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 issues. 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 may be 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:
● Schools will use nontraditional breakfast service to increase participation, such as breakfast served in the classroom.
● 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.
● Food served in the cafeteria will meet all Smart Snack Guidelines and no competitive food sales will occur during the school day.
● Nutrition information will be made available to students and families.
Parents will be notified of the availability of breakfast, lunch and summer food programs and encouraged to determine their eligibility for reduced or free meals. Meal benefit applications will be mailed 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. Student’s will be served a reimbursable meal of their choice regardless of account balance.
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.
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.
● Have a closed campus policy. Do not provide permission for students to leave for the purpose of obtaining lunch.
● 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.
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: The Smart Snacks nutrition standards do not apply to the culinary education programs’ curriculum, nor do they have any impacts on foods sold to adults at any time or to students outside of the school day. However, if the culinary education program sells food to students on campus during the school day, it must comply with the Smart Snacks nutrition standards.
Food as Reward: In order to reinforce nutrition education and establish healthy attitudes toward eating, staff are discouraged from using 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 should meet USDA Smart Snack Standards. Notices shall be sent to parents/guardians either separately or as part of a school newsletter, reminding them of the necessity of providing healthy treats for students and/or encouraging the use of non-food treats for classroom birthday or award celebrations.
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: Student organizations will be encouraged to engage in fundraising projects that are supportive of healthy eating and student wellness. If food items are sold they should meet the MSAD 60 nutrition standards.
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- high school 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.
Physical Activity
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 will have at least 20 minutes each day for supervised recess, preferably outdoors, during which school personnel should encourage moderate to vigorous physical activity.
MSAD 60 strongly discourages the use of physical activity (i.e. running laps, push-ups or withholding recess and physical education) as punishment. The use of physical activity, such as extra recess and activity break 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.
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 make 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 and Communication
The Superintendent/designee shall oversee implementation of this policy. 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.
Appointment and Role of the Wellness Committee
The Board shall appoint a district-wide Wellness Committee that represents all school levels and will be comprised of the following:
A. Board Member
B. School Administrator
C. School Nutrition Director or designee
D. Student Representative
E. Parent Representative
F. Community Representative
G. Health and Counseling Services
H. School Nurse
I. Physical Education Teachers
The Wellness Committee shall meet at least 3 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
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Amended: September 24, 2009
Revised: May 15, 2014
Revised: July 24,2017
Revised: February 2, 2022