MONTEVIDEO PUBLIC SCHOOL POLICYCODE: 533

DATE: 1997

REVISED: 2009

REVISED: 2014

533WELLNESS POLICY

I. Purpose of Policy

The purpose of the Wellness Policy in the Montevideo Public Schools is to assure that students’ health, well-being, and ability to learn are supported and promoted with healthy eating, physical activity, and other wellness-based considerations while they are at school or school sponsored functions.

II. General Statement of Policy

  1. Authority to establish policy
  1. The Montevideo Board of Education recognizes that nutrition, nutrition education andphysical activity are essential components of the educational process, and that good health fosters student attendance and academic performance.
  1. The school district has created a wellness committee made up of students, parents, teachers, food and nutrition services staff, school board, school administrators, and other interested persons to develop and maintain the District’sWellness Policy.

B. Implementation and Monitoring

  1. The Superintendent of Schools or their designee shall be responsible for implementation of the wellness policy.
  1. A district wellness committee (refer to ITEM II-A-2 for membership) shall be appointed annually to meet a minimum of twice during the year to review the policy.
  1. An annual report of the school district’s compliance with the policy shall be given to the Board of Education by the Superintendent or their designee.

III. Nutrition: Education Goals

A. The school district will encourage and support healthy eating by students and engage in nutrition promotion that is:

1. Offered as part of a comprehensive program for all grade levels designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect their health.

2. Integrated into health education classes as well as classroom instruction in subjects such as math, science, language arts, social sciences and elective subjects, where appropriate.

3. Enjoyable, developmentally appropriate, culturally relevant, and includes participatory activities, such as contests, promotions, taste testings and field trips to include farms and gardens.

B. The staff involved in nutrition education will be adequately prepared and participate regularly in professional development activities to effectively deliver a current nutrition education program.

C. A Registered Dietician (R.D.) will assist withproviding nutrition education to the classroom and will be available by arrangement to review nutrition education information, upon requests.

D. The district will recognize the lunch period as an integral part of the educational program. Theschool cafeteria will serveas a “learning laboratory” to allow students to apply nutrition skills taught in the classroom.

E. Farm to School Programs, as identified in the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, will connect schools with local farms. The school district, to the extent possible, will buy and feature farm fresh foods.

F. The school district will provide information to families that encouragethem to teach their children about health, healthy lifestyles, nutrition and the importance of daily physical activity through the Healthy Family Newsletter, menus and the website.

IV. Nutrition: Overall Standards: Foods and Beverages Served/Sold During the School Day

  1. Food Service Breakfast Program

1. 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:

a. Schools will, to the extent possible, operate the School Breakfast Program; and

b. Schools will arrange bus schedules and utilize methods to serve school breakfasts that encourage participation. Schools will explore new service possibilities, and to the extent possible, implement options such as serving breakfast in the classroom, “grab-and-go” breakfast or breakfast during morning break or recess; and

c. Schools that serve breakfast to students will notify parents and students of the availability of the School Breakfast Program and explain program costs, rules, and time of service; and

d. Schools will encourage parents to provide healthy breakfast for their children through newsletter articles, take-home materials or other means.

B. Food Service Lunch Program

  1. All foods and beverages made available on campus (including vending, beverage contracts, and ala carte cafeteria items) will be consistent with the current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and current USDA regulations.
  1. Food and beverages offered over the course of a school week will be nutrient-dense, including whole grain products, fiber-rich fruits and vegetables to provide students a variety of choices to maintain a balanced diet.
  1. Foods and beverages available during the school day will include a variety of healthy choices that are of excellent quality, appealing to students, and served at the proper temperature. Milk beverages will be Skim and 1% at Breakfast. Skim, 1% and Chocolate Skim at Lunch.
  1. Foods and beverages available during the school day will minimize the use of trans and saturated fats, sodium and sugars as defined by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
  1. Elementary Schools: The Food and Nutrition Services Department will approve and provide all food and beverage sales to students in Elementary Schools. Given young children’s limited nutrition skills, food in Elementary Schools will be sold as balanced meals.
  1. Middle School and High School: At the Middle School and Senior High, all foods and beverages sold individually outside the reimbursable School Meals Programs (including those sold ala carte) during the school day will meet current USDA regulations for All Foods Served in School and will work towards increasing “whole foods” (whole grains, unprocessed foods or fresh produce) following nutrition and portion size standards.
  1. Portion Sizes: Food and beverages will be offered in modest, age-appropriate portion sizes for Elementary, Middle and High School students.
  1. If staff at all schools choose to have vending machines for staff use only, they do not have to comply with the vending standards, as long as they will be located in an area not accessible by or visible to students.
  1. Food and Nutrition Services personnel will take every reasonable measure to ensure that student access to foods and beverages meet or exceed all current federal, state and local guidelines.
  1. School sites should discourage students from sharing their foods and beverages with one another during meals or snack times, given concerns about allergies and other restrictions on some children’s diets.

C. After School Snacks

1. Foods and beverages provided by the school district to student groups after regular school hours (at activities such as Kid’s Korner, sports and other extra-curricular activities, dances, bus trips, etc.) shall meet thecurrent USDA guidelines.

2. When parents and/or students provide foods and beverages after regular school hours, the school district encourages, but does not require, that they meet the same standards as a la carte and vending. The coach, teacher or committee in charge of the activity may set requirements or limits for beverages and foods provided by parents and/or students during the activity.

D. Food In The Classroom

1. Serving food in the classroom during the school day is limited to one time per week, except for certain programs that require daily snacks. The foods and beverages served shall meet the standards “Foods and Beverages Served/Sold during the School Day” guidelines. The school district will provide teachers, parents, and students with a list of ideas for beverage and food items that meet the standards for good nutrition.

2. Water is allowed in the classroom unless otherwise posted. High School students may bring other beverages to class if approved by the classroom teacher and if the beverage meets the standards for“Foods and Beverages Served/Sold during the School Day” guidelines.

E. Field Trips

1. Field trips during the school day which include food and beverages shall be covered by the same policy as after school snacks. When planning a field trip that will occur during the scheduled lunch periods, the classroom teacher will, to the extent possible, collaborate with Food and Nutrition Services to provide families the option of receiving a meal from school. A form will be provided by Food and Nutrition Services and parents will be notified of this option.

F. Concessions at School Events

1. Any food or beverage which meets the standards for a la carte and vending may be sold at concessions during sports events, fund raisers such as the Band Carnival, or other extra curricular events such as plays, concerts etc.

  1. If commercially prepared meals or main-course entrees (pizza, sandwiches, etc) are sold they do not have to meet the nutritional standards for “Foods and Beverages Served/Sold during the School Day” guidelines.

3. If baked goods or other food items are provided by individuals to be sold for the purpose of fundraising, they do not have to meet the standards for“Foods and Beverages Served/Sold During the School Day” guidelines.

4. Healthy snack choices will be offered. Limited choices of candy, chips or other foods of minimal nutritional value (FMNV) as defined by USDA may be sold at concessions.

5. The district will promote the sale of non-carbonated beverages and other healthy beverages at concessions and fund raisers. Progress in this area will be reviewed annually by the wellness committee.

V. Nutrition: Other Actions/Guidelines

A. Food Service Staff Qualifications, Training & Responsibilities:

1. The Director of Food and Nutrition Services shall be responsible for the school district’s school meal programs, whose duties shall include the creation of nutrition guidelines and procedures for the selection of foods and beverages served in the cafeterias during the school day to ensure food and beverage choices are consistent with current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans; and

  1. Food and Nutrition Services programs will aim to be financially self-supporting. However, the program is an essential educational support activity. Budget neutrality or profit generation will not take precedence over the nutritional needs of students. Food and Nutrition Services willensure that all students have affordable access to the varied and nutritiousfoods they need; and
  1. The school district shall designate an appropriate person, whose duties shall include the creation of nutrition guidelines and procedures for the selection of foods and beverages made available on campus outside of the School Meals Program to ensure food and beverage choices are consistent with current USDA Dietary Gu8idelines for Americans; and
  1. As part of the school district’s responsibility to operate a food and nutrition service program, the school district will provide continuing professional development for all food and nutrition service personnel in schools. Staff development programs will include appropriate certification and/or training programs for the Director, Head Cooks, and Food and Nutrition Staff, according to their levels of responsibility; and
  1. The Director of Food and Nutrition Services shall be a member of the School Nutrition Association.
  1. The School District will provide healthy and safe School Meal Programs that comply with all federal, state, and local statutes and regulations.
  1. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plans and guidelines will be implemented to prevent food illnesses in schools.
  2. For the safety and security of the food and facility, access to the Food and Nutrition Services operations are limited to Food and Nutrition Staff and authorized personnel.
  1. Through the Shared Services arrangement with Willmar Public Schools, Food and Nutrition Services will provide nutrient analysis of all school meals and they will be available on the District’s website and on printed menus.

B. Eating Environment

The school district will provide enough seating for all students at all meal sites; maintain cafeteria areas that are conducive to a good eating environment; and continue to study ways to make these areas compatible to policy goals.

C. Free and Reduced 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 school meals. Food and nutrition services will utilize electronic identification and payment systems; provide breakfast mealsfor PreK – 4th grade students at no charge, regardless of income; promote theavailability of school meals to all students.

D. Time Allowed/Scheduling for Breakfast and Lunch

1. The district will provide students with at least 10 minutes to eat after sitting down forBreakfast and 15 minutes after sitting down for lunch; and

  1. Elementary schools and the Middle School will, whenever possible, schedule lunch periods to follow recess periods; and
  1. Schools will provide students access to hand washing or hand sanitizing before they eat meals or snacks and to free potable drinking water.

E. Student, Staff and Parent Involvement

Students, staff and parents will be afforded an opportunity to offer commentary on breakfast and lunch menus, ala carte items, and vending items. Possible opportunities to comment could include taste testing, writtensurveys, comment boxes and surveys on the school web site.

F. Food as a Reward; Food Restriction as a Punishment

1. Schools will not use foods or beverages as rewards for academic performance or good behavior (unless this practice is allowed by a student’s individual education plan, behavior intervention plan, or a 504 Individual Accommodation Plan); and

2. Schools will not withhold foods or beverages as a punishment.

VI. Physical Activity

A. Physical Education

  1. All students in grades K-10, will receive regular physical education (maintain the equivalent of 125 minutes/week) during the school year. Tenth grade requirements can be taken in any of the last three years. Physical activity opportunities are provided for Juniors and Seniors and for those students who are not in a school extracurricular or intramural physical activity. Students receiving DAPE services will receive the number of minutes of physical education which are specified in their IEP. Effort should be made to attain the national standard of 150 minutes/week for Elementary students and 225 minutes/week for Middle School and High school Students. Student involvement in other activities involving physical activity (ex. Interscholastic or intramural sports) will not be substituted for meeting the physical education requirement. Students should spend at least 50 percent of physical education class time participating in moderate to vigorous physical activity.
  1. All physical education classes will be taught by a certified physical education teacher.
  1. Student to teacher ratios at the Elementary, Middle School and High School shall remain similar to other academic areas.
  1. The physical education curriculum should be coordinated with the health education and FACS curriculum and reinforce the knowledge of self-management skills needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
  1. Students in physical education classes will learn, practice, and be assessed on developmentally appropriate motor skills, social skills, and knowledge.
  1. Opportunities for physical activity will be incorporated into other subject lessons where appropriate.
  1. Classroom teachers should provide short physical activity breaks between lessons or classes-as appropriate.

B. Recess Activities

  1. Montevideo Elementary school students in grades K-5 will have at least 20 minutes a day of supervised recess, preferably outdoors, during which schools should encourage moderate to vigorous physical activity verbally and through the provision of space and equipment.
  1. The Montevideo Schools will discourage extended periods (i.e., periods of two or more hours) of inactivity. When activities, such as mandatory school-wide testing, make it necessary for students to remain indoors for long periods of time, schools should give students periodic breaks during which they are encouraged to stand and be moderately active.
  1. Physical Activity and Punishment
  1. Teachers and other school and community personnel will not use physical activity (e.g., running laps, pushups) or withhold time in physical education classes as punishment.
  1. The school district will discourage tutoring, make-up work, club or organizational meetings or activities during physical education classes or recess.
  1. The use of recess time and physical activity is encouraged to improve classroom productivity. The withholding of recess from an individual or a group of students for a behavior that occurred outside of recess is strongly discouraged.

D.Extra-curricular Activities

  1. The Montevideo School District will offer a variety of extracurricular physical activity programs, interscholastic sports, and intramural programs for students of all ages. Programs and activities for students in grades K-6 and intramural sports shall be the responsibility of the Community Education Department, and interscholastic sports for students in grades 7-12 shall be the responsibility of the athletic department. (Refer to Community Education and Athletic Director, athletic policy book)
  1. Administrators, staff, and parents will encourage students at all grade levels to participate in extracurricular, intramural and recreational activities that involve physical activity.
  1. Scholarships shall be available to students who cannot afford the cost of extracurricular, intramural, and recreational activities. Cost should not discourage or prohibit the participation of any student.
  1. The Athletic Director and Community Education Director shall provide an annual report to the Board of Education on the participation of youth in physical activities, intramural programs, recreation programs, and interscholastic sports.
  1. Standards and qualifications of staff for intramural, recreation, and interscholastic sports activities shall be established by the Community Education Director and Athletic Director- as appropriate. (Refer to Athletic Policy book and Community Education policies.)
  1. Physical activity opportunities before and after school
  1. Montevideo School spaces and facilities shall be available to students, staff, and community members before, during, and after the school day, weekends, and during vacation periods for physical activity programs. These spaces and facilities also will be available to community organizations and agencies offering physical activity and nutrition programs. (According toestablished rental and facility use policies.)
  1. After school child care and enrichment programs will provide and encourage- verbally and through the provision of space, equipment, and activities – daily periods of moderate or vigorous physical activity for all participants.
  1. Playground staff training-emergency communication
  1. School District staff supervising students on school or city playground areas and equipment, should receive appropriate playground safety training from building administrators. Recommended training should include but not be limited to: First Aid and CPR/AED, safety standards-rules-regulations, discipline, and skills to organize simple games and activities for students.
  1. Playground supervisory staff shall have a method to communicate with the office staff at the facility at all times.
  1. Playground Safety of Environment and Equipment
  1. The safety of students utilizing all district playgrounds and equipment is of primary concern. School District Health and Safety personnel and facility maintenance staff shall regularly inspect playground equipment and the playground environment. Identified hazards shall be corrected in a timely manner.
  1. Preschool and Parent Involvement in Student Wellness

A. The Montevideo School District will include nutrition education and healthy lifestyle education into the curriculum of all pre-school programs (ECFE, Nursery School, School Readiness, etc) including all parent components of those programs.