Wellness Plan for Kingsport City Schools
The Kingsport City School system is committed to creating a healthy school environment that enhances the development of lifelong wellness practices to promote healthy eating and physical activities that support student achievement and success. Kingsport City Schools recognizes the link between nutrition, physical activity and learning. In order to promote overall wellness for students, and to comply with federal and state statutory and regulatory requirements, the plan below shall be followed by all schools in the system.
COMMITMENT TO NUTRITION
All schools shall offer school meal and snack programs that meet or exceed the patterns and nutrition standards established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and State Board of Education’s Minimum Nutrition Standards for Individual Food Items Sold or Offered for Sale to Pupils in Pre-K through Eight. The staff member(s) designated by the Director of Schools shall be responsible for overseeing the school district’s compliance with the State Board of Education Rules and Regulations for sale of food items in the school system and that this Wellness Plan is being fulfilled by all schools in the system.[1]
HEALTH AND NUTRITION EDUCATION
Nutrition education, a component of comprehensive health education, shall be offered every year to all students. Kingsport City Schools shall ensure:
§ Developmentally appropriate nutrition education that provides the knowledge, skills, and values needed to adopt healthy eating behaviors will be integrated into all areas of the curriculum when appropriate.
§ Students will be encouraged to make nutritious food choices and will have an awareness of the benefits of eating a variety of foods including fruits, vegetables and grains as well as foods low in sugar and fat.
§ Nutrition education will be made available to parents/guardians and the community. This nutrition education may be provided in the form of handouts or newsletters, bulletin board postings or banners, postings on the district website, community and student oriented presentations or other communications focused on promoting proper nutrition and healthy lifestyles.
In order to send consistent messages to students, parents/guardians and the community and to further support nutrition education efforts, Kingsport City Schools shall:
§ Encourage the use of non-food items when rewards are used. The system will provide information regarding alternatives to using food as a reward.
§ Encourage serving healthy foods for school or classroom events or celebrations when held during school hours. The system will provide information regarding healthy food choices.
§ When fundraising events are permitted, encourage healthy fundraisers as alternatives to fundraising that involves selling food items of limited nutritional value. The system will provide information regarding alternative fundraising ideas.
Healthy School Snacks
Schools are responsible for ensuring that foods provided or served to students are both healthy and safe. Therefore, when celebrations or activities occur during the school day, the use of non-homemade, pre-packaged, unopened items that contain both nutrition and ingredients labels is recommended.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Kingsport City Schools recognize that physical activity is vitally important to the overall health of a child. All schools shall integrate a minimum of ninety minutes of physical activity per week into the instructional day for all elementary and secondary school students.[2] Opportunities to engage in physical activity may include classroom energizers, walking or other forms of physical activities that promote fitness and well being.
In accordance with the State Board of Education’s Physical Education Policy, Kingsport City Schools shall offer developmentally appropriate physical education opportunities to all students every year that include components of a quality physical education program. Physical education shall equip students with the knowledge, skills and values necessary for lifelong physical activity. Moderate to vigorous physical activity shall be an integral part of physical education classes.
CURRICULUM
All applicable courses of study in health, nutrition, physical education and wellness should be based on Lifetime Wellness Curriculum Standards, the K–8 Healthful Living Curriculum Standards, and the K–12 Physical Education Curriculum Standards.[3]
OTHER SCHOOL-BASED ACTIVITES DESIGNED TO PROMOTE WELLNESS
Kingsport City Schools shall strive to create and maintain a healthy school environment in each school that promotes healthy eating, physical activity and well being. In order to create and maintain this environment, Kingsport City Schools recognizes the importance of the following:
§ All students shall have adequate time to enjoy healthy school meals in a safe and pleasant environment where good nutritional habits are encouraged.
§ Denying student participation in recess or other physical activities as a form of discipline is discouraged; furthermore, the use or implementation of physical activity as a form of discipline is discouraged.
§ Professional development and training opportunities shall be provided on an on-going basis for foodservice staff, teachers and other relevant personnel in the areas of nutrition, health and physical education.
§ Students can learn healthy lifestyle habits by observing the activity patterns of school personnel and other adults in the school environment. Therefore, all adults in the school environment are encouraged to be positive healthy lifestyle role models for students at all times.
§ Kingsport City Schools highly values the health and well-being of every staff member and is committed to providing opportunities for all staff members to improve their health status. These opportunities may include activities such as health assessments, health education and health-related fitness activities.
[1] Section 204 of Public Law 108-265; June 30,2004
Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004
[2] TCA 49-6-1021
[3] State Board of Education, Policy 4.206, Physical Activity, August 18, 2005