Date of Most Recent Revision:

Wellness Policy Rationale Examples:

[Implementing strategies that help students stay healthy through eating healthy foods and being physically active can result in decreased rates of student absenteeism, fewer behavioral problems, and higher school-wide test scores and grades.]

[Schools can influence eating and physical activity behaviors, as students spend much of their time at school, and may eat as many as 2 out of 3 meals per dayand may get much of their physical activity at school.]

[Healthy students are better on all levels of academic achievement: academic performance, education behavior, and cognitive skills and attitudes.]

[Lack of adequate consumption of specific foods, such as fruits, vegetables, or dairy products, is associated with lower grades among students.]

[Student participation in the School Breakfast Program is associated with increased academic grades and standardized test scores, reduced absenteeism, and improved cognitive performance (e.g., memory).]

[A lack of adequate consumption of specific foods, such as fruits, vegetables, or dairy products, is associated with lower grades among students.]

[Students who are physically active tend to have better grades, school attendance, memory, and classroom behaviors.]

[More participation in physical education class has been associated with better grades,standardized test scores, and classroom behavior (e.g., on-task behavior) among students.]

[Time spent in recess has been shown to positively affect students’ cognitive performance (e.g., attention, concentration) and classroom behaviors.]

[Brief classroom physical activity breaks (i.e., 5-10 minutes) are associated with improved attention, concentration, classroom behavior, and educational outcomes]

Resource for examples above: Health and Academic Achievement

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014

In order to implement this LocalWellness Policy, the Wellness Committee has established goals/guidance around the following topics:

  1. Nutrition Education
  2. Nutrition Promotion
  3. Marketing of Foods in Schools
  4. Foods Sold to Students During the School Day
  5. Foods Provided, but Not Sold to Students During the School Day
  6. Physical Activity
  7. Other School-Based Wellness Activities
  8. Wellness Policy Leadership/Accountability
  9. Wellness Committee Representation
  10. Notification of the Public
  11. Assessment of Wellness Policy Implementation

* The “school day” is from 12:00 AM until 30 minutes after school is dismissed.

1. Nutrition Education

At least one measurable goal is required. Below are just some examples of measurable goals, but your school or entity may choose other measurable goals.

[Schools will provide nutrition education that helps students develop lifelong healthy eating behaviors. Below (is/are) the goal(s) for addressing nutrition education:]

  • [Nutrition education are not only a part of health education classes, but are also integrated into other classroom instruction through subjects such as math, science, language arts, social science, and elective subjects]
  • [Includes enjoyable and developmentally-appropriate, culturally relevant, and participatory activities, such as cooking demonstrations or lessons, promotions, taste-testing, farm visits, and school gardens]
  • [Media literacy will be taught with an emphasis on food and beverage marketing]
  • [The District teaches students nutrition education using scientificallybased, up to date nutrition information consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The District will include in the health education curriculum the following essential topics on healthy eating:
  • Food guidance from MyPlate
  • Reading and using USDA's food labels
  • Balancing food intake and physical activity
  • Food safety
  • Social influences on healthy eating, including media, family, peers,and culture
  • How to find valid information or services related to nutrition and dietary behavior
  • Resisting peer pressure related to unhealthy dietary behavior]
  • [insert any other identified measurable goals]

2. Nutrition Promotion

At least one measurable goal is required. Below are just some examples of measurable goals, but your school or entity may choose other measurable goals.

[Schools and school staff will help students develop lifelong healthy eating behaviors by promoting healthy food items and modeling healthy choices. Below (is/are) the goal(s) for addressing nutrition promotion:]

  • [Promote fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, and low-fat/fat-free dairy products]
  • [Support breakfast at school by implementing a “grab and go” breakfast program so students can take breakfast with them to their first period class]
  • [Work with health education teacher(s), physical education teacher(s) school nutrition director, and school nutrition program staff to promote healthy foods in the cafeteria and throughout the school]
  • [Utilize the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Team Nutrition resources to gather additional ideas for nutrition promotion]
  • [Wellness Committee will promote cafeteria nutrition activities, school gardening activities, Farm to School programs, and any other school nutrition activities to parents/guardians, school staff, and the community]
  • [Implement evidence-based healthy food promotion techniques through the school meals programs using Smarter Lunchroom techniques]
  • [Nutrition information for all school meals will be posted on the school’s website on the school nutrition page]
  • [Insert other identified goals]

3. Marketing of Foods in Schools

The standard below is required

[If schools choose to allow marketing of foods and/or beverages, only foods and beverages that meet or exceed the USDA’s Smart Snacks standards may be promoted.]

Additional information for local school wellness committees about food and beverage marketing in schools:

Examples of marketing opportunities include vending machine exteriors, athletic scoreboards, school equipment, sponsorship of school events, scholarships,ads in school papers or in yearbooks, signage and posters. The USDA does NOT require schools to immediately replace durable equipment that does not meet the Smart Snack standards (such as school signs, scoreboards or athletic uniforms), but when it is time to replace this equipment the marketing standards must be taken into account.

4. Foods Sold to Students during the School Day

The standards below are required to be included in the wellness policy

Foods and beverages provided by the school meals programs will meet or exceed the USDA’s nutrition standards for school meals.

All foodand beverages sold to students during the school daywill meet or exceed the USDA’s Smart Snacks standards. A guide to Smart Snacks standards in schools can be found at:

[Examples of food and beverages sold to students during the school day include the school breakfast and school lunch programs, a la carte items, foods and beverages sold in school stores, vending machines, or as a part of any fundraising activity held during the school day.]

5. Foods provided but not sold to Students during the School Day

The school/school district/SAU is required to select a standard for foods and beverages provided, but not sold to students during the school day. Below are some examples of standards, but your school or entity may decide to choose a different standard.

[All foods and beverages provided, but not sold to students during the school day, such as foods provided during classroom celebrations, are required to meet USDA’s Smart Snack Standards]

[Parents and teachers will be provided with a list of foods and beverages that meet the nutrition standards for classroom snacks and celebrations]

[Any celebrations that involve food and beverages should be limited and should meet USDA’s Smart Snacks guidelines]

[Food is not to be used as a reward or taken away as a punishment]

6. Physical Activity

At least one measurable goal is required. Below are some examples of measurable goals, but your school or entity may choose other measurable goals.

[Schools will provide students with age-appropriate opportunities to engage in physical activity that allows for each individual student’s ability level. Goals for physical activity in schools include:]

  • [More than 50% of physical education class time must be spent being active]
  • [School staff will not withhold physical activity or physical education time as punishment]
  • [Classroom teachers will provide at least one 3-5 minute activity break for students per day, particularly during block scheduling periods that last more than 50 minutes]
  • [All students in grades K-8 will receive at least one period of recess per day that is no less than 20 minutes long]
  • [Insert other identified measurable goals]

7. Other School-Based Activities that Promote Student Wellness

At least one measurable goal is required. Below are some examples of measurable goals, but your school or entity may choose other measurable goals.

[Schools will support student, staff, and parents/guardians efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle, as appropriate. Below are the goals that address other school-based activities that promote wellness]

  • [School nutrition director will provide up to four taste-testing events of new school meal items in the cafeteria during meal times and ask students for their feedback on the new items]
  • [Fundraising efforts will only include activities that encourage physical activity (such as a community Fun Run/Walk event]
  • [Students will have at least 10 minutes to eat after getting their food and sitting down for breakfast and 20 minutes after getting their food and sitting down for lunch
  • [Insert other identified measurable goals]

8. Wellness Policy Leadership/Accountability

The title of the person responsible for implementation at each school is required. The person’s name is NOT required.

[Each school’s principal will be responsible for ensuring each school properly implements this local wellness policy and has the authority and responsibility to ensure each school is in compliance with the policy]

9. Wellness Committee Representation

Information below on how parents, students, school food/nutrition representatives, PE teacher, school health professionals, school board members, school administrators, and members of the general public are allowed to participate in the local wellness policy process is required below.

[If members of the public are interested in becoming members of the Wellness Committee or have feedback on the local wellness policy they are encouraged to contact one of our school principal’s or contact the Superintendent’s Office at]

[Each school principal is responsible for reaching out to his or her staff members at the beginning of each school year, in order to invite those and other staff to become a part of the Wellness Committee or to provide feedback on the content of the local wellness policy]

10. Notification of the Public

Information on how the public will be informed and where they can access the local wellness policy and the triennial policy assessment is required each year. Below are some examples,

[At the start of each school year, a group {email/text message/automated phone call} will be sent out and a handout will be sent to parents and guardians on where the most recent local wellness policy and assessment can be found]

[At the start of each school year, a flyerwill be sent home to parents and guardians that includes the most recent version of the local wellness policy]

[The most recent version of the local wellness policy and any local wellness policy assessments will be posted on the District website and each individual school’s website on a wellness page.]

[Hard copies of the local wellness policy will be posted at a visible location near each school’s entrance and copies will be available for the public in each school’s main office from any of the school’s receptionists.]

11. Assessment of Wellness Policy Implementation

Information on the triennial assessment of the local wellness policy is required below. The assessment must include the following:

  1. School compliance with the local wellness policy
  2. How the local wellness policy compares to model wellness policies
  3. Progress made in attaining the goals of the wellness policy

[The superintendent or superintendent’s designee shall implement and ensure compliance with the policy by:

  • Reviewing the policy at least every three years and recommending updates as appropriate for board approval;
  • Implementing a process for permitting parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, teachers of physical education, school health professionals, the school board, administrators and the public to participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the policy;
  • Making the policy and updated assessment of the implementation available to the public (e.g., posting on the website, newsletters, etc). This information shall include the extent to which the schools are in compliance with policy and a description of the progress being made in attaining the goals of the policy; and
  • Developing administrative regulations, which shall include specific wellness goals and indicators for measurement of progress consistent with law and district policy.]

Prepared by NH School Wellness State Agency Committee: Debbie Luppold, Robin Peters (UNH Cooperative Extension); Cheri White, Nancy Bradford-Sisson, Tami Drake (NH DOE) and Scot Foster July 2017

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

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