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Policies

8510 - WELLNESS

 

As required by law, the Board of Education establishes the following wellness policy for the Oxford Community School District.

 

The Board recognizes that good nutrition and regular physical activity affect the health and well-being of the District's students. Furthermore, research concludes that there is a positive correlation between a student's health and well-being and his/her ability to learn. Moreover, schools can play an important role in the developmental process by which students establish their health and nutrition habits by providing nutritious meals and snacks through the schools' meal programs, by supporting the development of good eating habits, and by promoting increased physical activity both in and out of school.

 

The Board, however, believes this effort to support the students' development of healthy behaviors and habits with regard to eating and exercise cannot be accomplished by the schools alone. It will be necessary for not only the staff, but also parents and the public at large to be involved in a community-wide effort to promote, support, and model such healthy behaviors and habits.

 

The Board sets the following goals in an effort to enable students to establish good health and nutrition habits:

 

  1. With regard to nutrition education, the District shall:
     
    1. Nutrition education shall be included in the Health curriculum so that instruction is sequential and standards-based and provides students with the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to lead healthy lives.
       
    2. Nutrition education posters, such as the Food Pyramid Guide, will be displayed in the cafeteria.
       
    3. Instruction related to the standards and benchmarks for nutrition education shall be provided by highly qualified teachers.
       
  2. With regard to physical activity, the District shall:
     
    1. Physical Education
       
      1. A sequential, comprehensive physical education program shall be provided for students in K-12 in accordance with the standards and benchmarks established by the State.
         
      2. The physical education curriculum shall provide sequential instruction related to the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to participate in lifelong, health-enhancing physical activity.
         
      3. Physical education classes shall provide students with opportunities to learn, practice, and be assessed on developmentally appropriate knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to engage in lifelong, health-enhancing physical activity.
         
      4. Properly certificated, highly qualified teachers shall provide all instruction in physical education.
         
      5. Planned instruction in physical education shall teach cooperation, fair play, and responsible participation.
         
      6. Planned instruction in physical education shall meet the needs of all students, including those who are not athletically gifted.
         
      7. Planned instruction in physical education shall include cooperative as well as competitive games.
         
      8. Planned instruction in physical education shall promote participation in physical activity outside the regular school day.
         
    2. Physical Activity
       
      1. Physical activity shall not be employed as a form of discipline or punishment.
         
      2. Schools shall encourage families to provide physical activity outside the regular school day, such as outdoor play at home, participation in sports sponsored by community agencies or organizations, and in lifelong physical activities like bowling, swimming, or tennis.
         
      3. All students in grades K- 5 shall be provided with a daily recess period at least twenty (20) minutes in duration. Recess shall not be used as a reward or punishment.
         
  3. With regard to other school-based activities:
     
    1. The schools shall provide at least twenty (20) minutes daily for students to eat.
       
    2. The schools may use environmentally friendly practices, such as the use of locally grown foods and non-disposable tableware and dishes.
       
    3. Schools in our system utilize electronic identification and payment systems, therefore, eliminating any stigma or identification of students eligible to receive free and/or reduced meals.
       
    4. Students are discouraged from sharing their foods or beverages with one another during meal times, given concerns about allergies and other restrictions on some students' diets.
       

Free drinking water shall be available to students during designated meal times and may be available throughout the school day.
 

  1. With regard to nutrition promotion, any foods and beverages marketed or promoted to students on the school campus, during the school day, will meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards.
     
  2. All foods and beverages sold to students as fundraisers outside of the school meals program during the regular and extended school day for consumption on the school campus shall meet the USDA Competitive Food regulations, the Alliance for A Healthier Generation’s Competitive Foods and Beverages Guidelines, and the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards.
     

Furthermore, with the objectives of enhancing student health and well being, and reducing childhood obesity, the following guidelines are established:

 

  1. In accordance with Policy 8500, entitled Food Service, the food service program shall comply with Federal and State regulations pertaining to the selection, preparation, consumption, and disposal of food and beverages, including but not limited to the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards, as well as to the fiscal management of the program.

     

  2. As set forth in Policy 8531, entitled Free and Reduced Price Meals, the guidelines for reimbursable school meals are not less restrictive than the guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

     

    The sale of foods of minimal nutritional value in the food service area during the lunch period is prohibited.

     

  3. The sale of foods and beverages to students that do not meet the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards to be consumed on the school campus during the school day is prohibited.

     

  4. All food items and beverages available for sale to students for consumption on the school campus (any area of property under the jurisdiction of the school that is accessible to students during the school day) between midnight and thirty (30) minutes after the close of the regular school day shall comply with the current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards, including, but not limited to, competitive foods that are available to students a la carte or as entrees in the dining area (except entree items that were offered on the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or School Breakfast Program (SBP) menu on the day of and the day after they are offered on the NSLP or SBP menu), as well as food items and beverages from vending machines, from school stores, or as fund-raisers, including those operated by student clubs and organizations, parent groups, or boosters clubs.

     

  5. All foods offered on the school campus during the school day shall comply with the current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, including competitive foods that are available to students a la carte in the dining area, as classroom snacks, or from vending machines.
     

  1. All food and beverages that are provided, other than through sale, on the school campus during the school day (which may include classroom snacks, for classroom parties, and at holiday celebrations) shall comply with the current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
     

  1. The food service program will provide all students affordable access to the varied and nutritious foods they need to be healthy and to learn well regardless of unpaid meal balances and without stigma.
     
  2. Continuing professional development shall be provided for all staff of the food service program.

 

The Board designates the Superintendent as the individual(s) charged with operational responsibility for verifying that the District meets the goals established in this policy.

 

The Superintendent shall appoint a District wellness committee that includes parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, educational staff (including health and physical education teachers), mental health and social services staff, school health professionals, members of the public and school administrators to oversee development, implementation, evaluation and periodic update of the wellness policy. The Wellness Committee shall be an ad hoc committee with members recruited and chosen annually. School-level health advisory teams may assist in the planning and implementation of these Wellness initiatives.

 

The Wellness Committee shall be responsible for:

 

  1. assessment of the current school environment;

     

  2. review of the District’s wellness policy;

     

  3. presentation of the wellness policy to the school board for approval;

     

  4. measurement of the implementation of the policy;

     

  5. recommendation for the revision of the policy, as necessary.

 

Before the end of each school year, the Wellness Committee shall recommend to the Superintendent any revisions to the policy it deems necessary and/or appropriate. In its review, the Wellness Committee shall consider evidence-based strategies in determining its recommendations.

 

The Superintendent shall report annually to the Board on the progress of the Wellness Committee and on its evaluation of policy implementation and areas for improvement, including the status of compliance by individual schools and progress made in attaining goals of policy.

 

The Superintendent is also responsible for informing the public, including parents, students, and community members, on the content and implementation of this policy. In order to inform the public, the Superintendent shall distribute information at the beginning of the school year to families of school children.

 

Revised 4/1/14

Revised 5/27/15

 

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