JL

NEPN/NSBA Code: JL

MSAD 60 Wellness Policy on Physical Activity and Nutrition

The health of children is of the utmost importance to the future of our society. Healthy eating and daily physical activity can improve academic performance, attendance, mood, alertness, and behavior. MSAD 60 is committed to providing a school environment that supports student wellness, healthy food choices, nutrition education, and regular physical activity. MSAD 60 believes that students who learn and practice healthy lifestyles in their formative years are more likely to be conscious of the importance of good nutrition and exercise as adults, practice healthy habits, and reduce their risk of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.

Nutrition Standards

MSAD 60 will provide the School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch program through the USDA. Meals served through the district’s School Nutrition Program shall comply with national school lunch and/or breakfast standards for meal patterns, nutrient levels, calorie requirements for the ages/grade levels served as specified in 7 CFR 210.10 or 220.8, as applicable. The district will use the following best practices and requirements to ensure a quality program for students

Free drinking water is always available during mealtimes and throughout the school day.

Food service lines will be structured with smarter lunchroom strategies in mind.

Local foods will be purchased when seasonally available.

Students and staff are encouraged to choose water or naturally flavored drinks and limit beverages with added sugar. All snacks and drinks will meet Smart Snack guidelines

Nutrition information will be made available to students and families.

Administrators are encouraged to use the following best practices concerning the scheduling of school meals:

Provide students with at least 20 minutes to eat after sitting down for lunch.

Schedule meal periods at appropriate times (e.g., lunch should be scheduled between 10:30 and 1 p.m.).

Do not schedule tutoring, club, or organizational meetings or activities during mealtimes, unless students may eat during such activities.

Schedule lunch periods to follow recess (in elementary schools). 

Provide access to students for hand washing or hand sanitizing before they eat meals or snacks. 

Privacy of Students

Parents will be notified of the availability of breakfast and lunch  food programs and encouraged to determine eligibility for reduced or free meals. Meal benefit applications will be emailed home to all families at the beginning of the school year. The application is also available on the district’s website. Schools will use electronic POS systems that protect a child’s eligibility status from staff and students. Students will not be overtly identified or shamed in any way regarding their account balance. Students will be served a reimbursable meal of their choice regardless of account balance.  

Staff Qualifications and Professional Development

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Professional Standards for State and local Nutrition Programs are followed to ensure that professional development in the area of food and nutrition is provided for food service directors, managers and staff. 

All school nutrition program directors, managers and staff will meet hiring and annual continuing education /training requirements in the USDA professional standards for Child Nutrition Professionals.  This school nutrition personnel will refer to USDA’s Professional Standards for School Nutrition Standards website to search for training that meets their learning needs.

Nutrition Education

Nutrition education topics will be integrated within the K-12 comprehensive health education curriculum.  Nutrition education will be aligned with the content standards of Maine’s system of Learning Results and federal learning objectives.  Nutrition Education should focus on skills students need to adopt and maintain healthy eating behaviors.  Students shall receive consistent nutrition messages throughout the schools, including classrooms, cafeteria, and home-school communication.  

Nutrition Environment

Competitive Foods and Beverages:  All foods and beverages sold on school grounds to students outside of reimbursable school meals are considered “competitive foods.”  Competitive foods include items sold a la carte in the cafeteria, from vending machines, school stores and for in-school fundraisers.  All competitive foods must comply with the USDA Smart Snacks in Schools Standards as well as all applicable state and federal standards.  

Culinary Education:  Culinary education will help to promote lifelong skills for a healthy nutrition balance.  

Food as Reward:  In order to reinforce nutrition education and establish healthy attitudes toward eating, staff  will not use food as reward or incentive for academic performance or good behavior and food will not be withheld for punishment. 

Classroom Celebrations:  Staff may conduct healthy school parties. All foods and beverages served as part of classroom activities or celebrations  must meet Smart Snack Standards.  To ensure all standards are met, staff are encouraged to order food for celebrations through the school nutrition program.  Notices shall be sent to parents/guardians either separately or as part of a school newsletter, informing them of the wellness policy guidelines. 

Due to concerns about food safety and food allergies, children will be recognized on their birthdays by being given special privileges, such as being line leader or teacher’s helper for the day.  No food will be brought into the classroom.

Food and Beverage Marketing:  School-based marketing of foods and beverages, such as through advertisements in school publications, school buildings, athletic fields, and other areas accessible to students shall support the goals of the wellness policy.

Fundraising:  Food items shall not be sold during school hours for the purpose of fundraising.  Student organizations will be encouraged to engage in fundraising projects that are supportive of healthy eating and student wellness.  

Assurance

This policy serves as assurance that MSAD 60 guidelines for reimbursable meals are not less restrictive than regulations and guidance issued by the Secretary of Agriculture pursuant to the National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act.

Physical Education  

MSAD 60 will offer K-12 physical education opportunities that include the components of a quality physical education program.  Physical education shall equip students with the knowledge, skills, and values necessary for lifelong physical activity.  The district discourages exemptions from PE due to taking other courses or training.  Physical education instruction is required to be taught by a certified teacher who is endorsed to teach physical education and is aligned with the national and state physical education standards.  

Time allotted for K- 12 physical education will be consistent with the state laws. 

Adaptive physical education is offered in order to meet the needs of all students.  

Health and Physical Education curriculum will be analyzed according to the District curriculum review schedule to determine if it is meeting the needs of students and following current recommended practice within the state.  

The school district shall provide all physical education teachers with annual professional development opportunities that are focused on physical education/physical activity topics and competencies specifically for physical education teachers. 

Physical Activity Environment

School programs are intended to build and maintain physical fitness and to promote healthy lifestyles. MSAD 60 will strive to provide all students developmentally appropriate opportunities for physical activity beyond physical education classes. 

The district shall have the opportunity for all K-12 students to participate in extracurricular physical activity through intramural and interscholastic sports programs that meet the needs, interests and abilities of all students.

All elementary school students shall have at least 20 minutes of physical activity each day.  “Physical activity” means unstructured recess, recreational classroom activity or structured physical education.    MSAD 60 does not allow the use of physical activity  as punishment. (i.e. running laps, push-ups or withholding recess and physical education).  A teacher may restrict a student from engaging in physical activity if the physical activity presents a danger to the student or others or if the restriction is consistent with the student's individualized education program. The use of physical activity, such as extra recess and activity breaks, is strongly recommended for use as a reward.  

The schools should encourage parents to support their children’s participation in physical activities, including available before- and after-school programs.

When scheduling allows, schools are encouraged to offer a second recess to provide additional opportunities for physical activity throughout the day, not solely as a reward

Wellness Promotion 

Students can learn healthy lifestyle habits by observing food and physical activity patterns of school personnel and other adults who serve as role models.  In order to send consistent messages to students, all adults in the school environment are encouraged to model healthy food choices and engage in physical activity. The district shall work through the District Wellness Team to find no and low cost ways to support and promote student and staff wellness. 

Implementation, Evaluation 

The Superintendent/designee shall be responsible for oversight of implementation of this policy.  In each school the building administrator or designee shall ensure compliance.  Every three years the district wellness committee will review the latest national recommendations pertaining to school health and will update the wellness policy accordingly.  A triennial progress report with information about each school’s wellness related activities will be posted on the district website.  The report will include an assessment on compliance, the extent to which our wellness policy compares to model wellness policies, and progress made in achieving goals. 

Communication

All schools shall promote the wellness policy to faculty, staff, parents, and students.  A copy shall be posted on each school’s website.  

Appointment and Role of the Wellness Committee

The Board shall appoint a district-wide Wellness Committee that represents all school levels and will permit the group to be comprised of:

-Board Member

-School Administrator

-School Nutrition Director or designee

-Student Representative

-Parent Representative

-Community Representative

-Health and Counseling Services

-School Nurse

-Physical Education Teachers

The Wellness Committee shall meet at least  2 times per year and serve as an advisory committee in regard to student wellness issues and will be responsible for making recommendations related to the wellness policy, wellness goals, administrative or school regulations and practices, or raising awareness of student health issues.

With the prior approval of the Superintendent/designee, the Wellness Committee may survey parents, students and the community and/or conduct focus groups or community forums.

The Wellness Committee shall provide periodic reports to the Superintendent/ designee and, as requested, to the Board.

Adopted: June 22, 2006

Amended: September 24, 2009

Revised: May 15, 2014

Revised: July 24,2017

Revised: February 3, 2022

Revised:         May 20, 2025