School Wellness Policy
DC Bilingual Public Charter School (DCBPCS) recognizes the importance of providing nutrition and physical activity opportunities from a young age because these play a vital role in keeping students’ bodies and minds ready to learn. Thus, DCBPCS is committed to creating a positive learning environment where students are able to develop healthy habits for the rest of their lives. DCBPCS believes that this education is essential in creating a healthy school environment for students, teachers, and parents to learn and grow. Specifically, DCBPCS strives to promote wellness by: serving students healthy and delicious breakfast, lunch, and snack foods; educating the entire school community about food and physical wellness; and providing engaging physical activity opportunity for all students.
School Nutrition
DCBPCS will provide a healthy environment to enjoy nutritious meals. Students will have an hour before the start of school for breakfast, 20 minutes per lunch meal, and 2 snack breaks throughout the day. DCBPCS will offer breakfast for free to all students through the School Breakfast Program and the Healthy Schools Act. The cost of lunch will be determined on a sliding scale in accordance with the National School Lunch Program. Parents/guardians will be notified if a child qualifies for free or reduced-price meals. At that time parents/guardians will decide if a child will participate in the school lunch program. Parents/guardians who choose not to participate in the school lunch program must send a nutritious lunch with their child that does not require heating or refrigeration. DCBPCS does not allow junk food at school. Please do not send junk foods, chips, soda, candy, or gum to school with children.
Breakfast, lunch, and snacks served to students will meet, at a minimum, nutrition requirements established by local, state, and federal statutes and regulations, including the School Breakfast Program, the National School Lunch Program, the Fresh Fruits & Vegetables Program, and the Healthy Schools Act. DCBPCS offers standard meals that we accommodate for vegetarians. Allergy restrictions will also be accommodated when accompanied by a doctor’s note. At enrollment and throughout the school year, parents should notify the school of all food allergies and dietary restrictions so that the necessary precautions can be taken. DCBPCS is a nut-free facility.
As part of our commitment to providing healthy food:
● All of our meals are prepared fresh and from scratch daily
● We serve a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables every day
● We use local products when possible
● We do not serve juices; children always have access to water
We only serve 1% and skim unflavored fluid milk
● We serve meals that are rich in whole grains
● We serve fish once a week
● Our lunch menu serves vegetarian lunches at least once a week; dried beans are served as a protein at least once a week
● Wedo not serve highly processed food, making our menus lower in sodium, fat and sugar
● Students in grades K - 5 have access to a salad bar
● We do not have vending machines, nor do we sell competitive foods
● We do not permit third parties to sell foods or beverages of any type to students on school property 90 minutes before the school day begins and 90 minutes after the school day ends
● Teachers and staff will not use food as a means of punishment or reward for students. Foods and beverages are not used as incentives or prizes nor are they advertised or marketed in school.
Nutrition Education
DCBPCS aims to encourage positive lifelong eating behaviors by actively promoting healthy food choices through nutrition education and positive nutrition messages, and by creating an environment that encourages healthy choices and participation in the school meal programs. Students receive consistent nutrition messages throughout the school from all teachers and staff. Teachers and staff are trained to model and encourage healthy eating choices.
DCBPCS will strive to teach, model, encourage and support healthy eating by students and will provide nutrition education and promotion that:
- Is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills to engage in healthy eating behaviors;
- Is part of not only health education classes, but is also integrated into other classroom instruction through subjects such as math, science, language arts, social science, and elective subjects;
- Includes engaging, developmentally-appropriate, and participatory activities such as cooking lessons, taste-testing, farm visits, and garden activities;
- Provides opportunities for students to learn and experience how fruits and vegetables grow through hands-on engagement growing fresh food in DCB’s outdoor classroom.
Wellness education is provided in science/health units in early elementary grades and through integrated thematic studies in PreK and kindergarten, for a minimum of 30 minutes per week.
Healthy Birthday Celebrations and Fundraisers
DCBPCS is committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for all of our students. We understand that celebrations are an important part of home and school life. We are happy to host birthday celebrations at school during the day. Each teacher can decide how to celebrate students’ birthdays in their classroom, but food will not be permitted during birthday celebrations. DC Bilingual will use only non-food fundraisers, and will encourage alternative fundraising activities.
Below are some ideas for Non-Food Celebrations and Fundraisers recommended by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation:
Non-Food Celebration:
● Games or crafts – ask parents to bring supplies for a game or craft project
● Let’s trade! Ask parents to bring small items to trade, such as pencils, stickers or erasers
● Dance party
● Extra recess or play time
● Special book – Guest readers
● Activity time
● Overnight stuffed animal or item from class or program
Alternative Fundraising ideas:
● Walk-, Run-, Bike-, Dance-, Skate-A-Thons!
● A dance
● Skating rink events
● Jump rope or hula hoop competition
● Team sport tournament (encourage youth and families to join) - Softball, kickball or volleyball
Physical Activity and Education
DCBPCS will provide students with opportunities to be physically active every day. Our students’ physical activity will be provided through a comprehensive physical activity program that includes these components: physical education, recess, classroom-based physical activity, and out-of-school time activities. DCBPCS participates in Let’s Move! Active Schools to successfully address all areas of a comprehensive physical activity program. Teachers and staff will model healthy physical activity habits by being physically active alongside students whenever possible.
DCBPCS will provide students with physical education that is consistent with national standards. The physical education curriculum will be age-appropriate and sequential. The physical education policy will be regularly updated to fit the needs of our student population and the continually evolving physical education field.It is the goal of DCBPCS to offer the best opportunities in physical education to all students in Pre-K through grade 5, teaching them the skills and knowledge needed to sustain a healthy and active lifestyle. Our goal is that students engage in physical activity for at least 60 minutes each day.
● Instructional periods of physical education total a minimum of 150 minutes per week and are required for all students Kindergarten through Grade 5
● At least 50% of physical education class time is devoted to actual physical activity;
● Teachers and staff of DCBPCS do not use physical activity (including but not limited to recess, physical activity breaks, or physical education) as a means of punishment for students, neither increasing activity or taking away physical education time
● Physical Education teachers and coaches will develop and implement a physical education curriculum that connects the relationship between physical activity, health and nutrition
● Students will also be given opportunities for physical activity through a range of out-of-school time programs
● All students, regardless of disability or injuries, are included in physical education classes. Appropriate alternative activities will be provided for students if requested by their parent/guardian or if observed by a member of the physical education staff.
● During periods of inclement weather conditions or air pollution, physical activity will be limited by the amount of time or type of exercises
● During Physical Education periods, students and staff must wear closed toe shoes for safety purposes. This will be strongly enforced by PE teachers and coaches.
Wellness Committee
DCBPCS will convene a representative Wellness Committee that meets at least 4 times per year to establish goals for and oversee school health and safety policies and programs, including development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the school wellness policy. The Wellness Committee will revise the plan annually to ensure that it is meeting its goals. The DCBPCS Wellness Committee will strive to include representation from administrators, counselors, teachers, physical and special education departments and parents
To meet these needs and support the general wellness efforts:
● The Wellness Committee, will try to plan trainings for parents on topics including Nutrition and Healthy Families, as well as free or low-cost fitness classes for parents and community members.
● The Wellness Committee will organize an annual wellness competition, where staff members participate and compete in different wellness activities.
● The Wellness Committee will strive to organize a variety of brown-bag seminars and luncheons related to health promotion and disease prevention.
● The Wellness Committee will lead Wellness Wednesdays- a school-wide brain break activity that promotes wellness as a weekly tradition- at 3pm. Brain breaks will last no more than 1-minute, be adjusted for various age and skill levels, and will involve either a physical or mental exercise such as push-ups, sit-ups, planks, and more.
Community Involvement and Outreach
DCBPCS is committed to being responsive to community input, which begins with keeping our community informed of the wellness policy. DCBPCS will actively communicate the wellness policy and wellness initiatives and programs available to our students, staff and families. DCBPCS will use electronic mechanisms, such as email and the DCBPCS website, as well as non-electronic mechanisms, such as newsletters, presentations to families, and sending information home to families, to ensure that all families are aware of the content of the wellness policy, and wellness activities and initiatives.
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