STUDENTS 5141.4

School Wellness Policy

The Manchester School District is committed to establishing a healthy learning environment that positively influences students' general well being, eating behaviors, physical capacity and learning ability to succeed academically. This commitment will provide all of Manchester's students with the ability to participate fully in the educational process and to develop lifelong healthy habits. A learning environment that fosters wellness and good nutrition will be promoted for all students and the district will provide students with a variety of opportunities for daily physical activity and help children and adolescents become more physically active and fit. By facilitating learning through the support and promotion of good nutrition and physical activity, student achievement is enhanced. Improved health optimizes student performance potential and ensures that all children have the opportunity to excel.

It is the goal of the Manchester School District to promote the students' physical, emotional, and social well being through a coordinated and comprehensive school health program. This includes providing a healthy physical and psychological environment, school nurse services, nutritious school meals, health education, Family and Consumer Science education and opportunities for physical education and activity. It is the intent of this policy to enable students to become independent and self-directed learners by taking initiative to meet their own health and nutritional needs as is developmentally and individually appropriate.

Federal Law:

Child Nutrition & WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, Pub .L. 108-265 & 204
Child Nutrition Act & 10(a)-(b), codified at 42 U.S.C. & 1799

Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act & 9(f)(1) and & 17(a) codified at
42 U.S.C. & 1758 and 42 U.S. C. & 1766.

Policy Adopted: May 22, 2006

STUDENTS

Health and Wellness Administrative Guidelines

The Manchester School District shall implement the following actions with the goal of providing sound nutrition and healthy practices for students.

The Manchester School District shall maintain a standing School Wellness committee that will meet biannually. The members shall include but not be limited to Assistant Superintendent of Schools - (Chair), parents, students, Food Service Director, Physical Education and Health Curriculum Coordinators, School Health Services Coordinator, a representative from the Town Health and Recreation Departments, Board of Education member, teacher(s), administrator(s).

1. Nutrition Education and Promotion

A. Instruction Program Design

The Health curriculum and Family and Consumer Sciences curriculum, emphasizing nutritional knowledge and healthy habits, shall be continually revised and updated to comply with state standards and mandates and ensure that instructional strategies reflect current best practice. Nutrition education topics shall be integrated within the sequential, comprehensive interdisciplinary program taught at every grade level, pre-kindergarten through twelfth. The nutrition education program shall focus on students' eating behaviors and be based on theories and methods proven to be effective by published research and be consistent with state's/district's health education standards/guidelines/framework.

B. Staff Qualifications and Professional Development for teachers

Staff responsible for nutrition education shall be adequately prepared (K-5) and certified
(6-12) to implement through best practice and through participation in professional
development activities.

C. Educational Reinforcement

Schools will collaborate with town agencies as appropriate to send a consistent message to the community about nutrition education.

D. Staff as Role Model

School staff is encouraged to model the components of the nutrition education curriculum.

E. Coordination of Programs

The food service program shall be closely coordinated with nutrition instruction.

STUDENTS

Health and Wellness Administrative Guidelines (2)

2. Physical Activity and Physical Education

A. Daily Physical Education

1. Physical Education classes and physical activity opportunities shall be available for all students throughout the school year.

2. The district will incrementally adjust the physical education opportunities for students
to meet the optimum level of instruction (150 minutes weekly for elementary, 225
minutes weekly for secondary) as recommended by the National Association of
Sport and Physical Education (NASPE.)

a. Students in grades four, six, eight and ten will participate in the Connecticut
Physical Fitness Assessment.
b. All physical education classes shall be sequential and aligned with the
Connecticut Physical Education Framework, competency through application of
knowledge, skill, and practice.
c. All physical education classes will be taught by a certified physical education instructor.
d. Student involvement in other activities involving physical activity will not be substituted for meeting the physical education requirement.

B. Wellness Breaks

The district will incrementally increase daily recess at the elementary schools from 15 minutes to 20 minutes per day.

C. Physical Activity Opportunities Before, During, and After School

1. Schools are encouraged to offer extracurricular programs, such as physical activity clubs or intramurals. When appropriate, schools will offer interscholastic sports programs (space availability).
2. After-school child -care and enrichment programs for elementary schools students will provide daily periods of moderate to vigorous physical activity for all participants (space availability).

D. Physical Activity and Punishment

Teachers and other school and community personnel should not use physical activity
(i.e. running laps, pushups) or withhold opportunities for physical activity (physical
education) as punishment.

Health and Wellness Administrative Guidelines (3)

E. Safe Routes to School

When appropriate, the district shall work together with local public works, public safety and/or police departments to make it safer and easier for students to walk and bike to school.

F. Incorporating Physical Activity into the Classroom

Opportunities beyond the regular physical education class and recess should be incorporated into the classroom as part of their learning or energizing breaks.

3. Nutrition Standards for School Foods and Beverages

A. Menu choices linked with nutrition education curriculum
1. Promote fresh fruits and vegetables.
2. Limit high fat choices.
3. Limit oil-fried foods.
4. Increase vegetarian choices.
5. Provide drink choices to include water, low-fat milk, flavored low-fat milk, skim milk and 100% juices in appropriate serving sizes.

B. Foods and beverages sold at school in the cafeteria, vending machines and school stores shall comply with USDA federal and state regulations.

C. School Food Services should recognize and reasonably accommodate individual
students' dietary concerns related to religious practices.

D. With appropriate medical documentation, modified meals shall be prepared for students with food allergies or other special dietary needs

E. Nutrition Practices in Classrooms

1. Beverage consumption in the classroom should be limited to water, 100% juice and milk.
2. Strongly encourage healthy snacks in appropriate portion sizes.
3. Food should not be used as either an incentive or a reward for good behavior or academic performance.
4. School personnel shall not withhold student access to snacks as punishment.
5. Healthy party menus should be used.

Health and Wellness Administrative Guidelines (4)

F. Fund Raising Activities

Non food-promotion activities are encouraged to follow District Nutritional Standards.

G. Faculty Information

1. Nutrition information should be available to staff members through a variety of
sources such as newsletters, professional development training, websites,
publications, curriculum, which includes but is not limited to:
a. Alternative birthday/holiday celebrations
b. Activities to increase physical activity in the classroom and at desks
c. Healthy snacks
d. Alternative non-food reward options
e. Alternates to withholding recess as a consequence for student actions

2. Faculty should be positive role models as we promote healthy nutrition and
physical activity.

4. Other School-Based Activities to Promote Student Wellness

A. Cafeteria

The cafeteria is a place where students should have:
1. Adequate space to eat in clean, pleasant surroundings
2. Adequate time to eat meals (The School Nutrition Association recommends at
least 20 minutes for lunch from the time students are seated with their food.)
3. Access to hand washing or hand sanitizing facilities before meals

B. Point of Sale
The Point of Sale system provides confidentiality to all students regarding meal
benefits.

C. Summer Food Service Program
Summer Food Service Program will be offered at eligible district sites.

5. Communication and Promotion

A. Communication with Families

1. The district/school will support parents' efforts to provide a healthy diet and daily physical activity for their children.

Health and Wellness Administrative Guidelines (5)

2. The district should offer healthy eating seminars for parents, send home nutrition information, post nutrition tips on school websites, and upon request, provide nutrient analysis of school menus.
3. Schools should encourage parents to pack healthy lunches and snacks and refrain from including beverages and foods that do not meet nutrition standards for individual foods and beverages.
4. The district/school should provide parents a list of foods that meet the district's snack standards and ideas for healthy celebrations/parties, rewards, and fundraising activities.

B. Food Marketing in Schools

1. Sale and distribution of food products should be consistent with nutrition education and health promotion.
2. Periodic food promotions should be provided to encourage taste-testing of healthy new foods being introduced on the menu.
3. Conduct student/faculty food preference surveys to develop and revise school lunch menu items.

6. Measurement and Evaluation

A. The superintendent or designee will ensure compliance with established district-wide
nutrition and physical activity wellness policies.

B. The policy will be modified based on legislation and district needs.

C. The Wellness Committee shall assess all nutrition education curricula and materials
for accuracy, completeness, balance, and consistency with the state's/district's
educational goals and standards.

*The Action Guide for School Nutrition and Physical Activity Policies should be implemented throughout the entire school environment. This information can be viewed at: http://www.state.ct.us/sde/deps/Student/NutritionEd/index.htm

*State and Federal nutritional guidelines can be found at: http://www.state.ct.us/sde/deps/Student/NutritionEd/index.htm

May 22, 2006