A mission of McCook Public Schools is to provide curriculum, instruction, and experiences in a health-promoting school environment to instill habits of lifelong learning and health. Therefore, the Board of Education adopts the following School Wellness Policy.
1. Goals to Promote Student Wellness
The District has established the following student wellness goals that are designed to promote student wellness in a manner that the District determines to appropriate.
a. Nutrition Education. To Implement a curriculum that meets or exceeds the health and nutrition education objectives established by the Nebraska Department of Education.
b. Physical Activity. To implement a curriculum that meets or exceeds the health and physical education objectives established by the Nebraska Department of Education.
c. Other School Activities. To offer other suitable opportunities for students to engage in health-promoting activities.
The Superintendent, or designee, shall establish such further goals as are determined appropriate to meet the stated mission.
2. Nutrition Guidelines
Nutrition guidelines have been selected by the District for all foods available in each school building during the school day with the objective of promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity. The guidelines are as follows: (1) school breakfast and lunch programs will be offered which meet or exceed the requirements of federal and state law and regulatory authorities and (2) no foods in competition with the school lunch or breakfast program shall be sold or otherwise made available to students anywhere on school premises during the period of one-half hour prior to the serving period for breakfast and lunch and lasting until one-half hour after the serving of breakfast and lunch. This policy prohibits food delivery to school by commercial food service companies in competition with the school lunch program during the school day. The Superintendent, or designee, shall establish such further nutrition guidelines as are determined appropriate to meet the state mission.
Approved 9-18-06 Reviewed Revised
3. Assurance for Reimbursable School Meals
The District gives the assurance that the District’s guidelines for reimbursable school meals shall not be less restrictive than regulations and guidance issued by the Secretary of Agriculture pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of section 10 of the Child Nutrition Act (42U.S.C. 1779) and sections 9(f)(l) and 17(a) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(f)(l) and 17(a), as those regulations and guidance apply to the District.
4. Plan for Measuring Implementation and Designation of Responsible Persons
The Superintendent or the Superintendent’s designee is charged with operational responsibility for ensuring that the school meets the Wellness Policy. The Superintendent or designee shall measure implementation of the Wellness Policy by conducting periodic reviews or receiving periodic reports.
Legal Reference: The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004,
42 USC 1751; Regulations and Procedures for accreditation
of Schools, NDE Rule 10; National School Lunch Program,
24 U.S.C.
§§1751-1760, 1770; 7CFR § 210
Date of Adoption: _____September 18,2006______
Article 5 STUDENTS AR 508.13
ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION FOR SCHOOL WELLNESS POLICY
The School Wellness Policy establishes a mission of providing a curriculum, instruction, and experiences in the environment of a health-promoting school community, to instill habits of lifelong learning and health. The School Wellness Policy authorizes the Superintendent to establish such further goals and nutrition guidelines as are determined appropriate to meet the stated mission. This regulation sets forth additional goals and nutrition guidelines as appropriate to meet the District’s school wellness mission and implement the School Wellness Policy.
The base goal is to implement a curriculum that meets or exceeds the health and nutrition education objectives established by the Nebraska Department of Education. The administration establishes the following additional goals and actions to achieve such goals:
The established goal is to implement a curriculum that meets or exceeds the health and physical education objectives established by the Nebraska Department of Education. The administration establishes the following additional goals and actions to achieve such goals:
1. Elementary students will have the opportunity for daily recess. Weather and other conditions permitting, recess will be outdoors. Students who are idle during recess are to be encouraged by supervising staff to engage in physical activity. Daily minimums are the requirements of the Department of Education standards.
2. Middle School and High School students will have the opportunity for physical activity during their lunch period. The gym or outside facilities will be open to use during lunch when possible.
a. Class Time: Physical activity within class periods (e.g. stretching breaks when students are at task for more than 50 minutes) will be encouraged.
3. Physical Activity To/From School:
a, To encourage biking or walking to school, the administration will work with law enforcement and as appropriate volunteer parent safety monitors to provide safe routes to school. Bike racks will be established commensurate with need.
b. In establishing bus pick up/drop off sites, the fact that students will have to walk father from a particular site will not necessarily be considered as a negative factor.
4. As Punishment: Physical activity (recess, etc) will not be used as punishment and will not be withheld as punishment. This guideline shall not apply to extra-curricular activities. Educators may use appropriate professional discretion to make exceptions to this guideline. In no event, however, will physical activity be used as a form of corporal punishment.
5. Display Physical Activity Educational Materials: The cafeteria, gym, and health classrooms shall display posters or other communications suitable to the ages of students served that promote physical activity and non-sedentary lifestyles (e.g., display sports posters, walking fitness posters). Educators are encouraged to incorporate such communications in their classrooms as well.
6. Physical Activity Health Events: Educators are encouraged to search for and take advantage of events that promote physical activity education. Activities may include:
a. health fairs
7. Family:
8. Staff: Our employees are encouraged to be healthy role models for students. It is important for students to receive consistent messages. Staff is encouraged to be seen engaging in non-sedentary lifestyles. For example, staff is encouraged to walk or bike to work and share as appropriate personal information about physical activities they engage in to remain fit.
Other School Activities to Promote Student Wellness
The established goal is to offer other suitable opportunities to students to engage in health-promoting activities. The administration establishes the following additional goals and actions to achieve such goals:
1. Extracurricular Programs: The District will offer athletic and other activity programs subject to and in compliance with the bylaws of the Nebraska School Activities Association.
2. After School Facility Uses: Whenever possible, the school’s physical activity facilities will be made available to use by students outside the normal school day, subject to other competing uses and safety and risk management considerations.
3. Advertising: The administration will monitor advertising that occurs in school and endeavor to limit messages that promote foods or minimal nutritional value.
4. Staff Development:
Professional development activities may be included in activities each year related to the integration of physical activities and nutrition education into the academic curriculum, use of food as rewards and denial of physical activities as a disciplinary consequence, and other wellness goals and activities.
5. Community Resources: the administration may coordinate the school wellness program efforts with those available from medical and other community organizations.
The established nutrition guidelines for foods available in each school building during the school day are as follows: (1) school breakfast and lunch programs will be offered which meet or exceed the requirements of federal and state law and regulatory authorities and (2) no foods in competition with the school lunch or breakfast program shall be sold or otherwise made available to students anywhere on school premises during the period of one-half hour prior to the serving period for breakfast and lunch and lasting until one-half hour after the serving of breakfast and lunch.
The administration establishes the following additional nutrition guidelines and actions to meet the guidelines:
1. Conditions for School Meals:
a. Scheduling meals. Lunch periods will be scheduled at times when students are in need of nutrition (e.g., in the middle of their school day). Students will be provided adequate time to eat. In general, students will upon arrival in the cafeteria, have at least 10 minutes to eat breakfast and 15 minutes to eat lunch.
b. Conditions for meals. Efforts shall be made to establish comfortable and relaxed eating conditions. The factors to promote these conditions will be a clean, orderly environment, pleasant staff, adequate seating enforcement of student conduct rules and adequate supervision.
2. Selection of School Meals:
a. School Meals: School meals shall at a minimum meet nutrition requirements established by state and federal law.
Emphasis is to be on good menu planning principles that offer healthy food choices including lean meats, a variety of fruits and non-fried vegetables daily, whole grains once a week, and a low-fat or nonfat milk daily. Locate these choices where they are readily accessible to students.
Limit portion sizes of desserts and fried foods
b. Ala carte selections: Elementary students are to be offered balanced meals. PK-5 elementary students are not to be sold individual food or beverage selections except for limited portions of low-fat foods, low- fat milk, fruits, and non-fried vegetables. Junior High and High School students may be sold foods and beverages ala carte provided the ala carte items not include foods of minimal nutritional value and that the offerings include fruits, non-fried vegetables, and healthy beverages (waters and 100% fruit juices).
3.Student’s Meals From Home: Students will be discouraged from sharing food and be prohibited from sharing foods brought from home. Parents will be encouraged via health promotional materials to make healthy choices for student lunches.
4.Closed Campus: To encourage students to eat a nutritious lunch, students will not be permitted to leave school during the school day for the purpose of lunch. Exceptions: Students may leave at lunchtime if they will be eating lunch at home, with parent permission. High School students may leave campus for lunch, even if they will not be eating lunch at home. Students who leave campus for lunch may bring any purchased meals or other food back to school to be consumed in the commons area. The administration may grant special exceptions to the closed campus rule as needed (e.g., for students with special dietary needs).
5. Vending Machines:
a. Vending machines will not be available for student use at any school for the period of one-half hour before and one-half hour after breakfast and lunch periods.
b. Elementary school students: Vending machines with foods of minimal nutritional value will not be available to use by elementary school students at any time during the school day.
c. Junior High students: Vending machines with foods of minimal nutritional value will not be available to use by middle school students for the period of ½ hour before and ½ hour after breakfast and lunch periods.
d. High School students: Vending machines with foods of minimal nutritional value will not be available to use by high school students for the period of ½ hour before and ½ hour after breakfast and lunch periods.
e. Promotion of Healthy Choices: At least one vending machine in each school building shall include healthy choices (e.g., water, 100% fruit juices, low-fat/non-fat milk, animal crackers, granola bars, whole-grain fruit bars, pretzels, and nuts, plain trail mix).
Foods available during the school day:
a. Water: Students will be allowed access to water during the school day. Water fountains are available. Educators may in their discretion allow students to bring water bottles to classes. Students will not be permitted to bring soda pop or other food to class during instructional hours.
b. Food rewards. Candy or food of minimal nutritional value will not be used as rewards. No foods of minimal nutritional value are to be provided by the school or school staff for instructional purposes (e.g., cultural programs, FCS classes, and foods given in accordance with a special education student’s IEP are exempt),
c. Classroom Celebrations:
1. Staff is not to offer students foods of minimal nutritional value for classroom celebrations.
2. Parents are encouraged to bring healthy foods for classroom celebrations.
Fund-raising:
a. School clubs are not to sell food for the period of ½ hour before and ½ hour after breakfast and lunch periods.
b. Student clubs are encouraged to not sell foods of minimal nutritional value as part of fund-raising efforts.
School activities/events:
a. Athletes: Student athletes serve as role models. Coaches are to encourage healthy eating habits by student athletes.
b. Concessions: Concession stands will include healthy food choices. Efforts will be made to reduce offerings of foods of minimal nutritional value.
9. Definition of Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value: For purposes of this regulation, ‘foods of minimal nutritional value’ has the same meaning as in the federal regulations for the National School Lunch Program. A current list will be maintained at the central office.
10. Definition of Healthy Foods: For purposes of this regulation, ‘healthy foods’ means foods that are not foods of minimal nutritional value, and that are low in fats, sodium and sugars, and high per serving in the nutrients which are needed to meet Reference Daily Intakes.