JL - Wellness Policy
STUDENT WELLNESS
The Acton School Committee recognizes that student wellness and good nutrition are related to students’ physical and psychological well-being and their readiness to learn. The School Committee is committed to providing a school environment that supports student wellness, healthy food choices, nutrition education, and regular physical activity. The School Committee 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
Acton School Department will ensure that meals provided by its Food Services Program meet the nutrition standards established by federal regulations. Sales of foods and beverages that compete with the total food service program and are sold during the school day must be in compliance with the Smart Snack regulations.
Assurance
This policy serves as assurance that Acton School Department 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.
Nutrition Education
Nutrition education will be integrated into the instructional program through the health education program and/or the curriculum as aligned with the content standards of Maine’s system of Learning Results. Nutrition education should focus on skills students need to adopt and maintain healthy eating behaviors. Students should receive consistent nutrition messages throughout the school, including classrooms, cafeteria, and school-home communications.
Nutrition Promotion
Acton School Department will support healthy eating by students and encourage parents/guardians to provide healthy meals for their children by providing consistent nutrition messages and information and by cooperating with other agencies and organizations.
Other Food Available at School
The foods and beverages sold outside of school meal programs (i.e., “competitive” foods and beverages) will meet the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards, at a minimum.
All foods offered on the school campus will meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards. Exemptions may be allowed at the discretion of the school principal, but shall not exceed more than one exemption per class.
Physical Activity
Acton School Department will strive to provide all students developmentally appropriate opportunities for physical activity through physical education classes, recess periods for elementary school students, and extracurricular activities (clubs, intramural and interscholastic athletics). School programs are intended to build and maintain physical fitness and to promote healthy lifestyles. Acton School Department will encourage parents to support their children’s participation in physical activities, including making available before and after school programs.
Other School-Based Wellness Activities
Acton School Department, with prior approval of the Superintendent/designee, may implement other appropriate programs that support consistent wellness messages and promote healthy eating and physical activity.
The School Committee may approve policy regulations or guidelines for refreshments served at parties or celebrations during the school day or for food as rewards, or may delegate the responsibility for such regulations or guidelines to administrators at Acton School Department.
Acton School Department may develop programs that encourage staff to learn and engage in healthy lifestyle practices.
Implementation and Monitoring
The Superintendent/designee shall be responsible for the oversight of implementation of the wellness policy in Acton School Department, for monitoring efforts in Acton School Department to meet the intent of this policy and achieve wellness goals, and for reporting to the School Committee on an annual basis. Monitoring may include surveys or solicitation of input from students, parents, staff, and school administrators.
Reports may include, but are not limited to:
A. The status of the school environment in regard to student wellness issues
B. Evaluation of the school food services program and compliance with nutrition
guidelines
C. Summary of wellness programs and activities in the schools
D. Feedback from students, parents, staff, school administrators and wellness
committee, including suggestions for improvement in specific areas
E. Recommendations for policy and/or program revisions
Acton School Department will publicly disseminate information about school wellness activities, healthy eating and school nutrition, and the results of wellness program evaluations/monitoring on Acton School Department’s wellness policy implementation efforts on Acton School Department’s website, in the student handbook, or by other means, as appropriate.
The School Committee will review the wellness policy every two years to set or revise goals.
Compliance with the wellness policy;
b. How the wellness policy compares to model wellness policies;
c. Progress made in attaining the goals of the wellness policy.
Appointment and Role of the Wellness Committee
The Superintendent or designee shall appoint a school-wide wellness committee comprised of at least one of each of the following:
A. School nurse and/or other school health professional;
B. Physical education teacher;
C. School administrator;
D. Food Services Director/designee;
E. Any others as need (student/parent);
F. School Committee Member
The Wellness Committee may also include:
A. School nurse and/or other school health professional;
B. Physical education teacher;
C. Guidance counselor;
D. Social worker;
E. Community organization or agency representative;
F. Other staff, as designated by the School Committee; and/or
G. Other persons, as designated by the School Committee.
The Wellness Committee shall 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.
Upon request, the Wellness Committee shall provide reports to the Superintendent/ designee and to the School Committee.
Wellness Goals
The School Committee has identified the following goals associated with student wellness:
Goals for Nutrition Education
Acton School Department will provide nutrition education that focuses on the skills students need to adopt and maintain healthy eating behaviors.
Acton School’s nutrition education will be provided in a sequential, comprehensive health education program aligned with State and or national standards.
Nutrition education will be integrated into other subjects as appropriate to complement, not replace, the health education program.
Acton School Department will provide foods that meet or exceed the federal nutrition standards, adequate time for students to obtain food and eat lunch scheduled at appropriate hours of the day (OR: as close to the middle of the school day as possible), adequate space to eat, and a clean and safe meal environment.
Appropriate professional development will be provided for food services staff.
Goals for Nutrition Promotion
Acton School staff will cooperate with agencies and community organizations to provide opportunities for nutrition-related student projects and learning experiences.
Consistent nutrition messages will be disseminated throughout Acton School Department in the classroom, the cafeteria, and school-home communications.
Administrators and staff will be encouraged to model nutritious food choices and eating habits.
Acton School will encourage parents/guardians to provide healthy meals and snacks for their children though take-home materials or other means.
Students will have access to clean and safe drinking water throughout the school day and during school activities.
Acton School will promote consumption of water as an essential element in maintaining overall health and wellness.
Goals for Physical Activity
The physical education program will provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to be physically fit and take part in healthful physical activity on a regular basis.
Students will develop motor skills and apply them to enhance their coordination and physical performance.
Students will demonstrate responsible personal and social behaviors in physical activity settings.
The physical education curriculum will be aligned with State and or national standards.
Physical education classes will keep all students involved in purposeful activity for a majority of each class period.
Physical education classes will provide opportunities to learn for students of all abilities.
Acton School Department will provide a physical and social environment that encourages safe and enjoyable physical activity and fosters the development of a positive attitude toward health and fitness.
Acton School Department will provide facilities adequate to implement the physical education curriculum for the number of students served.
Acton School Department will promote efforts to provide opportunities for students to engage in age-appropriate activities on most days of the week in both school and community settings.
Acton School Department will provide opportunities for physical activity through a variety of before- and/or after-school programs including, but not limited to, intramural sports, interscholastic athletics, and physical activity clubs.
Appropriate professional development will be provided for physical education staff and other staff involved in the delivery of such programs.
Goals for Other School-Based Activities
Goals of the wellness policy will be considered when planning school or classroom parties, celebrations or events.
Parents will be encouraged to provide nutritionally sound snacks from home and food for classroom parties or events.
Acton School Department will encourage maximum participation in school meal programs.
Acton School Department will encourage parents and students to take advantage of developmentally appropriate community-based after-school programs that emphasize physical activity.
Acton School Department will encourage parents to support their children’s participation in physical activity, to be physically active role models, and to include physical activity in family events.
As feasible, school physical activity facilities will be made available after school hours for student, parent and community use to encourage participation in physical activity.
School administrators, staff, parents, students and community members will be encouraged to serve as role models in practicing healthy eating and being physically active, both in the school environment and at home.
Student organizations will be encouraged to engage in fundraising projects that are supportive of healthy eating and student wellness.
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 comply with the federal Smart Snack guidelines.
Acton School Department are encouraged to cooperate with agencies and community organizations to support programs that contribute to good nutrition and physical activity.
Legal Reference: 42 U.S.C. § 1751
Policy Reference: EFE Competitive Food Sales - Sales of food in competition with the
school food service program.
Adopted: June 13, 2017
Revised: April 13th, 2023