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Wellness Policy

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Edwards County Community Unit School District #1

Wellness Policy

Congress passed the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 on June 30, 2004.  Recognizing the role schools can play in health promotion, this law requires local education agencies participating in a program authorized by the National School Lunch Act or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to develop a wellness policy with the objectives of improving the school nutrition environment, promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity (PL 108-265, Sec. 204).  In addition, Public Act 094-0199 requires the Illinois State Board of Education to establish a state goal that all districts have a wellness policy.

 

Belief Statement

The Board of Education of Edwards County School District is committed to providing a learning environment that supports and promotes wellness, good nutrition, and an active lifestyle and recognizes the positive relationship between good nutrition, physical activity and the capacity of students to develop and learn.  The entire school environment shall be aligned with healthy school goals to positively influence student’s beliefs and habits and promote health and wellness, good nutrition and regular physical activity.  In addition, school staff shall be encouraged to model healthy eating and physical activity as a valuable part of daily life.

Intent

The purpose of this policy is to ensure a total school environment that promotes and supports student health and wellness, helps to reduce childhood obesity and meets the requirements of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 and the Illinois School Code, including, without limitation, goals for nutrition education, physical activity and other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness; nutrition guidelines for all foods available during the school day; a plan for measuring implementation including designating one or more persons charged with operational responsibility; and involving parents, students, school food service providers, the school board, school administrators, and the public in developing this policy.

Rationale

A disturbing number of children are inactive and do not eat well.  The result is an alarming 16 percent of children and adolescents are overweight – three-fold increase since 1980.  Congress passed the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 on June 30, 2004.  Recognizing the role schools can play in health promotion; this law requires local education agencies participating in a program authorized by the National School Lunch Act or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to develop a local wellness policy.  The objectives of the wellness policy are to improve the school nutrition environment; promote student health and reduce childhood obesity.  In addition, Public Act 094-0199 amends the Illinois School Code, requiring the Illinois State Board of Education to establish a state goal that all districts have a wellness policy.

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.  Healthy eating is demonstrably linked to reduced risk for mortality and development of many chronic diseases.  Schools and school communities have a responsibility to help students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to establish and maintain lifelong healthy eating patterns.  Well-planned and well-implemented wellness programs have been shown to positively influence children’s health.

Schools also have a responsibility to help students establish and maintain lifelong habits of being physically active.  According to the U.S. Surgeon General, regular physical activity is one of the most important things people can do to maintain and improve their physical health, mental health, and overall well-being.  Regular physical activity reduces the risk of premature death in general and of heart disease, high blood pressure, colon cancer, and diabetes.

 

Goals for Nutrition Education

  • Students in preschool through grade 12 shall receive nutrition education as part of a sequential program that is coordinated within a comprehensive health education curriculum.The program shall be designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to adopt healthy eating behaviors and aimed at influencing students’ knowledge, attitudes and eating habits.Special emphasis should be placed on nutrition education in preschool through primary grades as eating habits are established at a young age.The curriculum shall be consistent with and incorporate relevant Illinois Learning Standards.
  • To maximize classroom time and to achieve positive changes students’ eating behaviors, nutrition education shall be integrated into the standards-based lesson plans of other school subjects like math, science, language arts, physical education, health, family and consumer science and social sciences.
  • Schools will support and promote good nutrition for students.
  • Schools will foster the positive relationship between good nutrition, physical activity, and the capacity of students to develop and learn.

 

Goals for Physical Activity

  • Schools will support and promote an active lifestyle for students.
  • Physical education will be taught in all grades and shall include a developmentally planned and sequential curriculum that fosters the development of movement skills, enhances health related fitness, increases students’ knowledge, offers direct opportunities to learn how to work cooperatively in a group setting, and encourages healthy habits and attitudes for a healthy lifestyle.
  • It is recommended that elementary students participate in physical education for a minimum of 150 minutes per week, and middle and high school students participate for 450 minutes every 2 weeks.(National Association for Sport & Physical Education recommendations)Special emphasis should be placed on promoting an active lifestyle in preschool through primary grades as health habits are established at a young age.Accommodations shall be made for students with disabilities, 504 plans, and other limitations.
  • Schools shall provide a daily supervised recess period to elementary students.
  • Edwards County CUSD #1 would like to assist and promote physical activity opportunities outside the regular school day by offering a range of interscholastic sports and physical activity clubs.
  • The physical education program shall actively engage families as partners in providing physical activity beyond the school day.
  • The school district’s Jr. High and High School Physical Education Teachers will provide the Elementary School Teachers with a Physical Education curriculum to follow.
  • The curriculum will be consistent with Illinois Learning Standards for Physical Development and Health as established by the Illinois State Board of Education. (105 ILCS 5/2-3.63) (See Board Policy 6.72)
  • Public Act 98-0859, the students shall be tested in an effort to meet State Goal 20, where students achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical fitness.All students in grades 3-12, unless otherwise exempted under Sec. 27.6 of the School Code, must be tested annually in the 2nd semester.However, the Districts must report the following students tested by grade (5,7, and 10 only) and gender to ISBE.The schools are encouraged to administer assessments at the start of the school year in order to have a pre and post test results.Districts must report the following data, in aggregate, to ISBE for each of the four tests) Aerobic Capacity, Flexibility, Muscular Endurance-Curl Up, and Muscular Strength-Push Up.
  • Students shall be provided opportunities for physical activity through a range of before- and after-school programs including intramurals, interscholastic athletics, and physical activity clubs.

    Because students should engage in a minimum of 60 minutes of physical activity a day, the physical education program shall actively engage families as partners in providing physical activity beyond the school day.

  • The school district’s Jr. High and High School Physical Education Teachers will provide the Elementary School Teachers with a Physical Education curriculum to follow.
  • The curriculum will be consistent with Illinois Learning Standards for Physical Development and Health as established by the Illinois State Board of Education.(105 ILCS 5/2-3.63)

 

Goals for Mental Wellness

  • The Edwards County CUSD #1 has resources available to students to help them cope with mental health issues they may encounter throughout the school year.The Edwards County Schools currently has a district Nurse, Guidance Counselor and Social Worker available for students in grades Preschool through 12th grade.These three individuals work closely together to make sure we are meeting the mental health needs of our students.
  • Public Act 102-0321 (Senate Bill 1577) amends the compulsory attendance article of the School Code by allowing students to take up to five mental or behavioral health days per year.A student is not required to provide medical note and must be given the opportunity to make any schoolwork missed during such absences.Following the second mental health day, a student may be referred to the appropriate school personnel.

Community Involvement

  • The district cafeteria administrator shall be charged with the operational responsibility for ensuring that each school meets the local wellness policy requirements.
  • The district cafeteria administrator shall appoint a district wellness team/council that includes parents, students, and representatives of the school food authority, the school board, school administrators, and the public to oversee development, implementation and evaluation of the wellness policy.In addition, it is recommended that the district cafeteria administrator also appoints teachers (including preschool-grade 12, family and consumer science, physical education and health educators) and health professionals (school nurse, physician, dietitian, etc.) as members of the team/council.
  • The terms of district wellness team/council members shall be staggered for continuity.
  • The district shall provide the students with nutritional information which can be taken home and shared with family.
  • The district will work with city officials and community members in providing physical activity opportunities.
  • Appointed community members will be involved in forming, implementing, and evaluating the Wellness Policy.
  • The principal of each campus shall be responsible for implementation of the local wellness policy and shall appoint a school-based evaluation team to develop and implement an annual evaluation plan.
  • The appointed district wellness team shall be responsible for: 

*development and implementing a wellness policy                                                   *assessing, measuring, and evaluating the wellness policy
*presenting the wellness policy to the school board for approval
*measuring the implementation of the wellness policy; and
*recommending revision of the policy, as necessary

  • The wellness team shall report to the superintendent and board annually on the progress of the wellness team and the status of compliance by the campuses.

    Parent Partnerships

  • Schools shall support parents’ efforts to provide a healthy diet and daily physical activity for their children.This support shall begin in elementary school and continue through middle and high school.
  • Parents shall be provided information to help them incorporate healthy eating and physical activity into their student’s lives.This information may be provided in the form of handouts, postings on the school/website, information provided in school/district newsletters, presentations that focus on nutrition and healthy lifestyles and any other appropriate means available for reaching parents.

Guidelines for School Meals

  • School meals served shall be consistent with the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and/or shall meet, at a minimum, the nutrition requirements and regulations for the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program and all applicable state and local laws and regulations.

     

    School Breakfast and Lunch Program Act (P.A. 102-0861)

  • This amendment to the School Breakfast and Lunch Program Act requires that school districts provide a plant-based school lunch option that aligns with federal nutritional mandates to students who submit a prior request for such an option.

    Nutrition Guidelines For All Foods And Beverages Available On School Campuses During The School Day

  • Food providers shall offer a variety of age-appropriate, appealing foods and beverage choices and employ feed preparation, purchasing and meal planning practices consistent with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans (e.g. provide a variety of fruits and vegetable choices; serve low-fat and fat-free dairy products; ensure that whole grain products are served).
  • All foods and beverages sold individually (apart from the reimbursable school meal) on school campuses during the school day shall meet nutrition standards. This includes:

*a la carte offerings in the food service program

*food and beverage choices in vending machines, snack bars, school stores

*foods and beverages sold as part of school-sponsored fundraising activities.

  • Nutritious and appealing foods and beverages, such as fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy foods and whole grain products, shall be available wherever and whenever food is sold or otherwise offered at school.

    Latex Glove Ban Act (P.A. 102-0638)

  • This Public Act creates the Latex Glove Ban Act, which requires that food service establishments, including schools, prohibit employees from using latex gloves when preparing or handling food.This ban goes into effect on January 1, 2023.Should latex gloves be used due to the food service establishment’s inability to provide non-latex gloves, a sign must be clearly placed where food is ordered or purchased notifying the public of the temporary change.Under the Act, the Department of Public Health must send a warning notice to food service establishments who are not in compliance with the Act.Additionally, EMS personnel are not permitted to use latex gloves on or after January 1, 2023, and health care facility personnel are not permitted to use latex gloves beginning on January 1, 2024 if the patient upon whom the gloves are to be used is unconscious or unable to communicate and whose medical history lacks sufficient information to indicate whether the patient has a latex allergy.However, should a crisis occur limiting the ability to source non-latex gloves, these personnel are permitted to use latex gloves if necessary but must prioritize use of non-latex gloves for treating specific patients.

    Caffeine

    Elementary and Middle School:  Foods and beverages must be caffeine-free, with the exception of trace amounts of naturally occurring caffeine substances.  The Elementary and Middle Schools in Edwards County CUSD #1 do not have access to any soda machines during the school hours.

    High Schools:  No caffeine restrictions.  The Edwards County High School is in compliance with the soda restrictions that are set-forth from ISBE.

    High Schools Only:

    Calorie Free beverages maximum serving size 20oz.

    Lower-Calorie Beverages Maximum Serving Size 12 fluid ounces.

  • Up to 60 calories per 12 fluid ounces; or
  • Up to 40 calories per 8 fluid ounces

 

Exempted Fundraising Days

  • Exempted fundraising days are prohibited in participating schools with grades 12 and below.
  • The provisions of this do not apply to fundraisers on the school campus that would be intended to be consumed at home (i.e. frozen cookie dough, pies, market day, etc).
  • The standards would not apply to items sold during non-school hours (concessions during sporting events, weekends, or off-campus fundraising events.

Record Keeping & Monitoring

Record Keeping

  • LEA’s and SFA’s maintain records such as receipts, nutrition labels and product specifications.
  • SFA’s maintain records for foods and beverages sold outside of the federal meal programs under nonprofit school food service account.
  • LEA’s maintain records for all other food and beverages sales.

Monitoring and Compliance

  • State agencies will monitor compliance with the standards through a review of LEA records as part of the State agency administrative review process.
  • If violations have occurred, technical assistance and corrective action plans would be required.

Procedures for Reviewing, Approving, or Denying Requests:

  • The sponsor of the club/class will fill out the form: “Request for Food Fundraiser”.
  • Once the request has been made the building administrator will review the fundraiser request and approve the dates.
  • The building administrator will collaborate with the District’s Cafeteria Administrator and make sure all fundraising items are in compliance with our local school policy and state guidelines.
  • If any food fundraising item is to be sold during the school campus hours the items will need clearance from the District’s Cafeteria Administrator to make sure the items to be sold would be in compliance of the Districts Wellness Policy.