Westbrook High School

6142.101

Instruction

Student Nutrition and Physical Activity (Student Wellness Policy)

It is the belief of the Westbrook School District to strive to make a significant contribution to the general well being, mental and physical capacity and learning ability of each student and afford them the opportunity to fully participate in the educational process. The Board of Education promotes healthy schools by supporting wellness, good nutrition and regular physical activity as a part of the total learning environment. The District supports a healthy environment where children 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 children. Improved health optimizes student performance potential and ensures that no child is left behind.

Healthy eating is demonstrably linked to reduced risk for mortality and development of many chronic diseases as adults. To ensure the health and well being of all students, it is the policy of the Board of Education to:

      1.   Ensure that all children have access to adequate and healthy food choices on scheduled school days at reasonable prices.

      2.   Encourage and promote a healthy lifestyle for students by supporting the implementation of nutritionally adequate, educationally sound and financially accountable school food and nutrition programs.

      3.   Ensure the integrity of the school meals program by prohibiting food sales/parties for students, held during school hours, which are in direct conflict with the lunch and breakfast programs. The District operates under the National School Lunch, National School Breakfast and National After School Snack program regulations.

4.  Encourage the practice of good nutrition by discouraging the sale and/or free distribution of foods of minimal nutritional value, as defined in the federal regulations, during the school day. Encourage all staff to focus on the dietary guidelines for Americans and the Food Guide Pyramid.

      5.   Educate all students to possess the knowledge and skills necessary to make nutritious and enjoyable food choices for a lifetime. In addition, staff is encouraged to model healthy habits as a valuable part of student education.

      6.   Coordinate school food service with this policy to reinforce messages about healthy eating and to insure that foods offered promote good nutrition and contribute to the development of lifelong, healthy eating habits.

      7.   Provide school staff involved in nutrition education and in supporting a healthy school environment, with adequate pre-service and ongoing in-service training that focuses on strategies for behavioral change.

     8.   Involve family members and the community in supporting and reinforcing nutrition  education and the promotion of healthy eating and lifestyles.

      9.   Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of this policy in promoting healthy eating and change the program as appropriate to increase its effectiveness.

Child Wellness Advisory Committee (Child Nutrition and Physical Activity Advisory Council)

The Board shall establish a Wellness Advisory Committee (or Child Nutrition and Physical Activity Council or District Health Council) to develop school district policies on nutrition and physical activity for recommendation to and approval by the Board.

The members of the Committee shall include, but need not be limited to, board members, school administrators, food service directors, food service staff, other staff, parents/guardians, students, physical and health education teachers, dieticians, health care professionals and interested community members.

In developing such policies on nutrition and physical activity, the committee shall hold at least one public hearing and shall ensure that the policies address the issues contained in applicable state and federal statutes.

At the District level the following procedure shall be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the wellness policy:

·         A District-wide wellness committee shall be established for the purpose of monitoring the implementation of the District’s wellness policy and its nutrition and physical activity components; evaluating policy progress, serving as a resource to school sites and for recommending revisions of the policy, through the Superintendent or his/her designee, as determined necessary.

The membership of the committee shall include the District’s food services coordinator/manager, parent representatives, staff member representatives, student representatives, administrative representatives, Board of Education representative, District Medical Advisor.  The committee shall meet a minimum of two times yearly.

·         The policy shall be continually reviewed, at least annually, to determine if it is meeting current needs and is workable in promoting healthy eating and physical activity.

At the school level the implementation of the wellness policy will be evaluated as described below.

In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the school wellness program in promoting healthy eating and physical activity and implement program changes as necessary to increase the program’s effectiveness, the building Principal or his/her designee is responsible for ensuring:

1.     Board policy and this administrative regulation are implemented as written;

2.  All building, grade-level nutrition education curricula and materials are assessed for accuracy, completeness, balance and consistency with state and local district educational goals and standards;

3.  Nutrition education is provided throughout the student's school years as part of the District's age-appropriate, comprehensive nutrition program;

4. Teachers deliver nutrition education through age-appropriate, culturally relevant, participatory activities that include social learning strategies and activities;

5.  Teachers and school nutrition and food services personnel have undertaken joint project planning and action;

6.  Teachers have received curriculum-specific training; and

7. Families and community organizations are involved, to the extent practicable, in nutrition education.

(cf. 3542 – Food Service)

(cf. 3542.33 – Food Sales Other Than National School Lunch Program)

(cf. 3542.34 – Nutrition Program)

(cf. 3452.45 – Vending Machines)

(cf. 6142.6 – Physical Education)

(cf. 6142.61 – Physical Activity)

(cf. 6142.62 – Recess/Unstructured Time)

(cf. 6142.10 – Health Education)

Legal Reference:         Connecticut General Statutes

                                    10-16b Prescribed courses of study.

10‑215 Lunches, breakfasts and the feeding programs for public school children and employees.

10-221 Boards of education to prescribe rules, policies and procedures.

                                    10‑215a Non‑public school participation in feeding program.

                                    10‑215b Duties of state board of education re: feeding programs.

                                    10‑216 Payment of expenses.

                                    10-215b-1 State board of education regulation. Competitive foods

PA 04-224 An Act Concerning Childhood Nutrition in Schools, Recess, and Lunch Breaks

National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program; Competitive Foods. (7 CFR Parts 210 and 220, Federal Register, Vol. 45, No. 20, Tuesday, January 29, 1980, pp. 6758‑6772)

The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, Public Law 108-265

Policy adopted:  July 11, 2006