This Wellness Policy is a puposed policy and has not yet been adopted.
Miller School District 29-4
Wellness Policy
Updated 2015
Introduction
Living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a healthy weight requires a combination of reliable access to healthy food and physical activity options, knowledge of nutrition, and appropriate amounts of physical activity. A coordinated effort by the entire community is needed and should include child nutrition professionals, school board members, families, students, school administrators, teachers, worksites, local businesses and agencies, healthcare, and others in the community. These efforts involve adults serving as role models and community members being informed of the policies that improve the long-term health and well-being of South Dakota students.
In the child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, PL 108-265, the U.S. Congress established a new requirement for all local agencies (including public and nonpublic, as well as, Residential Child Care Institutions) with a federally funded National School Lunch program. The local agencies were required to develop and implement wellness policies that address nutrition and physical activity by the start of the 2006-2007 school year. The Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 strengthens the nutrition and physical activity requirements for school wellness policies and includes goals for nutrition promotion, while still permitting local flexibility so districts can tailor policies to their particular needs.
In response to the 2004 requirement, the South Dakota Department of Education (SDDOE) convened a work group that developed a model wellness policy for local agencies, adopted by the South Dakota Board of Education on September 20, 2005. A new work group was convened in 2012 to address the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010. The priority of the 2012 workgroup is continuing to promote children’s health and well-being, and to utilize the wellness policy to enhance academic performance.
Rationale
Supporting the 2011 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Nutrition Standards is important for student health and academic success (USDA Website: 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.) Studies show that students who eat breakfast have better nutrition, fewer sick days, fewer disruptive behaviors, and better school performance. Also students with increased consumption of fruits and vegetables and lower caloric intake levels of fats were significantly less likely to fail the literacy assessment test (SOURCE: A Recipe for Academic Success brochure).
A healthy school environment goes beyond school meals in the cafeteria. Nutrition education and physical activity should be incorporated into the school day as often as possible. Studies have shown that physical activity can enhance cognitive functioning and academic achievement. (American Journal of Public Health, 100(4), 646-653) The increasing rate of overweight and obesity among youth continues to jeopardize the future health and productivity of our children. This generation of children may live shorter lives that their parents. During the last three decades, the prevalence of obesity has tripled among persons aged 6-19 years. Multiple chronic disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol level, and high glucose levels are related to obesity. Schools have a responsibility to help prevent obesity and promote physical activity and healthy eating through policies, practices and supportive environments.
Wellness Policy
The Miller School is committed to providing a school environment that promotes and protects children’s health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating and physical activity. Living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a healthy weight requires a combination of reliable access to healthy food and physical activity options, knowledge of nutrition, and appropriate amounts of physical activity. Studies show that students who eat breakfast have better nutrition, fewer sick days, fewer disruptive behaviors, and better school performance. A coordinated effort by the entire community is needed and should include child nutrition professionals, school board members, families, students, school administrators, teachers, local businesses and agencies, healthcare, and others in the community. Those involved will work together to promote children’s health and well-being, and to utilize the wellness policy to enhance academic performance.
The Miller School District Wellness Council must include the following minimum representation:
Administrator
Classroom educator
Community member/parent
Physical Education teacher
School board member
School food service representative
School health professional
Student
The Miller School District is required to inform and update the public about the content and implementation of the Wellness Policy.
The Policy will be reviewed, updated, and reported to the community annually at a minimum.
The School will make the wellness policy available to families by including information in the Student/ Parent Handbook each year, which is available online (www.miller.k12.sd.us) or upon request through any District Office.
Educational websites promoting healthy eating, exercising, and its effect on a student’s academic scores will be posted on the Miller School website www. miller.k12.sd.us.
The monthly calendar will include educational news to encourage healthy eating at home.
There will be posters throughout the school promoting healthy eating and activities.
Miller School Administration will ensure the school complies with the wellness policy. The office of the Superintendent will annually assess and document the implementation of the local wellness plan. This assessment will include, but is not limited to:
Establishment of goals for nutrition education and promotion; physical activity, physical education, and promotion; nutrition standards; and other school-based activities.
Identification of stakeholders involved in the development and implementation of the local wellness plan
Means of informing the public about the content and implementation of the Local Wellness Policy
Comparison of the Local Wellness Policy with the model Local Wellness Policy
Attainment of goals associated with the local wellness policy
Nutrition Education and Promotion
The primary goal of nutrition education and nutrition promotion is to influence students’ lifelong eating behaviors.
All students K-12 shall receive nutrition education that teaches the knowledge and skills needed to adopt healthy eating behaviors. Nutrition education and promotions will be integrated into the curriculum to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote their health. Staff members who provide nutrition education shall have the appropriate training such as in health enhancement or family and consumer sciences.
Nutrition education and promotion are intended for students, parents, staff, and the community. Nutrition education and promotion provide nutrition messages throughout the school, classroom, cafeteria, home, community, and media.
Nutrition education and promotion are part of health education classes and/or stand-alone classes. Nutrition education follows the SD Health Education Standards to include health knowledge and skills. Nutrition education and promotion provide enjoyable, developmentally appropriate, culturally relevant, and participatory activities.
Physical Activity, Physical Education, and Promotion
The primary goal for physical activity is to provide opportunity for every student to develop the knowledge and skills for specific physical activities, maintain physical fitness, regularly participate in physical activity, reduce sedentary time, and provide health education in order to instill an understanding of the short and long term benefits of a physically active and healthful lifestyle.
The Miller School District shall offer health enhancement opportunities that include the components of a quality health enhancement program be taught by K-12 certified staff.
Health enhancement shall equip students with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary for lifelong physical activity.
All students in grades PreK-9 shall receive physical education (elementary students 60-90 minutes per week, middle school students 250 minutes per week per quarter and 9th grade students 250 minutes per week per semester. In grades 10-12, students have an option to take physical education for 250 minutes per week.
Students will spend at least 50% of physical education class time participating in moderate to vigorous physical activity.
All elementary school students will have at least 20 minutes a day of supervised recess, during which students are encouraged to engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity.
Extended periods of inactivity, two hours or more, are discouraged. When activities make it necessary for students to remain indoors for long periods of time, students will be given periodic breaks during which they are encouraged to stand and be moderately active.
When appropriate, physical activity should be encouraged during transition, breaks, and free time. The school will offer activities that meet the needs, interests, and abilities of all students.
The high school will offer interscholastic sports programs. The school will encourage active transportation to and from school as a healthy alternative.
School facilities will be available to students, staff, and community members, before, during, and after the school day; on weekends; and during school vacations as per school district policy.
Nutrition Standards
Students’ life-long eating habits are greatly influenced by the types of foods and beverages available to them. Foods of good nutritional content including fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy foods, lean meat, whole grain products, and plain water will be available whenever and wherever food is sold or otherwise offered at school during the normal school day. Food and beverages sold, and served on school grounds or at school sponsored events during the normal school day will meet the dietary guidelines for Americans and the Standards for Food and Beverages set forth in this policy.
School food service departments will not offer or serve extra portions unless sold as a la carte. The District shall ensure that reimbursable school meals meet the program requirements and nutrition standards found in federal regulations.
The District shall encourage students to make nutritious food choices through accessibility and marketing efforts of healthful foods. A la carte items available during the school day will meet the Standards for Food and Beverages.
Other School Based Activities
The District may implement other appropriate programs that help create a school environment that conveys consistent wellness messages and is conducive to healthy eating and physical activity, such as staff wellness programs and fundraising efforts.
School wellness policy provides staff opportunities to participate in physical activities and healthy eating programs. School staff will serve as role models and will practice healthy eating, physical activity, and other activities that support staff and student wellness. The school will provide ongoing content specific professional development and education for food service professionals, educators, administrators and other staff.
Students and staff will have adequate space to eat meals in clean, safe, pleasant surroundings and will have adequate time to eat. The school will promote drinking water availability as an essential component of school wellness by improving access to free, safe drinking water in varied locations and encouraging student consumption of water throughout the school day.
Rewards and incentives will be given careful consideration as to the messages they send to the students receiving them. It is recommended that on a normal basis, food will not be used as a reward or incentive in the classroom, but other more appropriate rewards may be used. The Miller School District will not use physical activity as punishment during the school day, nor will it withhold physical education class as punishment. Recess may be withheld, as a consequence, at school district discretion.
School fundraising activities such as the Healthy Snack vending machine will support healthy lifestyles. If food and/or beverages are sold during school hours, the school will use the Nutrition Standards as guidelines for the food.
Maintaining Student Wellness
The Superintendent shall develop and implement administrative rules consistent with this policy. Input from teachers, parents/guardians, students, school food service program, the school board, school administrators, and the public shall be considered
Miller School District 29-4
Wellness Policy
Updated 2015
Introduction
Living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a healthy weight requires a combination of reliable access to healthy food and physical activity options, knowledge of nutrition, and appropriate amounts of physical activity. A coordinated effort by the entire community is needed and should include child nutrition professionals, school board members, families, students, school administrators, teachers, worksites, local businesses and agencies, healthcare, and others in the community. These efforts involve adults serving as role models and community members being informed of the policies that improve the long-term health and well-being of South Dakota students.
In the child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, PL 108-265, the U.S. Congress established a new requirement for all local agencies (including public and nonpublic, as well as, Residential Child Care Institutions) with a federally funded National School Lunch program. The local agencies were required to develop and implement wellness policies that address nutrition and physical activity by the start of the 2006-2007 school year. The Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 strengthens the nutrition and physical activity requirements for school wellness policies and includes goals for nutrition promotion, while still permitting local flexibility so districts can tailor policies to their particular needs.
In response to the 2004 requirement, the South Dakota Department of Education (SDDOE) convened a work group that developed a model wellness policy for local agencies, adopted by the South Dakota Board of Education on September 20, 2005. A new work group was convened in 2012 to address the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010. The priority of the 2012 workgroup is continuing to promote children’s health and well-being, and to utilize the wellness policy to enhance academic performance.
Rationale
Supporting the 2011 United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Nutrition Standards is important for student health and academic success (USDA Website: 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.) Studies show that students who eat breakfast have better nutrition, fewer sick days, fewer disruptive behaviors, and better school performance. Also students with increased consumption of fruits and vegetables and lower caloric intake levels of fats were significantly less likely to fail the literacy assessment test (SOURCE: A Recipe for Academic Success brochure).
A healthy school environment goes beyond school meals in the cafeteria. Nutrition education and physical activity should be incorporated into the school day as often as possible. Studies have shown that physical activity can enhance cognitive functioning and academic achievement. (American Journal of Public Health, 100(4), 646-653) The increasing rate of overweight and obesity among youth continues to jeopardize the future health and productivity of our children. This generation of children may live shorter lives that their parents. During the last three decades, the prevalence of obesity has tripled among persons aged 6-19 years. Multiple chronic disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol level, and high glucose levels are related to obesity. Schools have a responsibility to help prevent obesity and promote physical activity and healthy eating through policies, practices and supportive environments.
Wellness Policy
The Miller School is committed to providing a school environment that promotes and protects children’s health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating and physical activity. Living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a healthy weight requires a combination of reliable access to healthy food and physical activity options, knowledge of nutrition, and appropriate amounts of physical activity. Studies show that students who eat breakfast have better nutrition, fewer sick days, fewer disruptive behaviors, and better school performance. A coordinated effort by the entire community is needed and should include child nutrition professionals, school board members, families, students, school administrators, teachers, local businesses and agencies, healthcare, and others in the community. Those involved will work together to promote children’s health and well-being, and to utilize the wellness policy to enhance academic performance.
The Miller School District Wellness Council must include the following minimum representation:
Administrator
Classroom educator
Community member/parent
Physical Education teacher
School board member
School food service representative
School health professional
Student
The Miller School District is required to inform and update the public about the content and implementation of the Wellness Policy.
The Policy will be reviewed, updated, and reported to the community annually at a minimum.
The School will make the wellness policy available to families by including information in the Student/ Parent Handbook each year, which is available online (www.miller.k12.sd.us) or upon request through any District Office.
Educational websites promoting healthy eating, exercising, and its effect on a student’s academic scores will be posted on the Miller School website www. miller.k12.sd.us.
The monthly calendar will include educational news to encourage healthy eating at home.
There will be posters throughout the school promoting healthy eating and activities.
Miller School Administration will ensure the school complies with the wellness policy. The office of the Superintendent will annually assess and document the implementation of the local wellness plan. This assessment will include, but is not limited to:
Establishment of goals for nutrition education and promotion; physical activity, physical education, and promotion; nutrition standards; and other school-based activities.
Identification of stakeholders involved in the development and implementation of the local wellness plan
Means of informing the public about the content and implementation of the Local Wellness Policy
Comparison of the Local Wellness Policy with the model Local Wellness Policy
Attainment of goals associated with the local wellness policy
Nutrition Education and Promotion
The primary goal of nutrition education and nutrition promotion is to influence students’ lifelong eating behaviors.
All students K-12 shall receive nutrition education that teaches the knowledge and skills needed to adopt healthy eating behaviors. Nutrition education and promotions will be integrated into the curriculum to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote their health. Staff members who provide nutrition education shall have the appropriate training such as in health enhancement or family and consumer sciences.
Nutrition education and promotion are intended for students, parents, staff, and the community. Nutrition education and promotion provide nutrition messages throughout the school, classroom, cafeteria, home, community, and media.
Nutrition education and promotion are part of health education classes and/or stand-alone classes. Nutrition education follows the SD Health Education Standards to include health knowledge and skills. Nutrition education and promotion provide enjoyable, developmentally appropriate, culturally relevant, and participatory activities.
Physical Activity, Physical Education, and Promotion
The primary goal for physical activity is to provide opportunity for every student to develop the knowledge and skills for specific physical activities, maintain physical fitness, regularly participate in physical activity, reduce sedentary time, and provide health education in order to instill an understanding of the short and long term benefits of a physically active and healthful lifestyle.
The Miller School District shall offer health enhancement opportunities that include the components of a quality health enhancement program be taught by K-12 certified staff.
Health enhancement shall equip students with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary for lifelong physical activity.
All students in grades PreK-9 shall receive physical education (elementary students 60-90 minutes per week, middle school students 250 minutes per week per quarter and 9th grade students 250 minutes per week per semester. In grades 10-12, students have an option to take physical education for 250 minutes per week.
Students will spend at least 50% of physical education class time participating in moderate to vigorous physical activity.
All elementary school students will have at least 20 minutes a day of supervised recess, during which students are encouraged to engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity.
Extended periods of inactivity, two hours or more, are discouraged. When activities make it necessary for students to remain indoors for long periods of time, students will be given periodic breaks during which they are encouraged to stand and be moderately active.
When appropriate, physical activity should be encouraged during transition, breaks, and free time. The school will offer activities that meet the needs, interests, and abilities of all students.
The high school will offer interscholastic sports programs. The school will encourage active transportation to and from school as a healthy alternative.
School facilities will be available to students, staff, and community members, before, during, and after the school day; on weekends; and during school vacations as per school district policy.
Nutrition Standards
Students’ life-long eating habits are greatly influenced by the types of foods and beverages available to them. Foods of good nutritional content including fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy foods, lean meat, whole grain products, and plain water will be available whenever and wherever food is sold or otherwise offered at school during the normal school day. Food and beverages sold, and served on school grounds or at school sponsored events during the normal school day will meet the dietary guidelines for Americans and the Standards for Food and Beverages set forth in this policy.
School food service departments will not offer or serve extra portions unless sold as a la carte. The District shall ensure that reimbursable school meals meet the program requirements and nutrition standards found in federal regulations.
The District shall encourage students to make nutritious food choices through accessibility and marketing efforts of healthful foods. A la carte items available during the school day will meet the Standards for Food and Beverages.
Other School Based Activities
The District may implement other appropriate programs that help create a school environment that conveys consistent wellness messages and is conducive to healthy eating and physical activity, such as staff wellness programs and fundraising efforts.
School wellness policy provides staff opportunities to participate in physical activities and healthy eating programs. School staff will serve as role models and will practice healthy eating, physical activity, and other activities that support staff and student wellness. The school will provide ongoing content specific professional development and education for food service professionals, educators, administrators and other staff.
Students and staff will have adequate space to eat meals in clean, safe, pleasant surroundings and will have adequate time to eat. The school will promote drinking water availability as an essential component of school wellness by improving access to free, safe drinking water in varied locations and encouraging student consumption of water throughout the school day.
Rewards and incentives will be given careful consideration as to the messages they send to the students receiving them. It is recommended that on a normal basis, food will not be used as a reward or incentive in the classroom, but other more appropriate rewards may be used. The Miller School District will not use physical activity as punishment during the school day, nor will it withhold physical education class as punishment. Recess may be withheld, as a consequence, at school district discretion.
School fundraising activities such as the Healthy Snack vending machine will support healthy lifestyles. If food and/or beverages are sold during school hours, the school will use the Nutrition Standards as guidelines for the food.
Maintaining Student Wellness
The Superintendent shall develop and implement administrative rules consistent with this policy. Input from teachers, parents/guardians, students, school food service program, the school board, school administrators, and the public shall be considered