Unified School District 209

School Wellness Policy and Plan

School Year 2024-2025

USD 209 is committed to providing school environments that promote and protect children’s health, well-being and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating and physical activity.

 

The Board of Education shall promote and monitor a local wellness program.  The program shall:

  • Include goals for nutrition education, physical activity and other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness in a manner that the board determines is appropriate; 

  • Include nutritional guidelines for all foods available in school during the school day; the objectives of the guidelines shall be to promote student health and to reduce childhood obesity;

  • Assure that guidelines for reimbursable school meals shall not be less restrictive than regulations and guidelines issued by the Secretary of Agriculture;

  • Designate one or more district employees who shall be charged with operational responsibility to ensuring wellness policy is effectively enforced; and 

  • Involve parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, the school board, administrators and the public in the development of the school wellness policy.

 

Policy Approved:  10/24/2024

 

To achieve these policy goals:

I.School Health Councils

 

USD 209 will work within existing health councils to implement, monitor, review and, as necessary, revise school nutrition and physical education activities.

 

USD 209 will involve the local Site Council to review the local Wellness Policy annually to assess whether the policy is being implemented and to make recommendations for change.  Representatives on the Site Council should include a food service employee, physical education instructor, healthcare professional or someone familiar with the recent guidelines issued by the USDA.

 

 

 

 

  1. Nutritional Quality of Foods and Beverages Sold and Served on Campus

 

Meals served through the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs will:

·       Meet, at a minimum, nutrition requirements established by local, state and federal statutes and regulations;

·       Offer a variety of fruits and vegetables;

·       Serve only 1% fat-free milk and nutritionally equivalent non-dairy alternatives (to be determined by the USDA); and

·       At least 80% of all grains offered over the course of a week is whole-grain rich.

 

            The implementation of these guidelines is the sole responsibility of the food services

director under the supervision of the food service representative.  Occasionally the food 

services director will offer opportunities for student and staff to taste new entrees to

identify new, healthful and appealing food choices.

 

Breakfast

 

To ensure that all children have breakfast, either at home or at school, in order to meet

their nutritional needs and enhance their ability to learn:

·       USD 209 will operate the School Breakfast program in conjunction with the bus schedules in order to give every student the opportunity to take part in the program.

·       The School Breakfast program menus will be advertised through the school year on the school website.

 

            Free and Reduced-Priced Meals

 

            USD 209 will encourage families to take part in the free and reduced-priced meal

Program.  Every effort will be made by the district to maintain the confidentiality of those

who are eligible for free and reduced-priced meals.

 

Sack Lunches Sent From Home

 

USD 209 reserves the right to screen lunches sent from home to make sure the lunch is a

healthy lunch that supports our wellness policy.  Items definitely not allowed in sack

lunches include soda pop and candy.  The school will provide a list to parents of

unacceptable products allowed in meals from home.

 

 

 

 

 

Meal Times and Scheduling

 

USD 209:

·       Will provide students with a minimum of 20 minutes , and no more than 25 minutes to eat after sitting down for lunch.  Breakfast shall be scheduled in such a manner that students may eat without being late to class;

·       Should schedule meal periods at appropriate time - for example, lunch should be served between 11:20 am and 12:30 pm;

·       Should not schedule activities, organizational/class meetings during meal times, unless students may eat during such activities;

·       Will provide access to and encourage students to hand washing or sanitizing before they eat meals or snacks;

·       Should take reasonable steps to accommodate students who have special food needs (due to food allergies or special diet) and other special needs such as oral dental care.

 

            Qualification of School Food Service Staff

 

            Qualified nutrition professionals will administer the school meal programs.  As part of

USD 209’s responsibility to operate a food service program, continuing education

opportunities shall be provided for all nutrition professionals in the school.  The staff

shall take part in the programs sponsored by the State of Kansas as part of their

continuing education program.

 

There will be no food and/or beverages sold individually outside the reimbursable school

meals.  The only vending machine on the USD 209 campus that sells food and/or drink

items is in the grade school teacher’s workroom and students are not allowed access to it.

 

Fundraisers

 

To support children’s health and nutrition-education efforts, USD 209 will encourage

fundraising activities that do not involve food sales.

 

Any food products sold for fundraising that do not meet the USDA nutrition and portion

size guidelines will be delivered only after school hours.  School hours are identified as

the time between 12:01 am until 30 minutes after the school day ends.


Snacks

 

Snacks served during the school day, used as reward/reinforcement incentives or served

during the after school program or other enrichment programs (including summer school)

shall make a positive contribution to the child’s diet and health.  Emphasis will be on

healthy snacks and drinks and must be considered in relationship to the time of breakfast

and lunch for the student.

  1. Nutrition and Physical Activity Promotion

 

Nutrition Education Promotion.  USD 209 aims to teach, encourage and support healthy eating by students.  USD 209 will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that:

·       Is offered at each grade level as part of a sequential, comprehensive, standards-based program designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide and protect their health;

·       Is part of health education classes and classroom instruction in subjects such as math, science, language arts, social sciences, and elective subjects;

·       Includes enjoyable, developmentally-appropriate, culturally-relevant, participatory activities, such as contests, taste-testing, farm visits and other activities promoting a healthy lifestyle;

·       Promotes fruit, vegetables, whole grain products and fat-free dairy products, healthy food preparation methods, and health-enhancing nutrition practices;

·       Emphasizes caloric balance between food intake and energy expenditure (physical activity/exercise);

·       Includes training for teachers and other staff

·       Integrating Physical Activity in the Classroom Setting:  We encourage teachers to help students receive the nationally-recommended amount of daily physical activity (i.e. at least 60 minutes per day) and for students to fully embrace regular physical activity as a personal behavior.  USD 209 will:

·       Compliment physical education through classroom health education programs by reinforcing the knowledge and self-management skills needed to maintain a physically active lifestyle and to reduce time spent on sedentary activities, such as watching TV and playing video games;

·       Encourage opportunities for physical activity to be incorporated into other subject lessons; and provide short physical activity breaks between classes.

 

            Communication with Parents:  USD 209 will support parents’ effort to provide a healthy

lifestyle for their children.  USD 209 will provide information to help parents understand the role the school is playing in the health of their child.  USD 209 will provide information to help parents better understand what a healthy lifestyle is in regard to diet and daily physical activity.  A copy of the district’s policy will be made available to interested parents.

  1. Physical Activity and Physical Education

 

Daily Physical Education (PE) K-12:  USD 209 will implement a daily PE program for ALL students (K-5 and select jr./sr. High school grades), including students with disabilities, special health-care needs, allowing students the opportunity to have PE (or its equivalent of 125 minutes/week for elementary students and 225 minutes/week for jr./sr. High school students) for the entire year.  This amounts to an average of 25 minutes per day for elementary and 45 minutes a day for secondary students.

 

Students will spend at least 50% of the time in PE class participating in moderate to vigorous physical activity.

 

Daily Recess:  All Moscow Elementary students will have at least 30 minutes a day of supervised recess, preferably outdoors, during which the supervising staff will encourage moderate to vigorous physical activity for the students.

 

Use of School Facilities Outside of School Hours:  USD 209 will work closely with the Moscow Recreation Commission to determine the best of the school facilities outside the regular school hours to promote a healthy and physically fit lifestyle.  All use of the facilities must be approved by the building administrator and must follow the local Board of Education guidelines.

  1. Monitoring and Policy Review

 

Monitoring:  The superintendent of USD 209 or designee will ensure compliance with the established nutrition and physical activity wellness policies.  In each building, the building principal or designee will ensure compliance with those policies in their school and will report on the building’s compliance to the superintendent of the schools or designee.

 

School food services staff will ensure compliance with nutrition policies and will report on this matter to the superintendent or designee.  This includes pertinent information including reporting on all inspections and changes in guidelines from the Federal Food Program.  The food service director will provide upon request a list of all nutritional values of the food that is prepared and served.

 

The Wellness Policy will be reviewed every three years by the superintendent or designee to ensure compliance, assess progress and determine areas in need of improvement.  A report will be given to the Board of Education and Site Council after the review.