Backgrund The U.S. Cngress established a requirement in the Child Nutritin and Wmen, Infants and Children (WIC) Reauthrizatin Act f 2004, that all schl districts with a federally funded schl meal prgram draft a lcal schl wellness plicy. The law requires that the plicy must, at a minimum, (1) include gals fr nutritin educatin, physical activity, and ther schl-based activities that prmte student wellness, (2) establish nutritin guidelines fr all fds available n each schl campus during the schl day with the bjectives f prmting student health and reducing childhd besity, (3) prvide assurance that thse guidelines fr reimbursable schl meals shall nt be less restrictive than regulatins and guidance applicable t schl meals issued by the Secretary f Agriculture, (4) establish a plan fr measuring the implementatin f the lcal wellness plicy, including designatin f ne r mre persns with peratinal respnsibility fr ensuring that the schls meet the wellness plicy; and (5) invlve parents, students, and representatives f the schl fd authrity, schl bard, schl administratrs, and the public, in the develpment f the schl wellness plicy. Friendship Public Charter Schl () Bard f Trustees will use the abve requirements as a baseline and expand the plicy t cver additinal student wellness areas. has adpted the Center fr Disease Cntrl and Preventin Crdinated Schl Health Prgram (CSHP). The CSHP is an eight cmpnent mdel that addresses all wellness plicy minimums. The Wellness Plicy gals are as fllws: GOAL 1: T integrate physical activity and nutritin educatin in all Friendship Public Charter Schls. GOAL 2: T crdinate Fd Services with schl nutritin plicy t reinfrce messages abut healthy eating an t ensure that fds ffered in Friendship Schls prmte gd nutritin and cntribute t the life lng develpment f healthy, well-runded, intellectually curius participants in the schl and cmmunity. GOAL 3: T supprt a healthy schl envirnment by prviding schl staff with training and prfessinal develpment that fcuses n physical activity and nutritin educatin in rder t effect behavir change. 1
GOAL 4: T invlve family members and the cmmunity in supprting and reinfrcing nutritin educatin and the prmtin f healthy eating/physical activity at all Friendship Schls. GOAL 5: T regularly evaluate the effectiveness f the wellness plicy and mdify prgram strategies t increase the effectiveness f a healthy schl envirnment. The CSHP Mdel includes the fllwing interactive cmpnents t meet all gals f the Lcal Wellness Plicy. Health Educatin: A planned, sequential, K 12 curriculum that addresses the physical, mental, emtinal and scial dimensins f health. The curriculum is designed t mtivate and assist students t maintain and imprve their health, prevent disease, and reduce health-related risk behavirs. It allws students t develp and demnstrate increasingly sphisticated health-related knwledge, attitudes, skills, and practices. The cmprehensive health educatin curriculum includes a variety f tpics, such as: persnal health, family healthy, cmmunity health, cnsumer health, envirnmental health, sexuality educatin, mental and emtinal health, injury preventin and safety, nutritin, preventin and cntrl f disease, and substance use and abuse. Qualified, trained teachers prvide health educatin. Physical Educatin: A planned, sequential curriculum that prvides cgnitive cntent and learning experiences in a variety f activity areas such as: basic mvement skills; physical fitness; rhythms and dance; games; team, dual, and individual sprts; tumbling and gymnastics; and aquatics. Quality physical educatin shuld prmte, thrugh a variety f planned physical activities, each student s ptimum physical, mental, emtinal and scial develpment, and shuld prmte activities and sprts that all students enjy and can pursue thrughut their lives. Qualified, trained teachers teach physical educatin. Nutritin Services: Access t a variety f nutritius and appealing meals that accmmdate the health and nutritin needs f all students. Schl nutritin prgrams reflect the U.S. Dietary Guidelines fr Americans and ther criteria t achieve nutritin integrity. The schl nutritin services ffer students a learning labratry fr classrm nutritin and health educatin, and serve as a resurce fr linkages with nutritin-related cmmunity services. Qualified child nutritin prfessinals prvide these services. Cunseling and Psychlgical Services: Services prvided t imprve students mental, emtinal, and scial health. These services include individual and grup assessments, interventins, and referrals. Organizatinal assessment and cnsultatin skills f cunselrs and psychlgists cntribute nt nly t the health f students, but als t the health f the schl envirnment. Prfessinals such as certified schl cunselrs, psychlgists, and scial wrkers prvide these services. 2
Healthy Schl Envirnment: The physical and aesthetic surrundings and the psychscial climate and culture f the schl. Factrs that influence the physical envirnment include the schl building and the area surrunding it, any bilgical r chemical agents that are detrimental t health, and physical cnditins such as temperature, nise, and lighting. The psychlgical envirnment includes the physical, emtinal, and scial cnditins that affect the well-being f students and staff. Health Prmtin fr Staff: Opprtunities fr schl staff t imprve their health status thrugh activities such as health assessments, health educatin and health-related fitness activities. These pprtunities encurage schl staff t pursue a healthy lifestyle that cntributes t their imprved health status, imprved mrale, and a greater persnal cmmitment t the schl s verall crdinated health prgram. This persnal cmmitment ften transfers int greater cmmitment t the health f students and creates psitive rle mdeling. Health prmtin activities have imprved prductivity, decreased absenteeism, and reduced health insurance csts. Family/cmmunity Invlvement: An integrated schl, parent, and cmmunity apprach fr enhancing the health and well-being f students. Schl health advisry cuncils, calitins, and bradly based cnstituencies fr schl health can build supprt fr schl health prgram effrts. Schls actively slicit parent invlvement and engage cmmunity resurces and services t respnd mre effectively t the health-related needs f students. Visin/Statement f Respnsibility The Friendship Public Charter Schl Bard f Trustees recgnizes that nutritin educatin, fd served in schls, and physical activity each affect student wellness. The Bard als recgnizes the imprtant cnnectin between a healthy diet and a student s ability t learn effectively and achieve high standards in schl. The Friendship Public Charter Schl Bard f Trustees recgnizes that it is the schl s rle, as part f the larger cmmunity, t mdel and actively practice, thrugh plicies and prcedures, the prmtin f family health, physical activity, and gd nutritin. The Friendship Public Charter Schl Bard f Trustees further recgnizes that the sharing and enjyment f fd and participatin in physical activities are fundamental experiences fr all District residents and are primary ways t nurture and celebrate ur cultural diversity. These fundamental human experiences are vital bridges fr building friendships, frming intergeneratinal bnds, and strengthening cmmunities. Preamble Whereas, a healthy diet increases a student s ability t learn effectively and achieve high standards in schl; Whereas, each day, students and their parents trust that the fds ffered at schl are nutritius and safe, and the Friendship Public Charter Schl Bard f Trustees is respnsible fr ensuring the safety f fds prvided at schl; 3
Whereas, natinally, besity rates have tripled in children and tripled in adlescents ver the last tw decades, and physical inactivity and excessive calrie intake are the predminant causes f besity; Whereas, heart disease, cancer, strke, and diabetes are respnsible fr tw-thirds f deaths in the United States, and majr risk factrs fr thse diseases, including unhealthy eating habits, physical inactivity, and besity, ften are established in childhd. Whereas, in the District f Clumbia 14 percent f high schl students are verweight and 17 percent are at risk fr becming verweight; Whereas, in the District f Clumbia 79 percent f high schl students eat fewer than five servings f fruits and vegetables per day; Whereas, in the District f Clumbia 56 percent f high schl students d nt participate in sufficient vigrus physical activity and 81 percent f high schl students d nt attend daily physical educatin classes; Whereas, cmmunity participatin is essential t the develpment and implementatin f successful schl wellness plicies; Thus, the Friendship Public Charter Schl Bard f Trustees is cmmitted t prviding schl envirnments that prmte and prtect student s health, well-being, and ability t learn by supprting healthy eating and physical activity. Therefre, it is the plicy f the Friendship Public Charter Schl Bard f Trustees that: students will have pprtunities, supprt, and encuragement t be physically active n a regular basis. Fds and beverages served r sld at Friendship Schls will meet the nutritin recmmendatins f the U.S. Dietary Guidelines fr Americans. will ensure that n student ges hungry during the schl day. will engage students, parents, teachers, fd service prfessinals, health prfessinals, and ther interested cmmunity members in develping, implementing, mnitring, and reviewing district-wide nutritin and physical activity plicies. Qualified child nutritin prfessinals will prvide students with access t a variety f affrdable, nutritius, and appealing fds that meet the health and nutritin needs f students; will accmmdate the religius, ethnic, and cultural diversity f the student bdy in meal planning; and will prvided clean, safe, and pleasant settings and adequate time fr students t eat. T the maximum extent practicable, all schls in the district will participate in available federal schl meal prgrams (including the Schl Breakfast Prgram, Natinal Schl Lunch Prgram [including after-schl snacks], Fruit and Vegetable Snack Prgram, and Child and Adult Care Fd Prgram [including suppers, if applicable]). 4
Friendship Schls will prvide nutritin educatin and physical educatin t fster lifelng habits f healthy eating and physical activity, and will establish links between health educatin and schl meal prgrams, and with related cmmunity services. Sectin 1: Ensuring Quality Nutritin Educatin, Health Educatin, Physical Educatin, and Opprtunities fr Physical Activity aims t prvide age-apprpriate and culturally sensitive instructin in nutritin, health and physical educatin that help students develp the knwledge, attitudes, and skills t enjy healthy eating habits and a physically active lifestyle. Nutritin and Health Educatin Nutritin and health educatin are part f a sequential, cmprehensive, standards-based prgram designed t meet the cre curriculum f the District f Clumbia, and prvide students with the knwledge and skills necessary t prmte and prtect their health. Nutritin educatin and health educatin lessns shall stress the imprtance f cmbining regular physical activity with sund nutritin as part f an verall healthy lifestyle. T maximize classrm time, nutritin and health educatin shall be integrated int the cre academic curriculum at all grade levels. Nutritin and health educatin shall als fcus n understanding the relatinship between persn behavir, individual health, and the envirnmental impact f fd chices. All elementary schl teachers, as well as, secndary teachers in such disciplines as language arts, physical educatin, math, scial studies, and science shall receive three (3) hurs f nutritin educatin training. T achieve stable, psitive changes in students health and eating behavirs, students will be alltted the fllwing times fr nutritin and health educatin: Students n all campuses will receive 20 hurs per year f nutritin educatin; At the Wdridge Campus, students in grades K-5 will receive 20 minutes per week f health educatin and students in grades 6-8 will receive 45 minutes per week f health educatin; At the Sutheast Academy Campus, students in grades K-5 will receive 45 minutes per week f health educatin; At the Blw-Pierce Campus, students in grades K-8 will receive 45 minutes per week f health educatin; At the Tech Prep Campus, students in grades 6-9 will receive 135 minutes per week f health educatin; and At the Cllegiate Campus. Students in grades 9-12 will receive 72 minutes per week f health educatin. Physical Educatin and Opprtunities fr Physical Activity The Friendship Public Charter Schl Bard f Trustees acknwledges the psitive benefits f physical activity fr student health and academic achievement. Recgnizing that children shuld be physically active fr at least 60 minutes everyday, will prvide pprtunities t ensure that students engage in healthful levels f vigrus physical activity t prmte and develp students physical, mental, emtinal, and scial well-being. 5
The cmpnents f the physical educatin prgram shall include a variety f kinesthetic activities, including team, individual, and cperative sprts and physical activities, as well as, aesthetic mvement frms, such as dance, yga, and martial arts. Students shall be given pprtunities fr physical activity thrugh a range f befre- and/r afterschl prgrams including, but nt limited t, intramurals, interschlastic athletics, and physical activity clubs. The Friendship Public Charter Schl Bard f Trustees will ensure that: All Friendship Schls prmte enjyable, life lng physical activity amng students; Physical and scial envirnments encurage and enable safe and enjyable physical activity; Physical educatin curricula and instructin shall emphasize health, fd selectin, and enjyable participatin in physical activity that helps students develp the knwledge, attitudes, mtr skills, behaviral skills, and cnfidence needed t adpt and maintain physically active lifestyles; The amunt f physical educatin students receive meets and/r exceeds the physical educatin requirements f the Healthy Schls Act: At the Wdridge Campus, students in grades K-5 will receive 80 minutes per week f physical educatin, and students in grades 6-8 will als receive 80 minutes per week f physical educatin; At the Sutheast Academy Campus, students in grades K-5 will receive 45 minutes per week f physical educatin; At the Blw-Pierce Campus, students in grades K-5 will receive 45 minutes per week f physical educatin, and students in grades 6-8 will als receive 45 minutes per week f physical educatin; At the Tech Prep Campus, students in grades 6-9 will receive 135 minutes per week f physical educatin; and At the Cllegiate Campus. Students in grades 9-12 will receive 72 minutes per week f physical educatin; All physical educatin classes shall devte at least 50% f class time t actual physical activity; Suitably adapted physical activity shall be prvided as part f the Individualized Educatin Plan (IEP) develped fr students with disabilities; The requiring r withhlding f physical activity as punishment is prhibited; Extracurricular physical activity prgrams shall meet the needs and interests f all students; Parents and guardians are included in physical activity instructin and in extracurricular and cmmunity physical activity prgrams t encurage and supprt their children s participating in enjyable physical activities; and Regular evaluatins include quarterly schl and cmmunity physical activity instructin, prgrams, and facilities. I dn t think these prgrams are being ffered anymre. We need t find ut frm the schls what prgrams are being ffered 6
Sectin 2: Establishing Nutritinal Guidelines fr All Fds Served and Sld n Campus during the Schl Day A cmpnent f the educatinal missin f is teaching students t establish and maintain life-lng healthy eating habits. This missin shall be accmplished, in part, thrugh serving and selling healthy fds and beverages in schls. The Friendship Public Charter Schl Bard f Trustees will ensure that: Free and Reduced-Price Meals N lnger necessary Students receive at least 20 minutes t eat after sitting dwn fr breakfast, at least 30 minutes t eat after sitting dwn fr lunch, and sufficient time fr all students t pass thrugh the fd service line. Breakfast Schls perate a Free fr All breakfast prgram; and Schls, t the extent pssible, perate a breakfast in the classrm r grab-and-g prgram with assistance frm Fd and Nutritin Services. Nutritinal Quality f Schl Meals The nutritinal quality f fds served will imprve upn USDA standards thrugh prvisin f nutritius, fresh, tasty, lcally grwn fd that reflects cmmunity and cultural diversity; All fds served meet, at minimum, the fllwing nutritinal requirements f the USDA and District f Clumbia Healthy Schls Act (HSA): Saturated fat: Fewer than 10% f ttal calries; Trans fat: Zer grams; and Sdium: Breakfast less than 430mg fr grades K-5, less than 470mg fr grades 6-8, and less than 500mg fr grades 9-12; Lunch less than 640mg fr grades K-5, less than 710mg fr grades 6-8, and less than 740mg fr grads 9-12; All milk served thrugh schl meals is either lw-fat (1%) r fat-free milk, r nutritinally-equivalent nn-dairy alternatives (t be defined by USDA); Half f grains served are whle grains; and Every high schl cafeteria ffer salads as a meal alternative, and salads cnsist f lettuces featured in the green/range categry n the HUSSC as the main ingredient. After Schl Snacks Snacks served during the schl day r in after schl care r enrichment prgrams make a psitive cntributin t children s diets and health, with an emphasis n serving fruits and vegetables as the primary snack and water as the primary beverage; Schls assess if and when t ffer snacks based n timing f schl meals, children s nutritinal needs, children s ages, and ther cnsideratins; and The district disseminate a list f snack items that meet the HUSSC Gld Award Level fr cmpetitive fds t teachers, after-schl prgram persnnel, and parents. 7
D.C. Free Summer Meals Prgram State Agreement is submitted fr apprval as a year-rund schl, thereby eliminating the need fr participatin in the Summer Meals Prgram. All Friendship students will receive their summer meals under the Natinal Schl Lunch and Breakfast Prgrams just as they did during the regular schl year. Fds and Beverages Sld Individually in Machines, A la Carte Lines, Fundraisers, and Schl Stres All fds r beverages sld in ther areas f the schl envirnment (vending machines, a la carte, and fundraisers) meet the fllwing requirements f the USDA s Healthier US Schl Challenge prgram at the Gld Awards Level fr cmpetitive fds: Calries frm ttal fat must be at r belw 35% per serving, excluding nuts, seeds, nut butters, and reduced-fat cheese; Cntain less than 0.5 grams trans fat per serving (trans fat free); Calries frm saturated fat must be belw 10% per serving, excluding reduced-fat cheese; Ttal sugar must be under r equal t 35% sugar by weight (including naturally ccurring and added sugars), excludes fruits, vegetables, and milk; Sdium must be equal t r less than 480mg per nn-entrée and equal t r less than 600mg per entrée; and Prtin size/calries is nt t exceed the serving size f the fd served in the Natinal Schl Lunch Prgram; fr ther items, the package r cntainer is nt t exceed 200 calries. Beverages The fllwing beverages are allwed: Water (unflavred, nn-carbnated, caffeine free) withut added calric sweeteners; Fruit and vegetable juices that cntain 100% juice and that d nt cntain additinal calric sweeteners; and Unflavred r flavred lw-fat (1%) r fat-free fluid milk, r nutritinallyequivalent nn-dairy beverages (t be defined by the USDA). The fllwing beverages are nt allwed: Sft drinks, sprts drinks, iced teas; Fruit-based drinks that cntain less than 100% real fruit juice r that cntain additinal calric sweeteners; and Beverages cntaining caffeine, excluding lw-fat (1%) r fat-free chclate milk (which cntain trivial amunts f caffeine). Fds Any fd items sld individually will meet the nutritinal requirements listed abve. Additinally, the fllwing will apply: 8
Fds will cntain n mre than 230mg f sdium per serving fr chips, cereals, crackers, French fries, baked gds, and ther snack items; n mre than 480mg f sdium per serving fr pastas, meats, and sups; and n mre than 600mg f sdium fr pizza, sandwiches, and main dishes; and A chice f at least tw fruits and/r nn-fried vegetables will be ffered; items include, but are nt limited t, fresh fruits and vegetables; 100% fruit r vegetable juice; cked, dried, r canned fruits (canned in fruit juice r light syrup); and cked, dried, r canned vegetables (that meet the sdium requirements abve). Prtin Sizes Prtins sizes fr fds and beverages sld individually are limited t the fllwing: One unce fr chips, crackers, ppcrn, cereal, trail mix, seeds, dried fruit; One unce fr ckies; Tw unces fr cereal bars, granla bars, pastries, muffins, dughnuts, bagels, and ther bakery items; Fur fluid unces fr frzen desserts, including, but nt limited t lw-fat r fatfree ice cream; and Six fluid unces fr beverages (100% juice and lw-fat r fat-free milk), excluding water fr elementary schl students, and eight fluid unces fr beverages (100% juice and lw-fat r fat-free milk), excluding water fr middle and high schl students. Third-Party Vendrs will nt permit third-party vendrs t sell fds r beverages f any kind t students n schl prperty frm 90 minutes befre the schl begins t 90 minutes after the schl day ends. Rewards Friendship Schls will nt use fds r beverages, especially thse that d nt meet the nutritin standards fr fds and beverages sld individually (abve), as rewards fr academic perfrmance r gd behavir, and will nt withhld fd r beverages, including fd served thrugh schl meals, as punishment. Celebratins Celebratins will be limited t n mre than ne per class per mnth. Friendship Schls shall develp a Healthy Parties plicy. Snack items served at class parties will be cnsistent with the USDA s HUSSC Gld Award Level fr cmpetitive fds. The plicy and apprved list f snack items will be prvided t parents and teachers. Fd Marketing in Schls Schl-based marketing will be cnsistent with nutritin educatin and health prmtin. As such, Friendship Schls will limit fd and beverage marketing t the prmtin f fds and beverages that meet the nutritin standards fr schl meals and fds and beverages sld individually (abve). Schl-based marketing f brands prmting predminantly lw-nutritin fds and beverages is prhibited. The prmtin f healthy fds, including fruits, vegetables, whle grains, and lw-fat r fat-free dairy prducts is 9
encuraged. Friendship Schls will use the fllwing marketing activities t prmte healthy behavirs: vending machine cvers prmting water; pricing structures that prmte healthy ptins in a la carte lines r vending machines; sales f fruit fr fundraisers; and cupns fr discunt gym memberships. Sectin 3: Assurance that Guidelines fr Schl Meals are Nt Less Restrictive than Thse Set at the Federal Level by the Secretary f Agriculture. The Directr f Health Services will review this plicy and ensure that the standards in this plicy are nt less restrictive thse set frth by the Secretary f Agriculture r state law. Sectin 4: Imprving Envirnmental Sustainability The Friendship Public Charter Schl Bard f Trustees will seek t imprve envirnmental sustainability f Friendship Schls and engage in sustainable agriculture practices thrugh: the use f envirnmentally friendly cleaning prducts; cntracting with fd service vendrs that utilize lcally grwn, lcally prcessed and unprcessed fds; establishing a campus-wide recycling prgrams; and establishing a schl garden. Sectin 5: Cmmunity Invlvement will seek t establish a cmmittee fr the develpment the wellness plicy. This cmmittee will include parents, students, representatives frm the schl faculty and administratin, and representatives frm the cmmunity, cmprising the Schl Wellness Cmmittee. Additinally, Friendship Schls will disseminate the wellness plicy t parents thrugh psting it in the schl ffice and n the schl website, as well as, thrugh ur parent rganizatin and email listserv. Sectin 6: Establishing a Plan fr Measuring the Impact and Implementatin f the will utilize its Schl Wellness Cmmittee fr the develpment and mnitring f the wellness plicy. This Cmmittee shall als be respnsible fr evaluating the plicy annually. The State Educatin Office will als mnitr the status f the lcal wellness plicy while cnducting reviews and site visits t ensure that the activities f each Friendship Schl remain in cmpliance with its wellness plicy. 10