Wellness Policy

  • 8510 - HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROMOTION


    Additional Strategies for Consideration


    The Board of Education recognizes that good nutrition and regular physical activity affect the health and well-being of the students of the School District of Fort Atkinson. Furthermore, research suggests that there is a positive correlation between a student's health & well-being and their ability to learn. Moreover, schools can play an important role in the developmental process by which students establish their health and nutrition habits by providing nutritious meals and snacks through the District’s meal programs, by supporting the development of good eating habits, and by promoting increased physical activity both in and out of school. The School District of Fort Atkinson demonstrates this by:

    A. Supporting and promoting dietary habits, which contribute to student health and academic performance.

    B. Providing meals that meet or exceed federal and state standards.

    C. Providing opportunities for physical activity in school programs from Early Childhood through 12 Grade.

    D. Collaborating with parents and the community to support and promote nutrition and lifelong wellness habits.

    E. Supporting and promoting mental health awareness through collaboration with community partners.

    F. Encouraging abstinence from the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other illegal drugs.

    G. Evaluating the effectiveness of the policy in promoting wellness and healthy eating and updating and revising the policy as needed.


    Policy Leadership


    The designated official for oversight of the wellness policy is the Director of Business Services. The official shall convene the Wellness Committee and lead the review, updating, and evaluation of the policy.

    To assist in the creation of a healthy school environment, the District shall establish a Wellness Committee that will provide an ongoing review and evaluation of the Health and Wellness Promotion Policy. The District shall invite a diverse group of stakeholders to participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the health and wellness promotion policy.


    Nutrition Standards for All Foods

    The District is committed to serving healthy meals to our students. The school meal programs aim to improve the diet and health of school children, model healthy eating patterns, and support healthy choices while accommodating cultural food preferences and special dietary needs.


    A. Standards and Guidelines for School Meals


    The District is committed to ensuring that:

    All meals meet or exceed current nutrition requirements established under the Healthy Hunger-free Kids Act of 2010 (https://www.fns.usda.gov/nslp/national-school-lunch-program-meal-pattern-chart)


    B. Foods and Beverages Sold Outside of the School Meals Program

    1. All food and beverages sold and served outside of the school meal programs (“competitive” foods and beverages) shall, at a minimum, meet the standards established in USDA’s Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in Schools (Smart Snacks) rule. The standards are available at http://www.fns.usda.gov/healthierschoolday/tools-schools-focusing-smart-snacks.
    2. Foods and beverages that meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks standards may be sold through fundraisers during the school day. No restrictions are placed on the sale of food/beverage items sold outside of the school day. Exemptions for fundraisers during the school day will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the building administrator.

    C. Marketing

    Schools may only allow for food and beverage products that meet the Smart Snacks standards to be marketed/advertised.

    D. Foods Provided but Not Sold

    The District encourages foods offered on the school campus meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards including those provided at celebrations and parties and classroom snacks brought by staff or family members. Non-food celebrations will be promoted and a list of ideas is available to staff and family members.

    E. Nutrition Education

    Schools shall provide nutrition education that helps students develop lifelong healthy eating behaviors.

    F. Nutrition Promotion

    School nutrition services shall use the Smarter Lunchroom Self-Assessment Scorecard to determine ways to improve the school meals environment.

    G. Physical Activity

    The District shall provide students with age and grade appropriate opportunities to engage in physical activity.

    Physical Education

    1. All-District elementary students in each grade shall have physical education a minimum of three times per
      week.

         2. All-District middle school students are required to take the equivalent of one academic year of physical education.

         3. All-District high school students are required to receive 1.5 credits of physical education prior to graduation.

    Other School-Based Activities that Promote Wellness

    As appropriate, schools shall support students and staff efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle, including supporting and promoting mental health awareness.

    A. Staff Wellness

    The District will encourage participation in activities to promote healthy eating, physical activity, and mental health among school staff.

    B. Community Engagement

    The District shall inform families and the public about the content of and any updates to the policy.

    Monitoring and Evaluation

    The Wellness Committee shall evaluate compliance with the Wellness Policy no less than once every three years. The assessment will include the extent to which each school is in compliance with the policy and how the policy compares to a model policy, as established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

    T.C. 7/27/23

    © Neola 2023
  • The SDFA Wellness Committee is composed of administrators, teachers, Fort Health staff and local community members. The members meet biannually to discuss and evaluate the effectiveness of the Wellness Policy. If you are interested in participating in this committee, please contact:
     
    Nathan Knitt, Director of Business Services at knittn@fortschools.org
    or 
    Keith VanGilder, Director of Nutrition Services at vangilderk@fortschools.org