Springfield School District Policy. Springfield, Vermont. Springfield School District Wellness Policy Code F28

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1 Springfield School District Policy Springfield, Vermont Springfield School District Wellness Policy Code F28 I. Purpose The Springfield School District recognizes the inseparable relationship between a student s academic potential and their overall state of wellbeing. Healthy eating patterns, regular developmentally appropriate physical activity, and a positive psychosocial experience are all part of the foundation on which a student can grow to reach the highest levels of achievement. It is the policy of the Springfield School District to set the wellness-related goals in this document with the objective of promoting optimal student performance and wellbeing. II. Nutrition A. Nutritious Food Choices 1. Nutritious and appealing foods shall constitute the majority of the items offered wherever and whenever food is sold or otherwise offered or available to students at all school sponsored programs and activities, including fundraising. 2. Nutritious foods are nutrient dense foods including whole grains; low-fat or nonfat dairy products; fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables; lean meats, poultry, fish, and beans. 3. Nutritious foods must exceed the nutrient levels of Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value, which have been identified by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). a) Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value include carbonated beverages, non-fruit drinks, candies in which the major ingredient is sugar, frozen ice bars, and chewing gum with sugar (7 CFR Part 210). 4. The District shall make free potable water available to children in the meal service area in accordance with Section 203 of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA). B. The District Food Service Program 1. Menus shall be planned to conform to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the nutrient standards established in the regulations of the National School Lunch Program (7 CFR 210) and the School Breakfast Program (7 CFR 220). Page 1

2 2. A la carte food includes all foods sold by the food service program that are not part of a reimbursable meal. A la carte food shall conform to the a la carte guidelines outlined in Appendix A. 3. Food pricing strategies shall be designed to encourage students to purchase nutritious items and/or reimbursable meals. Paid meal pricing must meet the USDA Paid Lunch Equity guidelines. 4. Compatible with federal regulations for such purchases, the food service program shall establish procedures to include locally grown foods and beverages in the development of purchasing bids or procedures. 5. Schools shall incorporate the three C s: community, classroom, and cafeteria, into all farm-to-school plans. C. Other Food Choices at School 1. Foods and beverages sold during the school day (12:00 AM to 30 minutes after the official end of the school day) outside the USDA Food programs must comply with the Vending Guidelines outlined in Appendix B at or above the Acceptable Practice level where applicable. No foods shall be sold from vending machines during meal service times. 2. Commercial advertising that promotes foods and beverages other than nutritious foods shall be prohibited in the District. 3. There is no exemption in Vermont, during the school day for fundraisers that do not meet the Smart Snack standard. The District will encourage fundraiser activities that promote physical activity. 4. To the extent possible the District will encourage foods and beverages sold outside the school day in vending machines, school stores, fundraisers, and other venues meet the minimal level of the Smart Snack standards. 5. Schools in which 50 percent or more of the enrolled students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals, that offer summer programs for 15 hours per week or more shall offer a meal and/or snack as part of the program (16 V.S.A. 1264). D. Promoting Healthy Eating Behaviors 1. Students and staff shall have adequate space to eat meals in pleasant surroundings and shall have adequate time to eat, relax, and socialize. At a minimum, lunch periods will be 20 minutes long, not including transition time, in accordance with findings of the National Food Service Management Institute. 2. Careful consideration will be given to scheduling recess and other physical activities before lunch. Page 2

3 III. 3. The District staff shall limit the use of food as a reward for students and encourage alternatives to food as rewards. 4. The District will strive to limit celebrations that involve food to one per month and only allow foods that meet District s nutrition standards. Parents are apprised of the nutrition standards and given a list of recommended food items to provide for in-school celebrations. E. Wellness Committee s Role in Nutrition 1. The Springfield School District Wellness Committee, or designated subcommittee (e.g. Nutrition Advisory Council), will develop specific guidelines and procedures in accordance with the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act for the school breakfast, lunch, and snack programs. These guidelines are to be followed by any food service agency that is contracted to provide the school breakfast and lunch programs. 2. The Wellness Committee or designated subcommittee will discuss nutrition and the associated sections of the Wellness Policy at least (4) four times per calendar year, and will report directly to the Superintendent of Schools. They will ensure that the Nutrition components of the Wellness Policy, as adopted by the Springfield School Board, are being adhered to by the food service agency. They will recommend changes in menu offerings when needed and will review and evaluate policy guidelines. They will communicate with the student population and the administration at each building and with each of the schools PTAs to encourage involvement in the school nutrition program. They will be responsible for sharing ongoing in-service nutrition education opportunities with teachers. Health A. Health Education 1. Springfield School District shall enable students to engage annually in rigorous, relevant and comprehensive learning opportunities that allows them to demonstrate proficiency in health education as defined in 16 V.S.A. 131 (EQS rule ). 2. Comprehensive health education means a systemic and extensive elementary and secondary educational program designed to provide a variety of learning experiences based upon knowledge of the human organism as it functions within its environment, including nutrition education (16 V.S.A. 131 and 16 V.S.A. 906). 3. Teacher Licensure: For grades 7 12, health is taught by a licensed health educator. For grades k 6, the classroom teacher s endorsement allows them to teach health within their class (EQS rule ). Page 3

4 IV. B. Health Promotion for Staff 1. The School District recognizes that fostering a personal commitment to positive health behaviors in staff contributes to improved health status, higher morale and greater personal commitment to the school s coordinated school health program and creates positive role modeling. The District will strive to identify and disseminate wellness resources to support staff wellness. C. Health Services 1. The School District shall provide a cohesive, integrated approach to the delivery of services to appraise, promote and protect health. 2. School services are evidenced based as outlined in the VT School Nurse Standards of Practice manual, and the National Association of School Nurses Scope and Standards of Practice. 3. The foundation of the school health services will be based on the student needs assessment, plans and implementation of programs that support the wellbeing and academic success of students. 4. The School District shall provide a safe school facility with sanitary conditions to treat students for illness or injury. 5. The School District shall make available information regarding educational and counseling opportunities and referrals for promoting and maintaining individual, family and community health. 6. School health services will make referrals and connections to the student s medical home based on the health assessment need. 7. The School Nurse will encourage students and their families to establish and access a dental home to receive age specific comprehensive oral health care annually. 8. The School Nurse will encourage students and their families to establish and access their medical home to receive age-specific health supervision visits (well-care visits) annually. Physical Education and Physical Activity A. Facilities 1. Each school in the District shall provide a safe environment to implement physical education and physical activity programs. A safety inspection shall be conducted annually. 2. Each school shall provide functional, non-personal, and protective equipment for all students to actively and safely participate in offered programs. Page 4

5 3. Interruptions to scheduled physical education classes shall be kept to a minimum. This includes interruptions due to scheduling non-physical education activities in physical education facilities. B. Curriculum 1. Each school shall enable students to engage annually in rigorous, relevant and comprehensive learning opportunities that allow them to demonstrate proficiency in physical education (EQS Rule ). 2. Each school shall provide students in grades K-8 with at least two physical education classes per week. Each school shall provide students in grades 9-12 with one and one half years of physical education or the equivalent thereof (EQS Rule ). 3. The Physical Education program shall be taught and assessed by a licensed physical educator. (EQS Rule ) 4. The physical education curriculum uses developmentally-appropriate components of a health-related fitness program. 5. The curriculum shall equip students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for lifelong physical activity. It shall build students individual competencies in their own physical abilities, and thereby work toward improving their self-confidence. 6. The curriculum shall offer students multiple opportunities to prepare for a variety of lifetime physical activities. 7. The physical education program shall be closely coordinated with other health and wellness programs in each of the schools. Physical education topics are to be integrated within other curricular areas, including: a) Demonstrating the benefits of physical activity during instruction on human growth, development, and physiology in science class. b) Including physical activity with other personal health behaviors throughout the health curriculum. C. Inclusion 1. The physical education program includes all students, unless otherwise contraindicated medically. 2. Suitable physical education is included as part of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for students with chronic health problems, other disabling conditions, and other special needs that preclude participation in regular physical education instruction or activities. 3. A student with a chronic health problem or other disabling condition is permitted to participate in any extracurricular activity, including interscholastic athletics, if the student s skills and physical condition meet Page 5

6 the same qualifications as other students. The school makes reasonable accommodations to allow the student to participate. D. Recess and Other Physical Activity Opportunities 1. The District shall provide supervised unstructured active play, commonly referred to as recess, daily for all students pre-k-6. Recess is in addition to a student s physical education class and not substituted for physical education. 2. The District shall work toward a system in which a student may lose recess only if their behavior during recess necessitates it. As part of this system, discipline issues that arise in the classroom, including consequences for incomplete student work should be addressed by other avenues other than taking away recess. 3. Proper equipment and a safe area shall be designated for recess. 4. The District shall strive to make physical activity opportunities available to students in grades 7-12 during the school day, in a safe environment, beyond the physical education class. 5. Physical education shall be considered in design of an educational support that enables each student to access the general curriculum (16 V.S.A. 2902). V. Counseling, Psychological, and Social Services 1. The School District shall continue to recognize the need for counseling, psychological, and social services for all students and shall make available the information necessary for families of students to seek the proper assistance. 2. The School District shall encourage a positive psychosocial climate by implementing their policy on bullying and harassment of students. It is within implementation of this policy that the School District will create a climate of wellness. VI. Community Engagement 1. The District, through the Wellness Committee or other appropriate channels, will seek to engage with community partners on wellness-related programs and events. VII. Systems and Evaluation A. The Springfield School District Wellness Committee 1. In order to satisfy the requirements of the National School Lunch Program a district-level Wellness Committee shall be formed and maintained, meeting no fewer than four times per school year. 2. The Wellness Committee shall be reflective of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model, developed by ASCD (formerly Page 6

7 the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Committee shall strive for membership from the 10 domains represented in WSCC as well as students, and include stakeholder involvement from administration, the school board, and each individual school. 3. The Wellness Committee (or other designee of Superintendent) shall periodically oversee an assessment of the implementation of the wellness policy and progress toward wellness goals. The results of this assessment shall be reported to the Superintendent along with any related policy/regulation and suggestions for change. 4. Communications to the public will occur periodically through the District/school websites, school newsletters, or other channels as deemed suitable by the Wellness Committee and the Superintendent. These communications will include (at a minimum): a) Directions to the wellness policy (e.g. link to District website) b) Description of compliance with the wellness policy c) A summary of school and community events and activities related to the goals/implementation of the wellness policy d) Contact information for the Wellness Committee e) Information on how to provide feedback and/or get involved 5. The Wellness Committee (or other designee of Superintendent) will oversee an assessment of the wellness policy periodically to assure compliance with current policies and regulations and to support the implementation of the latest evidence-based wellness practices. The results of this assessment and any suggested revisions will be presented to the appropriate parties to facilitate the revision of the wellness policy. 6. The superintendent or his or her designee shall report at least annually to the board on the District s compliance with law and policies related to student wellness. Page 7

8 Appendix A A La Carte Food and Beverage Standards "A la carte" refers to foods and beverages sold by the food service program in addition to the USDA reimbursable school meals. These food sales are intended to provide students with some additional food choices and to raise revenue to support the school food service program. A la carte foods are priced to encourage students to select meals rather than a la carte foods; limited in quantity and variety; and designed to supplement, not replace, school meals. Grades K-5 During Meal Service Periods Snacks and Breaks Grades 6-12 During Meal Service Periods Standard Eliminate foods that are sold outside of the breakfast and lunch programs. If the school offers a morning or afternoon break/snack, individual items sold meet the a la carte food standards. The morning snack or break occurs at least 1.5 hours before the lunch meal. Standard Limit foods that are sold outside of the breakfast and lunch programs to items that are a supplement to, rather than in competition with, the meal. Entrees that would qualify as a meal component for the reimbursable school breakfast or school lunch program is not available as an a la carte item. Individual items sold meet the a la carte food standards. Beverages Juice beverages must contain at least 50% fruit or vegetable juice, and the package size is no larger than 12oz. when available. Water shall contain less than 20 calories per serving without artificial sweeteners. Low or nonfat white or flavored milk, or drinkable yogurt shall be offered in portion sizes no larger than 16 oz. and contain no more than 340 total calories. Grains Whole grains and naturally occurring grains with minimal amounts of added fat and sugar may be served. Whole grains will have at least 1 gram of fiber per serving. Other products will contain no more than 5 grams of fat per 1 ounce serving and no more than 2 grams of saturated fat and 0 trans fat per 1 ounce serving. No more than 25 grams of total carbohydrate per serving (includes natural sugar and added sugar). Portion sizes are limited to 2 oz. for most products, 3 oz. for baked goods such as muffins, pastries and bagels. Dairy Products Other Than Milk Regular cheese - portion size no larger than 1 ½ oz. Reduced fat cheese - portion size no larger than 2 oz. Yogurt - portion size no larger than 8 oz. 8 oz. should be equal to or less than 200 calories per serving 6 oz. should be equal to or less than 150 calories per serving 4 oz. should be equal to or less than 100 calories per serving Frozen desserts, including ice cream, are limited to a portion size of no more than 4 oz. Page 8

9 Fruits and Vegetables Meat, Beans, and Nuts If any foods are sold a la carte, fresh, frozen, canned and/or dried fruits and vegetables will be available as well. Portion sizes for fried vegetables (french fries, onion rings, for example) will be ½ cup or less, and no larger than the portion of the same vegetable served in the school lunch program. Total fat - no more than 5 grams of fat per 1 ounce serving with the exception of nuts, seeds, and nut butters. Saturated fat and trans fat - no more than 2 grams of saturated fat and 0 trans fat per 1 ounce serving. Portion sizes are limited. For example: trail mix, nuts, seeds, jerky - no larger than 2 oz. Page 9

10 Appendix B Springfield School District Vending Guidelines Grades K-5 Recommendation Eliminate the sale of foods outside of the school meal program during the entire school day. Vending may be permitted after school hours and must follow the guidelines for secondary education. Grades 6-12 Recommendation Non-Dairy Beverages Bottled Water Dairy Products Best Practice Beverages that contain at least 100% fruit or vegetable juice. Package size no larger than 8 oz. Water without any added ingredients Low fat or nonfat, white or flavored milk, or drinkable yogurt, package size no larger than 10 oz. and total calories less than 200 Acceptable Practice Beverages that contain at least 50% fruit or vegetable juice. Package size no larger than 12oz. when available. Water containing less than 50 calories per serving without artificial sweeteners Low or nonfat white or flavored milk, or drinkable yogurt, package size no larger than 16 oz. and total calories less than 340 Recommendations for snacks include: Cheese Yogurt Non-Dairy Snack Foods Regular Cheese Serving size should be 1 ½ oz. or smaller Reduced Fat Cheese Serving size should be 2 oz. or smaller No larger than 8 oz. 8 oz. should be equal to or less than 200 calories per serving 6 oz. should be equal to or less than 150 calories per serving 4 oz. should be equal to or less than 100 calories per serving Fat: Limit to less than 5 grams of total fat per each 1 oz. serving. (Nuts and seeds are exempt from the fat restriction) Saturated Fat/Trans Fat: Limit to less than 2 grams of saturated or trans fat per each 1 oz. serving Total Carbohydrates: Page 10

11 Limit to less than 25 grams of total carbohydrates per each 1 oz. serving (fresh, dried or canned fruits are exempt from the carbohydrate restrictions) Snack Portion Size: Serving size for snacks should be 2 oz. or less. Smaller portions are preferred. Vending Sales and Contracts All foods served and sold will be administered by the building administrator or their designee under the guidelines of the nutrition policy. Contracts should include language allowing for purchase of items from another company if not sold by the contracted company Date Warned: 4/29/16, 6/2/16 Date Adopted: 6/2/16 Page 11