504.12 - Wellness

The school 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 will provide a comprehensive learning environment for developing and practicing lifelong wellness behaviors. The district encourages healthy goals to positively influence a student’s understanding, beliefs, and habits as they relate to good nutrition and regular physical activity. In accordance with law and this belief, the school board commits to the following:

  1. Nutrition Education and Promotion: Schools will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that helps students develop lifelong healthy eating habits;
  2. Physical Activity: Schools will provide students with age and grade appropriate opportunities to engage in physical activity that meets the Iowa Health Kids Act; and
  3. Other School Based Activities that Promote Wellness: As appropriate, schools will support students, staff, and parent/guardian efforts to maintain healthy lifestyles.

The following nutritional guidelines for food available on school campuses will be adhered to:

  1. Meals served through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program will be appealing and meet, at a minimum, nutrition requirements established by state and federal law;
  2. Schools providing access to healthy foods outside the reimbursable meal programs before school, during school, and 30 minutes after school shall meet the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Smart Snacks in Schools nutrition standards, at a minimum. This includes such items as those sold through a la carte lines, vending machines, student run stores, and fundraising activities;
  3. Snacks provided to students during the school day without charge (e.g., class parties) will meet standards set by the district in accordance with law. The district will provide parents/guardians with a list of foods and beverages that meet nutrition standards for classroom snacks and celebrations; and
  4. Schools will only allow marketing and advertising of foods and beverages that meet the Smart Snacks in School nutritional standards on campus during the school day.

The superintendent [or designee] shall implement and ensure compliance with the policy by:

  1. Reviewing the policy at least every three years and recommending updates as appropriate for school board approval;
  2. Implementing a process for permitting parents/guardians, students, representatives of the school food authority, teachers of physical education, school health professionals, the school board, administrators, and the public to participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the policy;
  3. Making the policy and updated assessment of the implementation available to the public (e.g., posting on the district website, newsletters, etc.). This information shall include the extent to which the schools are in compliance with policy and description of the progress being made in attaining the goals of the policy; and
  4. Developing administrative regulations, which shall include specific wellness goals and indicators for measurement or progress consistent with law and district policy.

Adopted: 8/06
Reviewed: 4/12; 7/13; 10/14
Revised: 11/17; 12/20; 10/23
Legal Reference (Code of Iowa): §§ 256.7(29); 256.11(6); 81 IAC 12.5; 58.11
IASB Reference: 507.09
Mandatory Policy

504.12-R - Regulations Regarding Wellness

To implement the wellness policy (Refer to Policy 504.12), the following district-specific goals have been established:

GOAL 1: NUTRITION EDUCATION AND PROMOTION
Schools will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that help students develop lifelong healthy eating behaviors. The goals for addressing nutrition education and nutrition promotion include the following:

  1. Provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect their health;
  2. Ensure nutrition education and promotion are not only part of health education classes, but also integrated into other classroom instruction through subjects such as math, science, language arts, social studies, and elective subjects;
  3. Include enjoyable, developmentally appropriate, culturally relevant, and participatory activities such as cooking demonstrations or lessons and taste-testing;
  4. Promote fruits, vegetables, whole-grain products, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, and healthy foods;
  5. Emphasize caloric balance between food intake and energy expenditure (promotes physical activity/exercise);
  6. Link with school meal programs, cafeteria nutrition promotion activities, other school foods, and nutrition-related community services; and
  7. Implement evidence-based healthy food promotion techniques through the school meal programs using Smarter Lunchroom techniques.

GOAL 2: PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Schools will provide students and staff with age and grade appropriate opportunities to engage in physical activity that meet federal and state guidelines, including the Iowa Healthy Kids Act. The goals for addressing physical activity include the following:

  1. Develop a comprehensive, school-based physical activity program (CSPAP), that includes the following components:
    • Physical education, recess;
    • Classroom-based physical activity;
    • Walk to school; and
    • Out of school time activities;
  2. Promote the benefits of a physically active lifestyle and help students develop skills to engage in lifelong healthy habits;
  3. Engage students in moderate to vigorous activity during at least 50% of physical education class time;
  4. Encourage classroom teachers to provide short physical activity breaks (3-5 minutes), as appropriate;
  5. Offer classroom health education that complements physical education by reinforcing the knowledge and self-management skills needed to maintain a physically active lifestyle;
  6. Ensure physical activity is not used for or withheld as a punishment;
  7. Afford elementary students with recess according to the following:
    • At least 20 minutes a day;
    • Outdoors as weather and time permits; and
    • Encourages moderate to vigorous physical activity; and
  8. Scheduled to avoid extended periods of inactivity.

GOAL 3: OTHER SCHOOL-BASED ACTIVITES THE PROMOTE STUDENT WELLNESS
Schools will support student, staff, and parent/guardian efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle, as appropriate. The goals for addressing other school-based activities that promote student wellness include the following:

  1. Provide parents/guardians a list of foods and beverages that meet nutrition standards for classroom snacks and celebrations;
  2. Provide school staff a list of alternative ways to reward students. Foods and beverages will not be used as rewards or withheld for punishment;
  3. Develop a plan to promote staff health and wellness;
  4. Share information about the nutritional content of meals with parents/guardians and students;
  5. Support the consumption of breakfast at school by implementing alternative breakfast options to the extent possible;
  6. Permit students to bring and carry water bottles filled with water throughout the day;
  7. Make drinking water available where school meals are served during mealtimes;
  8. Encourage fundraising efforts held outside school hours to sell only non-food items, promote physical activity, or include foods and beverages that meet or exceed the Smart Snacks nutrition standards;
  9. Strive to provide students with at least 10 minutes to eat after sitting down for breakfast and 20 minutes after sitting down for lunch;
  10. Discourage students from sharing foods or beverages during meal or snack times, given concerns about allergies and dietary needs; and
  11. Apply for USDA’s Healthier US School Challenge: Smarter Lunchroom Award, a certification initiative that recognizes schools for nutrition and physical activity excellence.

PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
There is a process for permitting parents/guardians, students, representatives of the school food authority, teachers of physical education, school health professionals, the school board, administrators, and the public to participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the policy.

  1. The district has a local Wellness Committee to advise the district on the development, implementation, and improvement of the school wellness policy (Refer to Policy 504.12);
  2. The superintendent [or designee] invites suggestions or comments concerning the development, implementation, and improvement of the school wellness policy. As such, interested persons are encouraged to contact the superintendent [or designee].

Adopted: 10/23
Related Policy: 504.12
IASB Reference: 507.90-R(1)