BRIGGS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT WELLNESS POLICY

Board Policy: #5030

Student Wellness

The Governing Board believes that good health fosters student achievement and student attendance. Thus, the Governing Board is committed to providing a school environment that promotes and protects children’s health, well-being, and ability to learn. This environment will be achieved by teaching, supporting and modeling healthy eating habits and lifestyles; physical activity and physical education; and school safety. The Governing Board recognizes that the learning environment can influence the way in which children develop life-long eating, physical activity, and healthy lifestyle habits. The Governing Board further recognizes that children need access to healthful foods, opportunities to be physically active, and supported in a nurturing learning community in order to grow, learn, and thrive.

Wellness Policy Development and Review

The Governing Board believes that the participation of the community, school food service professionals, school administrators, physical education and health educators, staff, and students is essential. The process of policy development will reflect this standard established by model coordinated school health programs. The superintendent will appoint a committee consisting of representatives of the above group to review and monitor the implementation of the District Wellness Policy.

Wellness Policy Goals

The overall goal of the Wellness Policy is to encourage a healthy lifestyle and to discourage behaviors that can harm students’ well-being. The Board shall adopt goals for nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that are designed to promote student wellness. Nutrition and Nutrition Education The Board believes that foods and beverage available to students at district schools should support the health curriculum and promote optimal health. To the maximum extent practicable, the Briggs Elementary School District will participate in available federal school meal programs and meet the nutrition requirements established by state and federal agencies. (BP 3550 Child Nutrition Program; BP 3554 Free and Reduced Price Meals)

1. All students will have access to a variety of affordable, nutritious, and appealing foods that meet the health and nutrition needs of students.

2. All foods and beverages sold individually outside the reimbursable school meal programs (including those sold through a la carte [snack] lines, vending machines, student stores, or fundraising activities) during the school day, or through programs for students after the school day, will meet the following nutrition and portion size standards:

Beverages

Water without added caloric sweeteners

Fruit and vegetable juices and fruit-based drinks that contain at least 50% fruit juice and that do not contain additional caloric sweeteners

Unflavored or flavored low-fat or fat-free fluid milk and nutritionally equivalent nondairy beverages (to be defined by USDA)

Electrolyte replacement beverages (EC 49431.5)

Foods

Will have no more than 35% of its calories from fat (excluding nuts, seeds, peanut butter, and other nut butters) and 10% of its calories from saturated fat

Will have no more than 35% of its weight from added sugars Lower sodium food and beverage choices will be sold

During meal periods, a choice of at least two fruits and/or non-fried vegetables will be offered for sale at any school site where foods are sold. Such items could include, but are not limited to, fresh fruits and vegetables; 100% fruit or vegetable juice; fruit-based drinks that are at least 50% fruit juice and that do not contain additional caloric sweeteners; cooked, dried, or canned fruits (canned in fruit juice or light syrup); and cooked, dried, or canned vegetables (that meet the above fat and sodium guidelines)

Individually sold dairy items and whole grain food items may be sold, provided they meet the 35/10/35 guidelines and do not exceed 175 calories per individual food serving (EC 49431).

Portion Sizes

Limit portion sizes of foods and beverages sold individually to single serving. Super-size portions will be discouraged.

3. The school nutrition program will accommodate the diversity of the student body in meal planning; and will provide clean, safe, and pleasant settings and adequate time for students to eat.

4. The District will make every effort to eliminate any social stigma attached to, and prevent the overt identification of, students who are eligible for free and reduced-price school meals. There will be no identifying lines or other system to separate paying and non-paying students

5. All food and beverages that are sold for the purpose of fundraising or other activities during the school day shall meet all nutrition guidelines for food and beverage available outside the school meal program. (BP 3554 Other Food Sales)

6. Any food or beverages that do not meet the nutrition standards may be sold by pupils if the sale takes place after the end of the school day.

7. The District will encourage healthy food and beverage products at all schoolsponsored events.

8. The District will encourage all school-based organizations to use nonfood items for fundraising.

9. School staff will be encouraged to avoid the use of non-nutritious foods as a reward for students’ academic performance, accomplishments, or classroom behavior.

10. School staff shall encourage parents/guardians or other volunteers to support the district’s nutrition education program by considering nutritional quality when selecting any snack, which may be donated.

11. Celebrations and parties that involve food during the school day shall be limited to no more than one event per class per month. Each event should include no more than one food or beverage that does not meet the nutrition guidelines.

12. The district’s nutrition education program shall be based on the California Framework for Health Education.

13. Nutrition education shall be provided through health education programs in grade spans K-4 and 5-8. The District’s nutrition education and physical education programs shall be based on and consistent with the California Department of Education curriculum and framework and standards for the subject. .

Physical Activity and Physical Education - All students in grades K-8 will have opportunities, support, and encouragement to be physically active on a regular basis. Opportunities for moderate to vigorous physical activity shall be provided through physical education, recess, school athletic programs, extracurricular programs and other activates.

1. Classroom health education will complement physical education by reinforcing the knowledge and self-management skills needed to maintain a physically active lifestyle and to reduce time spent on sedentary activities, such as watching television.

2. Opportunities for physical activity will be encouraged to be incorporated into other subject lessons

3. All students will have at least twenty minutes a day of supervised recess, preferably outdoors, during which they will be encouraged to participate in moderate to vigorous physical activity.

4. Extended periods of inactivity will be discouraged. When activities, such as mandatory school-wide testing, make it necessary for students to remain indoors for long periods of time, school staff will give students periodic breaks during which they are encouraged to stand and be moderately active.

5. Teachers and other school personnel will not use physical activity for punishment.

6. All students will participate in a planned sequential program of curricula and instruction that helps students develop the knowledge, skills and confidence necessary for an active lifestyle. At least 50 percent of physical education instructional time will be spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity.

Positive and Safe School Environment

The Briggs Elementary School District Governing Board desires a learning community that welcomes, supports, and encourages its members to lead healthy, successful lives. The Governing Board recognizes that it is not always practicable or possible to have nurses, psychologists, and counselors on site to address mental health issues. However, it is the district’s goal to identify and access resources that are responsive to its members’ needs.

1. Briggs Elementary School District has established rules and procedures concerning safety for students and will communicate these to students on a regular basis and to parents in the Student Parent Handbook.

2. Appropriate school personnel will be trained on emergency response procedures, basic first aid, CPR as required and on administering medications that students are required to take during school hours.

3. School personnel will monitor and maintain equipment used for physical activities.

4. School personnel will monitor weather and air quality and use this data to make decisions about student participation in outdoor physical activities.

5. The school will maintain a Comprehensive School Safety Plan that will address multiple aspects of student safety and a safe school environment.

Staff Wellness

Briggs Elementary School District values the health and well being of every staff member and encourages all staff to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Briggs Elementary School District encourages all staff members to model a healthy lifestyle for its students.

Communication with Parents

Briggs Elementary School will support parents’ efforts to provide a healthy diet and daily physical activity for their children. Briggs Elementary School will support parents’ efforts by sending home nutrition information, posting nutrition tips on websites and in bulletins, and providing nutrient analyses of school menus. Briggs Elementary School District will encourage parents to pack healthy lunches and snacks and to refrain from including beverages and foods that do not meet the nutrition standards for individual foods and beverages. The school will provide parents a list of foods that meet the district’s snack standards and ideas for healthy celebrations/parties, rewards, and fundraising activities. Briggs Elementary School District will provide information about physical education and other school-based physical activity opportunities before, during, and after the school day; and support parents’ efforts to provide their children with opportunities to be physically active outside of school. Such supports will include sharing information about physical activity and physical education through a website, newsletter, or other take home materials and special events.

Policy Review and Accountability

The superintendent and the School Site Council will periodically review and revise the Student Wellness Policy to ensure that it supports healthy eating, physical activity, and student wellness and that it is based on the best available research in the area of student wellness. The superintendent or designee will ensure compliance with established district-wide nutrition and physical activity wellness policies.

School food service staff will ensure compliance with nutrition policies within the school food service program and will report on this matter to the superintendent.

To ensure that nutrition goals are addressed and healthy nutrition is encouraged the following data will be reviewed: 

1. Analysis of the nutritional content of meals served

2. Student participation in school meal program

3. Snack and beverage sales outside of meal program

4. Food sales as fundraisers or activities outside of district meal program

To ensure physical activity goals are addressed the following data will be reviewed: 

1. Scheduled physical education classes

2. Assessment results for Grades 5 and 7

3. School and classroom discipline programs

To ensure school safety and climate goals are addressed, the following data will be reviewed: 

1. Safety Committee Minutes

2. Report of suspension and expulsion

3. Attendance and accident reports

The Superintendent shall report to the Board at least every two years on the implementation of this policy and any other Board policy related to nutrition and physical activity.