FILE:  JGB

Cf:  EE

SCHOOL WELLNESS

RATIONALE

With the passage of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act (Public Law 108: Section 204) requiring each School Board to have a local wellness policy in place, the federal government recognizes that a coordinated effort by the entire community.  The Cameron Parish School Board believes 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 students.

The link between nutrition and learning is well documented.  Healthy eating patterns are essential for students to achieve their full academic potential, full physical and mental growth, and lifelong health and well-being.  Schools have a responsibility to provide an environment which encourages the establishment and maintenance of a lifelong, healthy eating pattern.

A healthy school environment goes beyond school meals in the cafeteria.  A healthy lifestyle and maintaining a healthy weight requires a combination of healthy food choices and appropriate amount of physical activity.  All foods made available on school campuses should offer children nutritious choices, and physical activity should be incorporated into the school day as often as possible.  The healthy, physically active child is more likely to be academically successful.

GOAL 1:  NUTRITION EDUCATION

1. Nutrition Education will be integrated into other areas of the curriculum such as math, science, language arts and social studies when applicable.
   
   

2. School Nutrition staff that is properly qualified according to current professional standards and encourage participation in professional development activities for School Nutrition staff and teachers in the areas of nutrition and physical education.
   
   

3. The Cameron Parish school district will provide nutritional information to parents that will encourage parents to provide safe and nutritious foods for their children when requested.
   
   

4. Students will be encouraged to start each day with a healthy breakfast.
   
   

5. Students will receive nutrition education that is interactive and teaches the skills they need to adopt healthy eating behaviors as addressed in the Louisiana Department of Education Comprehensive Curriculum.
   
   

6. Team Nutrition schools are provided with nutrition education activities and promotions that involve parents, students, and the community.
   
   

7. The School Nutrition staff will participate in making decisions and guidelines that will affect the school nutrition environment.

GOAL 2:  PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

1. Physical education courses will be the environment where students learn, practice and are assessed on developmentally appropriate motor skills, social skills and knowledge.
   
   

2. Policies ensure that state certified physical education instructors teach all physical education classes.
   
   

3. Policies ensure that students in grades K-8 participate in planned, organized, moderate to vigorous physical activity for a minimum of thirty (30) minutes each school day.
   
   

4. Physical education includes the instruction of individual activities as well as competitive and non-competitive team sports to encourage life-long physical activity.
   
   

5. Schools are encouraged to provide adequate equipment for the students to participate in physical education.  Physical activity facilities on school grounds will be safe.
   
   

6. The school should provide a curriculum that enhances a physical and social environment that encourages safe and enjoyable activity for all students, including those who are not athletically gifted.
   
   

7. Students should be given opportunities for physical activity through a range of extracurricular programs such as intramurals, interscholastic athletics, and physical activity clubs.

GOAL 3:  NUTRITION STANDARDS FOR ALL FOODS AVAILABLE ON SCHOOL CAMPUS DURING THE SCHOOL DAY

1. School Nutrition program ensures that a reimbursable school meal meets the program requirements and nutrition standards set forth under the 7 CFR 210 and 7 CFR 220.
   
   

2. As per Louisiana Department of Education regulations, and in accordance with La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:197.1 guidelines are outlined regarding healthy standards for foods and beverages sold on school grounds during the normal school day.

Definitions 7 CFR 210.11(a):

Competitive Food – means all food and beverages other than meals reimbursed under programs authorized by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 available to students on the School Campus during the School Day.

School Day – for the purpose of competitive food standards the period from the midnight before and 30 minutes after the end of the official school day.

School Campus – all areas of the property under the jurisdiction of the school that are accessible to students during the school day.

General Nutrition Standards

• Be a grain product that contains fifty percent (50%) or more whole grain by weight or have whole grain as the first ingredient.
  
  

• Have as first ingredient one of the non-grain major food groups:  Fruits, Vegetables, dairy, protein foods (meat, beans, poultry, seafood, eggs, nuts, seeds, etc.).  If the first ingredient listed is water, the second ingredient must be on of the foods listed above.
  
  

• Be a combination food that contains 10 percent of the Daily Value of a nutrient of public health concern from DGA (i.e., calcium, potassium, vitamin D or dietary fiber.
  
  

• Under 7 CFR 210.11(i) snack items could contain no more than 230 mg of sodium per item as packaged or served.  Effective July 1, 2016, these snack items must not have more than 200 mg of sodium per item as packaged or served.
  
  

• La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:197.1 (C1(b)) Snacks or desserts cannot exceed one hundred fifty (150) calories per serving, have more than thirty-five percent (35%) of their calories from fat, or have more than thirty grams of sugar per serving, except for unsweetened or uncoated seeds or nuts.
  
  

• Beverage requirements in 7 CFR 210.11(m) for Cameron Parish School made up of Pre-Kindergarten through 12^th grade:

1. • Plain water (no size limit)

   • Low fat milk, 1%, plain (no more than 8 fluid ounces);

   • Non-fat milk plain or flavored (not more than 8 fluid ounces);

   • Nutritionally equivalent milk alternatives as permitted by the school meal requirements (not more than 8 fluid ounces);

   • 100% fruit/vegetable juice (not more than 8 fluid ounces).

• Caffeine requirement in 7 CFR 210.11(l) would be for foods and beverages available to be caffeine free, with the exception of trace amounts of naturally occurring caffeine substances.

Approved List of Snacks and Vending La. Rev. Stat. Ann.§17:197.1(F)

The Pennington Biomedical Research Center is authorized to develop and provide to interested persons, schools, or school systems publications relating to foods which can be sold on public elementary and secondary school grounds in compliance with the provisions in this section.  The Pennington Biomedical Research Center may provide assessments of nutritional value individual food items contemplated for sale on public school grounds.

Local School Authority may also use the USDA approved Alliance Smart Snacks Calculator to determine if a food item is in compliance with the “Smart Snacks in Schools” standards.  Documentation must be kept at the school to support compliance along with the nutrition label from the item.

Fundraisers 7 CFR 210.11(b)(5)

If the item being sold is a nonfood item or a food item that meets the “Smart Snack in Schools” standards, it can be sold anytime, except in the area of the Lunchroom.  Fundraising activities that take place outside the school day are exempt from the Smart Snack Standards.  Food items which do not meet the nutrition standards are only allowed for sale off the school campus.

Recordkeeping Requirement

Under 7 CFR 210.11(b)(3) the local school authority would be required to maintain records documenting compliance with the competitive food nutrition standards for food in areas that are outside the control of the school food service operation.  Required records would include, at a minimum, receipts, nutrition labels and/or product section for items available for sale, and if used Alliance Smart Snack Calculator documents.  The principal at the school level will be responsible for ensuring any organization designated as responsible for food service at the various venues in the school (other than the school food service) maintains records documenting compliance with the competitive food nutrition standards.

GOAL 4:  OTHER SCHOOL-BASED ACTIVITIES DESIGNED TO PROMOTE STUDENT WELLNESS

1. Provide a clean, safe, enjoyable meal environment for students.
   
   

2. Encourage adequate time for students to enjoy eating healthy foods with friends, scheduled as near the middle of the school day as possible.
   
   

3. Principals will address parental concerns such as kinds of foods available on their campus, sufficient mealtime, nutrition education, and physical activity.
   
   

4. Students and staff are highly encouraged to promote and participate in school breakfast, lunch and snack programs when offered.  Menus will meet the nutrition standards established by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, conforming to good menu planning principles, and featuring a variety of healthy choices that are tasty, attractive, and of excellent quality available.
   
   

5. Food safety will be a key part of the School Nutrition operation.
   
   

6. School Nutrition staff will be given the opportunity to provide input on local, cultural, and ethnic favorites of the customers.
   
   

7. Support for the health of all students is demonstrated by hosting health clinics, health screenings, and helping to enroll eligible children in Medicaid and other state children’s health insurance programs as needed.

ASSURANCE

The Cameron Parish School Board shall require that guidelines for reimbursable school meals not be less restrictive than regulations and guidelines issued by the Secretary of Agriculture pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of Section 10 of the Child Nutrition Act (42 USC 1779) and Section a (f) (l) and 17 (a) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 USC 1758) (f) (l) and 42 USC 1766 (a), as those regulations and guidance apply to schools by their participation in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs.

MONITORING AND POLICY REVIEW

Monitoring

The Superintendent or his/her designee shall be responsible for assuring compliance with established district-wide nutrition and physical activity wellness policies.  In each school, the principal or designee shall ensure compliance with those policies in his/her school and shall report on the school’s compliance to the Superintendent or his/her designee.

School food service staff, at the school or district level, shall assess compliance with nutrition policies within school food service areas and report on this matter to the Superintendent (or if done at the school level, to the school principal).

The Superintendent or his/her designee shall develop a summary report at least annually on compliance with the district’s established nutrition and physical activity wellness policies, based on input from schools within the district.  The report will be provided to the School Board, the district’s School Health Advisory Council (SHAC), and also distributed to the schools, parent/teacher organizations, school principals, and school health services personnel throughout the parish.

Policy Review

Assessments shall be taken annually to help review policy compliance, assess progress, and determine areas in need of improvement.  As part of that review, the School Board and staff shall review all nutrition and physical activity policies; provision of an environment that supports healthy eating and physical activity; and nutrition and physical education policies and program elements, using the Louisiana Department of Education Wellness Policy Evaluation tool and share these results with the School Health Advisory Council (SHAC).  The School Board and individual schools within the district shall, as necessary, revise the wellness policies and develop work plans to facilitate their implementation.

New Policy:  May, 2006

Revised:  December, 2009

Revised:  April, 2010

Revised:  June, 2015

Ref:    PL 108-265 (Section 204, Child Nutrition and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Reauthorization Act of 2004)

42 USC 1751 et seq. (Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act)

42 USC 1771 et seq. (Child Nutrition Act of 1966)

7 CFR 210 (National School Lunch Program)

7 CFR 210.31 (Local School Wellness Policy)

7 CFR 220 (School Breakfast Program)

La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:17.1, 17:197.1

Board minutes, 5-8-06, 3-8-10, 6-8-15

Cameron Parish School Board