetables with no added nutritive sweeteners are exempt from the sugar standard.

 

  • Dried whole fruits, or pieces, with nutritive sweeteners that are required for processing and/or palatability purposes (i.e., cranberries, tart cherries, or blueberries) are exempt from the sugar standard.

 

 

 

Food/Nutrient

Standard

Exemptions to the Standard

 

 

Products consisting of only exempt dried fruit with nuts and/or seeds with no added nutritive sweeteners or fats are exempt from the sugar standard

Sodium

Snack items and side dishes sold a la carte: ≤ 230 mg sodium per item as served.  Effective July 1, 2016 snack items and side dishes sold a la carte must be: ≤ 200 mg sodium per item as served, including any added accompaniments.

 

Entrée items sold a la carte: ≤ 480 mg sodium per item as served, including any added accompaniments.

 

Calories

Snack items and side dishes sold a la carte: ≤ 200 calories per item as served, including any added accompaniments.

 

Entrée items sold a la carte: ≤ 350 calories per item as served including any added accompaniments.

 

 

 

 

 

Entrée items served as an NSLP or SBP entrée are exempt on the day of or day after service in the program meal.

Accompaniments

Use of accompaniments is limited when competitive food is sold to students in school.  The accompaniment must be included in the nutrient profile as part of the food item served and meet all proposed standards.

 

Caffeine

Elementary and Middle School: foods and beverages must be caffeine-free with the exception of trace amounts of naturally occurring caffeine substances.

 

High School: foods and beverages may contain caffeine.

 

 

Beverages Standard

Beverages

Elementary School

  • Plain water or plain carbonated water (no size limit)
  • Low fat milk, unflavored (≤ 8 fl oz)
  • Non-fat milk, flavored or unflavored (≤ 8 fl oz), including nutritionally equivalent milk alternatives as permitted by the school meal requirements
  • 100% fruit/vegetable juice diluted with water (with or without carbonation), and no added sweeteners (≤ 8 fl oz)

 

 

Middle School

  • Plain water or plain carbonated water (no size limit)
  • Low fat milk, unflavored (≤ 12 fl oz)
  • Non-fat milk, flavored or unflavored (≤ 12 fl oz), including nutritionally equivalent milk alternatives as permitted by the school meal requirements
  • 100% fruit/vegetable juice (≤ 12 fl oz)
  • 100% fruit/vegetable juice diluted with water (with or without carbonation), and no added sweeteners (≤ 12 fl oz)

 

High School

  • Plain water or plain carbonated water (no size limit)
  • Low fat milk, unflavored (≤ 12 fl oz)
  • Non-fat milk, flavored or unflavored (≤ 12 fl oz), including nutritionally equivalent milk alternatives as permitted by the school meal requirements
  • 100% fruit/vegetable juice (≤ 12 fl oz)
  • 100% fruit/vegetable juice diluted with water (with or without carbonation), and no added sweeteners (≤ 12 fl oz)
  • Other flavored and or carbonated beverages (≤ 12 fl oz) that are labeled to contain ≤ 40 calories per 8 fl oz, or ≤ 60 calories per 12 fl oz

 

 

 

 

The Principal in each building will ensure compliance with these policies in their school building and will report in writing using the form provided by the food service director on the school’s compliance annually to the Superintendent and Food Service Director.

 

The Superintendent or his/her designee will ensure compliance with established school district-wide nutrition and physical activity wellness policies and goals. 

 

The school district has conducted a baseline assessment of the school’s existing nutrition and physical activity environments and practices.  The results of those school-by-school assessments have been compiled.

 

The Superintendent or his/her designee will report annually to the board and publish the report to the public regarding the effectiveness and compliance of this policy.

 

 

 

 

Approved:       6/06                             Reviewed:        6/08                 Revised:9/10                                                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                6/14                                6/14

                                                                                                4/17

                                                                                                10/20

Legal Reference:          Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, 42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq. (2005)

                                    Child Nutrition Act of 1966, 42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq., 

                        Senate File 2425:

https://www.educateiowa.gov/sites/files/ed/documents/SenateFile2425.pdf

                                    Iowa Code section 256.7(5)

 

Cross Reference:         504.6   Student Activity Program

                                    710      School Food Services