Book Policy Manual
Section Section A - Foundations and Basic Commitments
Title School Wellness
Code ADF
Status Active
Adopted June 2, 2006
Last Revised January 23, 2023
Last Reviewed January 12, 2023
Prior Revised Dates 6/1/2017
SCHOOL WELLNESS
The Board promotes healthy schools by supporting student wellness, including good nutrition and regular physical activity as part of the total learning environment. Schools contribute to the basic health status of students by facilitating learning through the support and promotion of good nutrition and physical activity. Improved health optimizes student performance potential and educational success, as children who eat well-balanced meals and are physically active are more likely to be engaged and learn in the classroom and less likely to be absent.
MSSD utilizes the framework of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model comprised of 10 components: Health Education, Physical Education & Physical Activity, Nutrition Environment & Services, Health Services, Counseling, Psychological & Social Services, Social & Emotional Climate, Physical Environment, Employee Wellness, Family Engagement and Community Involvement. Schools will organize wellness efforts based around the 10 components.
Goals
To further the Board's beliefs stated above, the Board adopts the following goals:
Goal #1. The district will provide a comprehensive learning environment to promote the development and practice of lifelong wellness behaviors.
The entire school environment, not just the classroom, will be aligned with healthy school goals to positively influence a student's understanding, beliefs and habits as they relate to comprehensive wellness, including good nutrition and regular physical activity and all components of the WSCC Model (additional resources SAMSHA and District Wellness website). Such learning environments will teach students to use appropriate resources and tools to make informed and educated decisions about lifelong wellness in accordance with the district's academic standards for comprehensive health education and physical education.
Goal #2. The district will support and promote nutrition education,healthy nutrition choices, and proper dietary habits contributing to students' health status and academic performance to include the federal government guidelines.
Nutrition education will be in accordance with the district's academic standards for comprehensive health education. All foods and beverages sold or provided to students on the school campus during the school day shall meet or exceed the district's nutrition standards. All schools participating in the National School Lunch and/or School Breakfast Programs shall comply with state and federal rules or regulations regarding school meals, competitive food service and the Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards including the marketing of any foods or beverages sold to students during the school day.
Goal #3. The district will provide opportunities for students and district staff to engage in physical activity and healthy lifestyles.
Physical activity will be included in a school's daily education program from grades Pre-kindergarten through 12. Physical activity includes regular instructional physical education, in accordance with the district's academic standards for physical education, and opportunities throughout the school day, such as exercise programs, fitness breaks, recess, field trips that include physical activity and classroom activities that include physical activity.
Implementation and review
To help ensure each school's compliance with and implementation of this policy's goals, the Board designates the Director of Community Wellness as the district's school wellness policy coordinator.
The district will establish and maintain a district-wide wellness advisory council. The Wellness Policy Coordinator will actively recruit advisory council members made up of students, staff, and/or community members via an email invitation letter. The council's purposes will be to monitor the implementation of this policy, evaluate the district's progress on this policy's goals, serve as a resource to schools (i.e. provide lists of healthy incentives, snacks, etc.) and periodically review and update this policy in accordance with federal law. The council will meet on a quarterly basis.
At least once every three years, the council shall assess this policy and its implementation, which shall include an assessment of each participating school's compliance and progress with this policy's goals. The council may recommend policy revisions for the Board's consideration after conducting its triennial assessment and/or as the council deems appropriate or necessary.
Reporting and record keeping
The results of the council's triennial assessments shall be made available to the public, along with a copy of this policy.
The district shall retain records to document compliance with this policy, including but not limited to documentation concerning the council's triennial assessments.
Legal
Section 204 of P.L. 111-296 (Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010)
7 C.F.R. Parts 201, 210 and 220 (local school wellness policy requirements)
C.R.S. 22-32-134.5 (healthy beverages requirement)
C.R.S. 22-32-136 (policies to improve children's nutrition and wellness)
C.R.S. 22-32-136.3 (trans fat ban)
C.R.S. 22-32-136.5(3)(a) and (b) (physical activity requirement)
1 CCR 301-79 (State Board of Education - healthy beverages rules)
Cross References
EF, School Nutrition Program
EFC, Free and Reduced-Price Food Services
EFEA*, Nutritious Food Choices
IHAM and IHAM-R, Health and Family Life/Sex Education
IHAMA, Teaching About Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco
JLJ*, Physical Activity
Book Policy Manual
Section Section A - Foundations and Basic Commitments
Title Wellness Policy Guidelines
Code ADF-R
Status Active
Adopted January 23, 2023
Last Reviewed January 12, 2023
MSSD 14 WELLNESS POLICY GUIDELINES
CODE: ADF-R
Goal #1: The district will provide a comprehensive learning environment for promoting the development and practice of lifelong wellness behaviors.
The goal of providing a comprehensive learning environment will be accomplished by:
In partnership with schools, create a culture of well-being by promoting and integrating the WSCC Model as part of the learning environment.
Designate the building wellness teams, guided by the WSCC Model, to serve as liaisons between the district wellness team and district sites. The building wellness teams will meet monthly.
Providing age-appropriate and culturally inclusive nutrition education which includes skill-based learning to students that teach them lifelong healthy eating habits and a healthy level of physical activity.
Promoting healthy eating, physical activities, and school meal programs to students, parents, school staff and the community at school registration, parent-teacher meetings, open house, parent connection events, staff in-service etc.
Sharing nutrition education information with families and the broader community to positively impact students and the health of the community while encouraging families to teach their children about health and nutrition
Implementing district content standards for comprehensive physical education health and nutrition education, in accordance with Colorado Department of Education Comprehensive Health and Physical Education Standards. The curriculum will enable students to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to promote student wellness.
Promoting the school cafeteria as a “learning laboratory” to allow students to apply critical thinking skills taught in the classroom and to reinforce nutrition education messages.
Encouraging the use of school gardens and the Flying Pig Farm partnership as a learning opportunity for education about nutrition, food, and sustainability.
The District Wellness Team informs teachers about the opportunities to attend training on wellness and the importance of the role modeling of healthful habits for students.
District will support the use of staff development or opportunities by not charging staff usage fees for staff and school wellness activities after regular school hours.
Goal #2. The district will support and promote nutrition education, healthy nutrition choices, and proper dietary habits contributing to students’ health status and academic performance to include the federal government guidelines.
The goal of supporting and promoting nutrition education, healthy nutrition choices, and proper dietary habits will be accomplished by:
Providing age-appropriate and culturally inclusive nutrition education which includes skill-based learning to students that teach them lifelong healthy eating habits and a healthy level of physical activity.
Meals served through the school district nutrition services program shall comply with the national school lunch and/or breakfast standards for meal patterns, nutrition levels, and calorie requirements for age/grade level served, as specified in 7 CFR 210.10 or 220.8.
Ensure that students have access to healthful food choices in the school cafeteria with an adequate time to eat, striving toward national recommendations (from the National Association for State School Boards of education, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others) which recommend that students be provided with at least 10 minutes for breakfast and 20 minutes for lunch from the time the student is seated.
Providing school meals for all students, regardless of student benefit status, while protecting the confidentiality of each student. Applications for free and reduced meals are made available at all school registration, open houses, and on the district website.
Students shall have access to healthy alternatives that meet requirements of the USDA Smart Source Snacks Guidelines for all food and beverages made available on campus (including vending, concession stands, a la carte venues and fundraisers). Healthy food options will be comparably priced. Smart Source Guidelines:
https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/smartsnacks.pdf
Encourage non-food fundraisers such as flowers, giftwrap, sporting events and family fun runs for all fundraisers that occur during the school day. Any food used outside of the school day should comply with the nutrition standards detailed in policy EFEA:
http://go.boarddocs.com/co/mssd14/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=BN83RU082E18
Requiring all students to have access to free drinking water during the day including meal times. Encourage staff to allow students access to water throughout the day.
District nutrition services will ensure that students have access to food and beverages that meet federal, state, and local laws and guidelines including the USDA’s Smarter Lunchroom techniques.
The sale of all food or beverages outside of the Nutrition Department will not take place from 30 minutes before through 30 minutes after the last meal period to follow the Colorado State Competitive Food Service Policy 2202-R020.300.
Requiring that food or candy not be used as a reward/incentive or disciplinary action for students' behavior. The use of physical activity (extra recess, walking time) is strongly recommended as a reward when feasible.
Encourage parents and staff to contribute healthy food and beverage items to classroom celebrations to comply with nutrition standards detailed in policy EFEA.
Ensure annual training for food and nutrition staff is in accordance with USDA Professional Standards.
District 14 will employ a Director of Nutrition Services to manage the breakfast and lunch program.
The school district Nutrition Services Department shall be operated in accordance with the rules and regulations and guidelines established by the Federal Child Nutrition Program administered by the Colorado Department of Education Child Nutrition Unit
Goal #3. The district will provide opportunities for students and district staff to engage in physical activity and healthy lifestyles.
The goal of providing opportunities for students and district staff to engage in physical activity will be accomplished by:
Physical education for grades K-12 is required to be taught by a certified /licensed teacher who is endorsed to teach physical education.
Ensure Physical Education promotes skills needed for life-long physical fitness.
Encourage health-promotion activities for students, parents, and staff, that encourage regular physical activity such as speakers, recreational demonstrations and walking clubs etc.
Promoting walking or bicycling to and from school using programs such as walking school bus and bike train.
Increasing opportunities for physical activities through a range of after-school and community programs including intramurals, interscholastic athletics and physical activity clubs. After school programming will encourage healthy habits.
Increasing physical activity opportunities during the school day through daily recess periods, elective physical education classes, walking programs, integration of physical activity into the academic curriculum. The district will encourage staff to provide brain breaks/energizers throughout the day,
The amount of physical activity provided will be consistent with all the requirements of the state law based on grade and age.
Requiring physical activity not being withheld from, or required of, a student as a form of discipline, due to incomplete assignments, or for testing purposes during the school day. This included recess, physical education classes, activity breaks, and all other opportunities for physical activity provided at school.
Ensure supervised recess to be provided to elementary students, preferably outdoors, during which moderate physical activity is encouraged through the provision of appropriate space and equipment.
Encourage recess to be provided before lunch where practical.
Encourage schools to provide community access to and encourage students and community members to use the schools physical activity facilities outside of a normal school day.
Providing employees an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that helps employees balance work and family life and is linked to the district medical care.
Provide opportunities to employees to access well-being resources that promote good nutrition, physical activity, and overall well-being.