563 - Wellness Policy

The Board promotes healthy students by supporting wellness, good nutrition, and regular physical activity as a part of the total learning environment.  The District supports a healthy environment where students learn and participate in positive dietary and lifestyle practices.  By facilitating learning through the support and promotion of good nutrition and physical activity, schools contribute to the basic health status of students.  Improved health optimizes student performance potential.

The District provides a comprehensive learning environment for developing and practicing lifelong wellness behaviors.  The entire school environment, not just the classroom, shall be aligned with healthy District goals to positively influence a student's understanding, beliefs, and habits as they relate to good nutrition and regular physical activity. 

The District supports and promotes proper dietary habits contributing to students' health status and academic performance.  The District shall have foods available on school grounds and at school-sponsored activities during the instructional day that meet or exceed the District nutrition standards.  Foods should be served with consideration toward nutritional integrity, variety, appeal, taste, safety, and packaging to ensure high-quality meals. 

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 meals. Toward this end, the District may utilize electronic identification and payment systems.

The District will develop a local wellness policy committee comprised of representatives of the Board, parents, leaders in food/exercise authority, and employees.  The local wellness policy committee will develop a plan to implement and measure the local wellness policy and monitor the effectiveness of the policy.  The committee will designate an individual to monitor implementation and evaluation the implementation of the policy.  The committee will report annually to the Board regarding the effectiveness of this policy.

The school district will identify at least one goal in each of the following areas:

• Nutrition Education and Promotion:  Schools will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that helps students develop lifelong healthy eating behaviors.
• Physical Activity: Schools will provide students with age and grade appropriate opportunities to engage in physical activity that meet the Iowa Healthy Kids Act.
• Other School Based Activities that Promote Wellness: As appropriate, schools will support students, staff, and parents’ efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

The nutrition guidelines for all foods available with the objective of promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity are available at the District Office.

Committee Make-up: Superintendent, Board Member, Parent, Food Service Director, Health/ Physical Education Teacher, School Nurse, and a Student 

 

REVIEWED: 11/18/2019 - APPROVED 12/03/2019

REVISED: 02/05/2021 – APPROVED 03/15/2021

REVISED: 11/20/2023