Policy 6702
WellnessThe board recognizes that a healthy school environment prepares students for college, careers, and successful futures. Students who engage in regular exercise are more likely to learn in the classroom. The board supports the district’s increased emphasis on health, physical education, and physical activity at all grade levels to enhance the well-being of the district’s students. Therefore, it is the policy of the board to emphasize health education and physical education and provide students with opportunities for physical activity.
Wellness Policy
The district, through a wellness committee, will develop and implement a comprehensive wellness policy in compliance with state and federal requirements for districts participating in the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards. The district’s comprehensive policy is below.
All schools, as a best practice and subject to available funding, will participate in a multi-component approach by which schools use all opportunities for students to be physically active, such as the Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and will provide the following:
- Quality physical education;
- Physical activity during the school day (e.g., brain boosters/energizers);
- Physical activity before and after school;
- Recess that aims to be safe, inclusive, and high quality;
- Family and community engagement;
- Staff wellness and health promotion;
- Opportunities for active transportation to school; and
- Access to school district facilities for physical activity, fitness, sports, and recreation programs.
THE DISTRICT’S COMPREHENSIVE WELLNESS POLICY as Adopted July 24, 2018
Whereas children need access to healthful foods, opportunities to be physically active and access to social and emotional learning in order to grow, learn and thrive, the La Center School District is committed to providing school environments that promote and protect student health and well-being. Therefore, it is the policy of the La Center School District to provide health and nutrition education, physical education and social and emotional education to foster healthy lifelong habits.
- District Wellness Committee
The District will develop, implement, monitor, review, and as necessary, revise the District wellness policy. The District will engage students, parents, teachers, food service professionals, health professionals, and other community members in developing, implementing, monitoring, and reviewing the District-wide wellness policy. The wellness committee will serve as a resource to schools for implementing the wellness policy.
- Nutritional Quality of Foods and Beverages Sold and Served on Campus
School Meals
Qualified child nutrition professionals will provide students with access to a variety of affordable, nutritious foods. Students will be provided clean and pleasant settings and adequate time to eat. Meals served through the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs will provide assurances that all school meals meet or exceed standard nutrition requirements established by local, state and federal statutes and regulations.
Snacks, Rewards, and Celebrations
Healthy kids learn better. To provide the best possible learning environment that supports healthy behavior, schools will make efforts to provide healthy options for students.
III. Nutrition Education and Food Marketing
La Center School District aims to teach, encourage, and support healthy eating for students and will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion to students of all ages. The District will support parents’ efforts to provide a healthy diet for their children. Parents are encouraged to purchase school lunches or pack healthy lunches and snacks for their children. Parents are also encouraged to serve their students breakfast at home or purchase breakfast at school.
School-based marketing of foods will be consistent with nutrition education and health promotion.
- Physical Activity Opportunities and Physical Education
Daily physical activity is essential in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The District will support efforts to promote physical activity. All students will have opportunities, support, and encouragement to be physically active on a regular basis.
- Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
It is the goal of La Center School District to equip our students with the ability to acquire and apply the awareness, attitudes, knowledge, and skills to understand and manage their emotions, build and maintain healthy relationships, set goals, and make responsible decisions.
- Monitoring and Policy Review
Monitoring
The superintendent or designee will ensure compliance with established District-wide wellness policies. In each school, the principal or designee will ensure compliance with those policies in his/her school and will report on the school’s compliance to the school District superintendent or designee. The District will survey students and community members when appropriate on the implementation of the wellness policy and procedure.
School food service staff, at the school or District level, will ensure compliance with nutrition policies within school food service areas and will report on this matter to the superintendent. In addition, the school District will report on the most recent USDA School Meals Initiative (SMI) review findings and any resulting changes. If the District has not received an SMI review from the state agency within the past five years, the District will request from the state agency that an SMI review be scheduled as soon as possible.
The superintendent or designee will develop a summary report every three years on District-wide compliance with the District’s established wellness policy based on input from schools within the District. That report will be provided to the school board and the school wellness committee, school principals, and school health services personnel in the District.
Policy Review
To help with the initial development of the District’s wellness policy, each school in the District will conduct a baseline assessment of the school’s existing nutrition, physical activity and social-emotional current practices. The results of those school-by-school assessments will be compiled to identify and prioritize needs.
Assessments will be repeated every three years to help review policy compliance, assess progress, and determine areas in need of improvement. As part of that review, the school District will review nutrition, physical activity, and social-emotional program elements. The District and individual schools within the District will help revise the wellness policy and develop work plans to facilitate its implementation if necessary.
References: RCW 28A.210.360 Model policy on access to nutritious foods and developmentally appropriate exercise- School District Policies
Addressing Social Emotional Learning in Washington’s K-12 Public Schools
Cross References: 2124 – Physical Education and Health Class
4260 – Use of School Facilities
6700 Nutrition
6701 Recess and Physical Activity
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Legal References: |
RCW 28A.210.365 Food choice, physical activity, childhood fitness – Minimum standards – District waiver or exemption policy |
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2 CFR Part 200 – Procurement |
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7 CFR, Parts 210 and 220 |
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7 CFR, Part 245.5 |
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Management Resources: |
2024 – March |
Originally adopted as part of Policy 6700 July 24, 2018
Classification: Essential
Adoption Date: June 25, 2024