To implement the Wellness Policy, the following district specific goals have been established:
Goal 1 – Nutrition Education and Promotion: Schools will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that help students develop lifelong healthy eating behaviors. The goal(s) for addressing nutrition education and nutrition promotion include the following:
- Provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect their health;
- Include enjoyable, developmentally-appropriate, culturally-relevant, and participatory activities, such as cooking demonstrations or lessons, promotions, taste-testing, farm visits, and school gardens;
- Promote fruits, vegetables, whole-grain products, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, and healthy foods; and
- Include nutrition education training for teachers and other staff.
Goal 2 – Physical Activity: Schools will provide students and staff with age and grade appropriate opportunities to engage in physical activity that meet federal and state guidelines, including the Iowa Healthy Kids Act. The goal(s) for addressing physical activity include the following:
- Develop a comprehensive, school-based physical activity program (CSPAP), that includes the following components:
- Physical education, recess;
- Classroom-based physical activity;
- Walk to school; and
- Out of school time activities;
- Promote the benefits of a physically active lifestyle and help students develop skills to engage in lifelong healthy habits;
- Engage students in moderate to vigorous activity during at least 50 percent of physical education class time;
- Ensure physical activity is not used for or withheld as a punishment; and
- Afford elementary students with recess according to the following:
- At least 20 minutes a day;
- Outdoors as weather and time permits;
- Encourages moderate to vigorous physical activity.
Goal 3 – Other School-Based Activities that Promote Student Wellness: Schools will support student, staff, and parents’ efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle, as appropriate. The goal(s) for addressing other school-based activities that promote student wellness include the following:
- Provide parents a list of foods and beverages that meet nutrition standards for classroom snacks and celebrations;
- Develop a plan to promote staff health and wellness;
- Engage students and parents, through taste-tests of new school meal items and surveys to identify new, healthful, and appealing food choices;
- Permit students to bring and carry water bottles filled with water throughout the day;
- Make drinking water available where school meals are served during mealtimes; and
- Discourage students from sharing foods or beverages during meal or snack times, given concerns about allergies and dietary needs.
Public Involvement: There is a process for permitting parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, teachers of physical education, school health professionals, the school board, administrators and the public to participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the policy.
- The district has a local wellness policy committee to advise the district on the development, implementation, and improvement of the school wellness policy; and
- The superintendent or superintendent’s designee invites suggestions or comments concerning the development, implementation, and improvement of the school wellness policy. As such, interested persons are encouraged to contact the superintendent or superintendent’s designee.
