The Decorah Community School District promotes healthy students by supporting wellness, good nutrition and regular physical activity as a part of the total learning environment. The school district supports a healthy environment where students learn and participate in positive dietary and lifestyle practices. By facilitating learning through the support and promotion of good nutrition and physical activity, we contribute to the basic health status of students. Improved health optimizes student performance potential.
The school district provides a comprehensive learning environment for developing and practicing lifelong wellness behaviors. The entire school environment, not just the classroom, shall be aligned with healthy school district goals to positively influence a student's understanding, beliefs and habits as they relate to good nutrition and regular physical activity.
The school district supports and promotes proper dietary habits contributing to students' health status and academic performance. All foods and beverages available on school grounds and at school-sponsored activities during the instructional day should meet or exceed the school district nutrition standards and be in compliance with applicable state and federal laws. Foods should be served with consideration toward nutritional integrity, variety, appeal, taste, safety and packaging to ensure high-quality meals.
The school district will make every effort to eliminate any social stigma attached to, and prevent the overt identification of, students who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals. Toward this end, the school district may utilize electronic identification and payment systems; provide an alternate meal at no charge to any child who requests it; promote the availability of meals to all students; and/or use nontraditional methods for serving meals, such as "grab-and-go" or classroom breakfast.
Parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, the school board, school administrators, community members and the general public, physical education teachers, and school health professionals may participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of this policy. The school district will maintain a local school wellness team comprised of such individuals. The local wellness team will develop a plan to implement this wellness policy and periodically review and update the policy. The team will designate an individual to chair the team and help with the implementation and evaluation of the policy. The team will report annually to the board and community regarding the content and effectiveness of this policy and recommend updates if needed. When monitoring implementation, school buildings will be evaluated individually with reports prepared for each building and the school district as a whole for review by the school board. The wellness team will designate building advisors to make sure buildings are in compliance with this wellness policy.
Specific wellness goals will be evaluated on a yearly basis by the wellness team, with review and oversight provided by the school board. Specific goals for nutrition education and promotion and procurement, physical activity, and other school-based activities that are designed to promote student wellness are set forth in Appendices A, B, and C, respectively. School food nutrition guidelines are set forth in Appendix D. The board will monitor and evaluate this policy as set forth in Appendix E.
The school district will be responsible to ensure that the public, including parents, students, and others in the community, are informed and updated about the content and implementation of this policy.
Date of Last Review: October 14, 2019
Date of Revision: October 14, 2019
DECORAH COMMUNITY SCHOOL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Code No. 507.11
Appendix A
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Nutrition Education, Promotion and Procurement
The school district will provide nutrition education and engage in the procurement of foods that uphold the nutrition guidelines of food as presented in Appendix D and applicable state and federal laws, and to the greatest extent possible provide local, fresh and healthy foods. Nutrition education and procurement will support the values of local food being good for our health, our environment, our community and our economy.
Nutrition Education and Promotion:
Food Procurement:
Code No. 507.11
Appendix A
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Code No. 507.11
Appendix B
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Physical Activity
The school district will provide physical education that:
Elementary schools should provide wellness time for students that:
For students to receive the nationally recommended amount of daily physical activity and for students to fully embrace regular physical activity as a personal behavior, students need opportunities for physical activity beyond the physical education class. Toward that end, the school district will:
Code No. 507.11
Appendix B
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Employees should not use physical activity (e.g., running laps, pushups) or withhold opportunities for physical activity (e.g., wellness time, physical education) as punishment during the school day.
Except as otherwise provided by law, physically able students in grades kindergarten through 5 shall engage in physical activity for a minimum of 30 minutes each school day, and physically able students in grades 6 through 12 shall engage in physical activity for a minimum of 120 minutes per week in which there are at least 5 days of school. This requirement may be met by physical education classes, activities at recess or during class time, and before- or after school activities.
Code No. 507.11
Appendix C
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Other School-Based Activities that Promote Student Wellness
The school district will support parents’ efforts to provide a healthy diet and daily physical activity for their children. The school district will:
School-based marketing will be consistent with nutrition education and health promotion. The school district will:
Code No. 507.11
Appendix D
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Nutrition Guidelines for All Foods Available on Campus
The nutrition guidelines for all foods available will focus on compliance with applicable federal and state laws and school district nutrition standards, and promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity
Meals served through the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs will:
School will:
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, schools will:
Code No. 507.11
Appendix D
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The school district:
Qualified nutrition professionals will administer the meal programs. As part of the school district's responsibility to operate a food service program, the school district will:
Code No. 507.11
Appendix D
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Foods Sold Outside the Meal (e.g. vending, a la carte, sales)
All foods and beverages sold individually outside the reimbursable meal programs (including those sold through a la carte [snack] lines, vending machines, and student stores or regulated fundraising activities) on school grounds during the school day or through programs for students after the school day will meet or exceed the school district nutrition standards and be in compliance with applicable state and federal laws.
Parents are strongly encouraged to purchase a school lunch when eating with their child or pack a homemade meal.
Regulated fundraising activities on school grounds during the school day must comply with the school district nutrition standards and be in compliance with applicable state and federal laws. The school district encourages fundraising activities that promote physical activity. The school district will make available a list of ideas for acceptable fundraising activities.
Snacks served during the school day or in after-school care or enrichment programs will make a positive contribution to children's diets and health, with an emphasis on serving fruits and vegetables as the primary snacks and water as the primary beverage. Schools will assess if and when to offer snacks based on timing of meals, children's nutritional needs, children's ages and other considerations. The school district will disseminate a list of healthful snack items to teachers, after-school program personnel and parents that meet the applicable nutrition content standards.
If eligible, schools that provide snacks through after-school programs will pursue receiving reimbursements through the National School Lunch Program.
The school district will not use foods or beverages, especially those that do not meet the nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold individually, as rewards for academic performance or good behavior, and will not withhold food or beverages (including food served through meals) as a punishment.
Schools should evaluate their celebrations practices that involve food during the school day. The school district will disseminate a list of healthy party ideas to parents and teachers.
Code No. 507.11
Appendix D
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Foods and beverages offered or sold on school grounds at school-sponsored events outside the school day are encouraged to meet the nutrition standards for meals or for foods and beverages sold individually following the applicable nutrition content standards.
All foods made available on campus must adhere to food safety and security guidelines.
All foods made available on campus must comply with the state and local food safety and sanitation regulations. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plans and guidelines are implemented to prevent food illness in schools.
Code No. 507.11
Appendix E
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Plan for Measuring Implementation
Monitoring
When monitoring implementation, school buildings will be evaluated individually with reports prepared for each building and the school district as a whole for review by the school board. The superintendent will ensure compliance with established school district-wide nutrition and physical activity wellness policies.
In each school:
the principal will ensure compliance with those policies in the school and will report on the school's compliance to the superintendent; and,
food service staff, at the school or school district level, will ensure compliance with nutrition policies within food service areas and will report on this matter to the superintendent or principal.
In the school district:
the school district will report on the most recent USDA School Meals Initiative (SMI) review findings and any resulting changes. If the school district has not received a SMI review from the state agency within the past five years, the school district will request from the state agency that a SMI review be scheduled as soon as possible;
the superintendent will develop a summary report every three years on school district-wide compliance with the school district's established nutrition and physical activity wellness policies, based on input from schools within the school district; and,
the report will be provided to the school board and also distributed to all school wellness committees, parent/teacher organizations, principals and health services personnel in the school district.
Specific wellness goals will be evaluated on a yearly basis by the wellness team. The team will report annually to the board and community regarding the content and effectiveness of the wellness policy and recommend updates if needed.
Policy Review
To help with the initial development of the school district's wellness policies, each school in the school district will conduct a baseline assessment of the school's existing nutrition and physical activity environments and practices. The results of those school-by-school assessments will be compiled at the school district level to identify and prioritize needs.
The school district will periodically measure and make available to the public an assessment on the implementation of the school district's wellness policy, including the extent to which schools in the
Code No. 507.11
Appendix E
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District are in compliance with the policy, the extent to which the policy compares to model local school wellness policies, and the progress made in attaining the goals of the policy.
Assessments will be repeated at least every 3 years to help review policy compliance, assess progress and determine areas in need of improvement. As part of that review, the school district will review the nutrition and physical activity policies and practices and the provision of an environment that supports healthy eating and physical activity. The school district will revise the wellness policies and develop work plans to facilitate their implementation.
Appendix E
PLAN FOR MEASURING IMPLEMENTATION
Monitoring
When monitoring implementation, school buildings will be evaluated individually with reports prepared for each building and the School District as a whole for review by the School Board. The superintendent will ensure compliance with established school district-wide nutrition and physical activity wellness policies.
In each school:
the principal will ensure compliance with those policies in the school and will report on the school’s compliance to the superintendent; and,
food service staff, at the school or School District level, will ensure compliance with nutrition policies within food service areas and will report on this matter to the superintendent or principal.
In the School District:
the superintendent will develop a summary report every three (3) years on school district-wide compliance with the School District’s established nutrition and physical activity wellness policies, based on input from schools within the School District; and,
the report will be provided to the School Board and also distributed to all school wellness committees, parent/teacher organizations, principals and health services personnel in the School District.
Specific wellness goals will be evaluated on a yearly basis by the wellness team. The team will report annually to the board and community regarding the content and effectiveness of the wellness policy and recommend updates if needed.
Policy Review
To help with the initial development of the School District’s wellness policies, each school in the School District will conduct a baseline assessment of the school’s existing nutrition and physical activity environments and practices. The results of those school-by-school assessments will be compiled at the School District level to identify and prioritize needs.
The School District will periodically measure and make available to the public an assessment on the implementation of the School District’s wellness policy, including the extent to which schools in the District are in compliance with the policy, the extent to which the policy compares to model local school wellness policies, and the program made in attaining the goals of the policy.
Assessments will be repeated at least every three (3) years to help review policy compliance, assess progress and determine areas in need of improvement. As part of that review, the School District will review the nutrition and physical activity policies and practices and the provision of an environment that supports health eating and physical activity. The School District will revise the wellness policies and develop work plans to facilitate their implementation.
Date of Review: January 15, 2018
Date of Revision: August 13, 2018
DECORAH COMMUNITY SCHOOL BOARD OF DIRECTORS