UINTAH SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY ACTION REVIEW

1st Reading	5/10/05	New	X
2nd Reading	5/21/05	Revised
Effective Date	5/21/05	Substitute

009.0250 Nutrition/Physical Wellness Policy

1.0 GENERAL STATEMENT

1.1 Uintah School District recognizes the need to promote healthy schools, by supporting wellness, good nutrition, and regular physical activity as part of a total learning environment. The District supports a healthy environment where children learn and participate in positive dietary and lifestyle practices. Schools contribute to the basic health status of children by facilitating learning through the support and promotion of good nutrition and physical activity. The District believes significant research indicates there is a positive relationship between adequate nutrition, physical activity, and academic success. The District knows education in wellness will optimize student performance potential and directs each building administrator to establish a plan for measuring implementation of this wellness policy.

2.0 Nutrition – The Board supports the principles of proper nutrition and believes support must be a district wide commitment. In an effort to support the consumption of nutrient dense foods in the school setting, the district adopts the following nutrition standards governing the sale and consumption of food and beverage during the school day.

2.1 Quality School Meals - The Food Service Department will operate in accordance with USDA Federal Regulations that govern the National School Lunch, Breakfast and After-school Snack Programs.

2.1.1 The Food Service Department shall conform to good menu planning principles, and feature a variety of healthy choices that are tasty, attractive and of excellent quality.

2.1.2 The menus will include the use of nutrient dense foods that emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy foods which are low in fat, added sugars and sodium.

2.1.3 Beverages will only include a variety of milk, 100% fruit juices, or water.

2.1.4 A’la carte options should emphasize a variety of choices of tasty, nutritious foods and beverages that are low in fat and sugar, i.e., fruit bars, granola bars, trail mix, baked chips, and beverages no less than 50-100%juice.

2.2 Adequate Time to Eat – Schools shall allow for a 30 minute minimum lunch period.

2.3 Schools should make every effort to schedule recess for elementary grades before lunch so that children will come to lunch less distracted and ready to eat.

2.4 Other Healthy Food Options – Uintah School District is a sponsor of the National School Lunch and Breakfast program. All foods available on school grounds and at school sponsored activities; including parties, during the instructional day should meet or exceed the district nutrition standards, and not be in direct competition with the National School Lunch or Breakfast Programs of the School.

2.4.1 School staffs should be encouraged to decrease the use of food and drinks as rewards for students.

2.4.2 Schools should encourage organizations to sell non-food items or nutritious food items for fundraisers, rather than candy or other low nutritional-value food as the fundraiser item of choice.

2.4.2.1 No type of food product may be served during school lunch time without prior approval of the School Foods Coordinator and Principal of the School.

2.4.2.2 Parents and parent groups should be alerted to the need for nutritional food expectations for all classrooms and school activities. They should be provided a list of healthy incentives, snacks, etc. that the school recommends.

2.4.3 If vending machines are placed in the elementary, middle or junior high schools they will only sell water, milk or 50-100% fruit juices.

2.4.4 Vending machines and student stores at the high school shall dispense offerings of milk, water, 50-100% fruit juice, and other nutritional supplement varieties that meet the nutritional standards set by Food Services Department.

2.4.4.1 Vending machines shall be placed in selected areas of the high school at the discretion of the building administrator to minimize facility concerns and to better serve after-school activities.

2.4.5 For food safety concerns, no person or group shall serve “potentially hazardous food” to students without the proper Health Dept. Permit and name of person certified in Serve-It-Safe who will oversee the event”.

2.4.6 School Staffs are encouraged to practice good nutritional habits as examples for their student and their own well being.

3.0 Physical Activity – A quality education program is an essential component for all students to learn about and participate in physical activity. Physical activity should be included in a school’s regular education program from grades pre-K through 12. Uintah School District shall provide physical activity and physical education opportunities, aligned with the USOE core curriculum that provides students with the knowledge and skills to lead a physically active lifestyle.

3.1 Physical Education – A sequential, developmentally appropriate curriculum shall be designed, implemented, and evaluated to help students develop the knowledge, motor skills, self-management skills, attitudes, and confidence needed to adopt and maintain physical activity throughout their lives.

3.1.1 Physical education classes and physical activity opportunities will be available for all students. The guidelines for appropriate levels and types of activity outlined by NASPE are recommended.

3.1.2 Staff supervised physical activity opportunities may be offered regularly before school, during school (recess) or after school.

3.1.3 Programs will introduce developmentally appropriate components of a health-related fitness assessment, (e.g. SPARKS, FitnessGram, Physical Best or President’s Council) to the students starting with their first year of school to prepare them for future assessments.

3.1.4 Health-related fitness assessment or activity logging should begin in Middle school and continue throughout High school PE classes,. Efforts should be made to assist students to interpret their personal attainments and compare them to national physical activity recommendations.

3.2 Extracurricular Physical Activity Programs: (See district policy # 007.0600 and #007.0605)

3.2.1 Other Opportunities for Physical Activity –

3.2.1.1 Intramurals -Elementary, middle, Jr. High and High Schools are encouraged to offer intramural physical activity programs that feature a broad range of competitive and cooperative activities.

3.2.1.2 Elementary Recess - School authorities shall encourage and develop schedules that provide time within every school day for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary school students to enjoy supervised recess.

· Every school shall have play grounds, other facilities, and equipment available for free play.

· Recess shall complement, not substitute for, physical education classes.

· It is recommended that students not be denied participation in recess or other physical activity as a form of discipline or punishment, nor cancel it for instructional makeup time.

3.2.1.3 Community Wellness Programs -Schools shall work with after school programs, recreation agencies and other community organizations to coordinate and enhance opportunities available to students and staff for physical activity during their out-of-school time. (See district policy #010.000)

· Schools are encouraged to negotiate mutually acceptable, fiscally responsible arrangement with community agencies and organizations to keep school- or district-owned facilities open for use by students, staff, and community members during non-school hours and vacations.

· School policies concerning safety shall apply at all times.

3.2.1.4 Staff Physical Activity - The school/district shall plan, establish, and implement activities to promote physical activity among staff and provide opportunities for staff to conveniently engage in regular physical activity.

3.3 Safety Guidelines – (Safety policy in coordination with At-Risk Insurance Guidelines needs to be adopted in the near future.)

4.0 Nutrition/Physical Education: Nutrition and physical activity education opportunities will be provided by all school staffs at each level of the educational system. These educational opportunities may include, but not be limited to, the distribution of educational and informational materials and the arrangement of presentations and workshops that focus on nutritional value and healthy lifestyles, health assessment, fitness activities, and other appropriate nutrition and physical activity related topics. All teachers will be held accountable to teaching the core curriculum that pertains to their area of instruction which may encompass nutrition and healthy lifestyle information.

4.1 Expectations of this policy includes:

4.1.1 Students in grades pre-K -12 receives nutrition education that is interactive and teaches the skills they need to adopt healthy eating behaviors.

4.1.2 Nutrition education is offered in the school dining room as well as in the classroom, with coordination between the foodservice staff and teachers.

4.1.3 Students receive consistent nutrition messages throughout the school, classroom, and cafeteria.

4.1.4 Utah State Core curriculum directs that physical and nutritional education be integrated into the health education curricula as well as other areas of the curriculum. (i.e.: math, science, social studies, and language arts).

4.1.5 Schools link nutrition education activities with the coordinated school health program.

4.1.6 Staffs that provide nutrition and physical activity education must have appropriate training.

4.1.7 Schools are encouraged to share nutrition education activities and promotions that involve parents, students, and the community.