Wellness Policy
Policy # 508.14
Arcadia Public Schools
LOCAL WELLNESS POLICY
I. Purpose and Goals
The Arcadia Public Schools school district desires to promote healthy students and healthy living by supporting good nutrition, nutrition education, and regular physical activity. The district strives to promote student health and reduce childhood obesity. The district will achieve the goals of this policy by:
A. Involving parents, students, board members, administrators, teachers, health professionals, and other interested members of the community in the development, monitoring, and review of this policy.
B. Developing goals for nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that are designed to promote student wellness.
C. Providing nutrition guidelines for all foods available during the school day.
II. Nutrition Education Goals
A. All elementary classroom teachers will include lessons and activities, about the importance of nutrition and physical activity, throughout the school year.
B. At least one motivational speaker (nutrition/wellness) or activity such as FFA/High School FCS Class educational activity conducted annually.
C. Provide easy access to nutrition/wellness materials and websites.
D. Incorporate the importance of nutrition and exercise into the students annual field trips.
E. School staff are encouraged to model healthy eating behaviors and influence students to do the same.
F. The school’s food service program will promote healthy eating and exercise. The cafeteria will post healthy eating posters. The Food Service Personnel will introduce new, healthy alternative foods to the students as possible and available.
G. Arcadia Schools has designated itself as “A Peanut Safe Environment” due to peanut allergies in the current student body. This means peanut ingredient foods are allowed in concession stands etc. but discouraged. The classroom with the eminent allergy prohibits peanut ingredient foods as snacks or treats.
III. Physical Activity Goals
A. Physical education classes and physical activity opportunities will be available for all students daily throughout the school year. All physical education will be taught by a certified physical education teacher. Students will spend at least 50% of physical education class time participating in moderate to vigorous physical activity. The physical activity and education program should expose students to a wide variety of physical activities, teach physical skills to help maintain health and fitness, and individualize the intensity of activities as needed.
B. All elementary school students will have daily supervised recess, preferably outdoors, during which moderate to vigorous physical activity will be verbally encouraged and adequate space and equipment will be provided.
C. The high school and the middle school will be offered a variety of extracurricular sports programs. The variety will allow more students to find an activity suited for them, their interest and ability. High school students are also required to take 2 years of Physical Education/Health classes to graduate.
D. The district will continue to conduct the President’s Physical Fitness Awards program for grades Preschool-6. “Jump Rope for Heart” is also administered by the P.E. Instructor and is offered to Preschool-6th graders.
IV. Other School-based Activities Designed to Promote Student Wellness
A. Dining Environment
1. The school district will provide a clean, safe, enjoyable meal environment for students.
2. The school district will provide enough space and serving areas to ensure all students have access to school meals with minimal wait time.
3. The school district has installed and has drinking water dispensers available to students during meal time and throughout the day. One dispenser is on lower level, in the commons area and the second dispenser is on the upper level at the end of the hall. There are also water fountains available in the commons area and at the end of the hall on the lower and upper levels of the school.
4. The school district will encourage all students to participate in school meal programs.
5. Students will be encouraged to wash and/or sanitize their hands before they eat meals or snacks. Hand sanitizer will be provided at the entrance
to the lunch line for students and staff.
B. Mealtimes
1. The school district will ensure an adequate time for students to eat meals and socialize with friends by providing a window of at least 20 minutes for consumption of breakfast and at least 20 minutes for consumption of lunch allowing for social time after.
2. Lunch should be scheduled as near to the middle of the school day as possible.
V. Nutrition Guidelines for Food Sold On School Campus
A. The goal of the district is to provide students with foods that promote student health and reduce childhood obesity. In order to best accomplish this goal, the district shall offer food programs that, at a minimum, satisfy
the nutritional requirements established by local, state, and federal statues
and regulations such as the USDA’s National School Lunch and Breakfast Program and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
B. The district’s food program shall operate in accordance with the National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1996 as amended and all applicable laws and regulations of the State of Nebraska.
C. The district encourages the consumption of nutrient dense foods such as whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products.
D. Foods of “minimal nutritional value” as defined by 7 CFR 210.11(2) should not be served anywhere a reimbursable meal is served, sold, or eaten.
E. Vending Machines.
a) Vending Machines that are available to students during the school day will not include sugary carbonated beverages.
b) Healthy drink choices will be included as available
c) Water will always be a choice.
F. School Parties
a) Recommend parents to consider bringing snacks that contain less sugar, less salt, less fat as possible and promote fruit and vegetables.
G. School menus should be prepared with input from students, parents, and school district personnel.
H. School personnel shall periodically review menus to ensure that they meet USDA guidelines.
I. The district will share information about the nutritional content of meals with parents and students upon request.
VI. Personnel Health and Wellness.
A. Staff are provided the opportunity for an annual health appraisal from the Loup Basin Health Department.
B. Arcadia Schools belongs to the EHA Wellness Project and members are encouraged to participate in the monthly activities offered by EHA.
VII. School Health Council/Wellness Committee
The district shall create a School Health Council to monitor and review this policy and, if necessary, make recommendations for revision to the Board of Education. The council also will serve as a resource for implementing this policy. School Health Council members shall be appointed by the Superintendent and should include parents, students, employees of the school’s food program, members of the Board of Education, school administrators, teachers, health professionals, and other interested members of the community.
2019-2020 Health Council Current Members:
1. Mindy Conner – Guidance Counselor/FCS Teacher
2. Nicci Lewandowski – Food Service Manager
3. Barb Charles – Para-Educator/Recess Attendent
4. Becky Felton – School Nurse
5. Vicki Bauer – Admin. Asst/Food Service Line Assistant
The committee plans to meet quarterly and will advertise meeting times and locations to welcome all interested individuals to attend.
VIII. Monitoring and Policy Review
The Superintendent or his or her designee shall be responsible for ensuring compliance with this policy. School food service staff will ensure compliance with nutrition policies within the school food service areas and will report on this matter to the Superintendent or his or her designee.
The Wellness Policy will be reviewed, updated, and approved every three years by the committee and administration.
Date Approved: May 8, 2006/Updated and Approved: August 23, 2019
Approved by:
_____________________________________ Mike Williams, Superintendent
_____________________________________Mindy Conner, Chairperson
_____________________________________Barb Charles, member
_____________________________________Nicci Lewandowski, member
_____________________________________Becky Felton, member
_____________________________________Vicki Bauer, member
Legal Reference: Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, Section 204 of Public law 108-265 (June 30, 2004).