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Policies - Section 2200 » 2285 (JLCF) - Wellness

2285 (JLCF) - Wellness

 
 
2285 (JLCF) Wellness 2285 (JLCF)   
 
 
The Milford School Board recognizes the importance of proper nutrition and
developmentally appropriate physical activity as ways of promoting healthy lifestyles,
minimizing childhood obesity, and preventing other diet-related chronic diseases. The
Board also recognizes that health and student success are inter-related. It is, therefore,
the goal of the Board that the learning environment positively influences a student's
understanding, beliefs, and habits as they relate to good nutrition and physical activity.
 
This policy outlines the Milford School District’s approach to ensuring environments and
opportunities for all students and staff to practice healthy eating and physical activity
behaviors throughout the school day while minimizing commercial distractions. This
policy applies to all students, staff, and schools in the District. 
 
I.  DISTRICT WELLNESS COMMITTEE

 

The Superintendent, in consultation with the Food Services Director and District
Wellness Committee (DWC), will facilitate development of updates to the District
Wellness Policy, subject to School Board approval, and will oversee compliance with
the policy. In addition, the Superintendent shall designate a DWC
Representative/Building Wellness Coordinator for each school to help ensure
compliance with this policy at the building level.

The Superintendent shall convene a representative “District Wellness Committee”
whose functions will include review and recommendations regarding implementation of
and updates to this policy, and establishment of specific goals for nutrition promotion,
education, and physical activity. Additionally, the DCW is charged with making
recommendations relative to the objectives and requirements of Board Policy 2286
(IMAH), Daily Physical Activity.

The Superintendent or their designee shall serve as the Chairperson of the
District Wellness Committee and shall maintain an updated roster of DWC.  Committee
representatives and other persons serving on the Committee.

The District Wellness Committee shall meet no fewer than four times per school year.
The DWC should represent each school and the diversity of the community and to the
extent feasible, include the Superintendent or their designee, the Food Service Director,
each Building Wellness Coordinator, and may include parents, students, physical 
education teachers, health education teachers, school nurses, school counselors,
school administrators, up to two school board members, health professionals, individual
school building representatives, and members of the public.

Staff appointments to the DWC will be made by the Superintendent. The School Board
Chair shall appoint the School Board member(s). Remaining members, other than
those who are ex officio, shall be appointed and approved by the DWC.

As a statutory committee, the DWC shall comply with the requirements of RSA 91-A
regarding meetings. 

II.  WELLNESS POLICY IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING, ACCOUNTABILITY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

A.  Implementation Plan  

Each Building Wellness Coordinator, with the assistance of the DWC, will conduct a
school-level assessment based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s
School Health Index, using tools available through such programs as the Alliance for a
Healthier Generation’s America’s Healthiest Schools program,
https://www.healthiergeneration.org and to create an action plan and generate an
annual progress report. The school-level assessment/report should be completed
annually by June 30th of each school year and provided to the Superintendent or
designee.  

B.  Annual Notification of Policy

The District will annually inform families and the public of basic information about this
policy, including its content, any updates to the policy, and implementation status. The
District will make this information available via the district website. This information will
include the contact information of the District official(s) chairing the DWC (i.e., the
Superintendent or their designee) and any Building Wellness Coordinator(s), in addition
to on how the public can get involved with the DWC.

C.  Triennial Progress Assessments 

Every three years, the Food Services Director will assess:
 
      • The extent to which each of the District’s schools are in compliance with the wellness policy;
      • The extent to which the District Wellness Policy compares to model wellness policies; and
      • A description of the progress made in attaining the goals of the District’s Wellness Policy.
 
The DWC will make recommendations to update the District Wellness Policy based on
the results of the annual School Health Index and triennial assessments and/or as
District priorities change; community needs change; wellness goals are met; new health
science, information, and technology emerges; and new Federal or state guidance or
standards are issued. The recommendations should include those relating to provisions
of Board Policy 2286 (IMAH), Daily Physical Activity. The Board will review and act
upon such assessments as required or as the Board deems appropriate.

D.  Recordkeeping

The Superintendent will retain records related to this Policy, to include at least the following: 
      • The District Wellness Policy;
      • The most recent assessment on the implementation of the local school wellness policy;
      • Documentation on how the District Wellness Policy and Policy assessments are/were made available to the public;
      • Documentation confirming annual compliance with the requirement that District Wellness Policy, including updates, and the most recent assessment on the implementation of the Policy have been made available to the public; and
      • Documentation of efforts to review and update the District Wellness Policy; including who is/was involved in each update and methods the District uses to make stakeholders aware of opportunities to participate on the  DWC.
 
E.  Community Involvement, Outreach and Communications

The District will communicate ways in which representatives of DWC. and others can participate in the development, implementation, review, and update of the wellness policy through a variety of means appropriate for that district, as needed. The District will also inform parents/guardians of the improvements that have been made to school meals and compliance with school meal standards, availability of child nutrition programs and how to apply, and a description of and compliance with Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards. 

III.   NUTRITION

A.  School Meals

All schools within the District participate in USDA child nutrition programs, including the
National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP).
District schools are committed to offering school meals that:
      • Are accessible to all students; 
      • Are appealing and attractive to children;
      • Are served in clean and pleasant settings; 
      • Contain healthy food and beverage choices that do not
        include caffeine or added sugar;  and
      • Meet or exceed current nutrition requirements established by local, state, and  Federal statutes and regulations.  The District offers reimbursable school meals that meet USDA nutrition standards, which may be found at:   https://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/nutrition-standards-school-meals
 
B.  Staff Qualifications and Professional Development

All school nutrition program directors, managers, and staff will meet or exceed hiring
and annual continuing education/training requirements in the USDA professional
standards for school nutrition professionals, which may be found at:
 
C.  Water

To promote hydration, free, safe, unflavored drinking water will be available to all
students at every school throughout the school day, including mealtimes.
 
Students shall be permitted to bring water bottles to school that:

(1) Are made of material that is not easily breakable;
(2) Have lids to prevent spills; and
(3) Are filled exclusively with water
 
School Principals may discipline students for the misuse of water bottles, consistent
with Board Policy JICD, Student Discipline and Due Process.
 
D.  Competitive Foods and Beverages and Marketing of Same in Schools

“Competitive foods and beverages” (i.e., foods and beverages sold and served or
marketed during the school day, but outside of the school meal programs) must meet or
exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards, which may be accessed
at: https://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/nutrition-standards/smartsnacks
 
These standards will apply in all locations and through all services where foods and
beverages are sold, which may include, but are not limited to, à la carte options in
cafeterias and vending machines.
 
Except as may be provided elsewhere in this Policy, any foods and beverages
marketed or promoted to students on the school campus during the school day will
meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards and will not
include artificial food dyes or caffeine in grades pre-K through 8, and will not contain
artificial food dyes or more than 50mg of caffeine per serving in grades 9-12. Food and
beverage marketing is defined as advertising and other promotions in schools,
including, but not limited to:
 
      • Corporate brand names, trademarks, logos, or tags, except when
        placed on a physically present food or beverage product or its
        container.
      • Displays, such as on vending machine exteriors.
      • Corporate brand, logo, name, or trademark on school equipment,
        such as marquees, message boards, scoreboards, or backboards
        (note: immediate replacement of these items are not required;
        however, districts will replace or update scoreboards or other
        durable equipment when existing contracts are up for renewal or to
        the extent that is financially possible over time so that items are in
        compliance with the advertising policy).
      • Corporate brand, logo, name, or trademark on cups used for
        beverage dispensing, menu boards, coolers, trash cans, and other
        food service equipment, as well as on posters, book covers, pupil
        assignment books, or school supplies displayed, distributed,
        offered, or sold by the District.
      • Advertisements in school publications or school mailings.
      • Free product samples, taste tests, or coupons for a product, or free
        samples displaying advertising for a product.
 
Corporate brand names, logos, and trademarks for companies that market products
which comply with the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards will not be
prohibited because they offer some non-compliant food or beverage items in their
product line. Likewise, the marketing restrictions do not apply to clothing or other
examples of expression which include brands that offer non-compliant food or beverage
items.

As the District, school athletic department, and parent teacher associations review
existing contracts and consider new contracts, equipment and product purchasing (and
replacement) decisions should reflect the applicable marketing guidelines established
by the District Wellness Policy and Policy 5075 (KHB).
 
E.  Celebrations and Rewards

All foods offered during the school day on the school campus will aim to meet or exceed
the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards. Foods and beverages will not
be withheld as punishment for any reason and use as a reward shall be limited. The
District’s School Nutrition Services will offer a variety of healthy party ideas, which can
be found on the Alliance for a Healthier Generation website by using the Smart Snack
Calculator.
https://foodplanner.healthiergeneration.org
 
F.  Food Sale Fundraising

Foods and beverages that meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in Schools nutrition
standards may be sold through fundraisers on the school campus during the school
day. Fundraising groups are encouraged to choose non-food fundraisers and to
consider healthy fundraising ideas. Notwithstanding this provision, each school may
allow up to nine bake sales or other fundraising food sales of non-compliant foods (i.e.,
that do not meet Smart Snack standards), which are no more than one day in duration
each. 
 
G.  Nutrition Promotion

The District will promote healthy food and beverage choices for all students throughout
the school campus, as well as encourage participation in school meal programs. This
promotion will include.
 
 
      • Ensuring 100% of foods and beverages promoted to students
        during the school day meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in
        School nutrition standards. Additional promotion techniques that
        the District and individual schools may use are available through
        the Smart Food Planner of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation,
        available at:
 
H.  Nutrition Education

The District will teach, model, encourage and support healthy eating by all students. 
 
      • Nutrition education shall be included in the health curriculum so
        that instruction is sequential and standards-based and provides
        students with the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to lead
        healthy lives.
      • Nutrition education posters will be displayed in each school
        cafeteria or, in schools without cafeterias, in the rooms where
        students regularly eat their lunches. 
      • Consistent nutrition messages shall be disseminated throughout
        the school.
      • Schools may provide additional nutrition education that:
        • Is designed to provide students with the knowledge and
          skills necessary to promote and protect their health;
        • To the extent practicable is integrated into other classroom
          instruction through subjects such as math, science,
          language arts, social sciences, and electives; 
        • May include enjoyable, developmentally-appropriate,
          culturally-relevant, and participatory activities, such as
          cooking demonstrations or lessons, promotions, tastetesting,
          farm visits, and school gardens;
        • Promotes fruits, vegetables, whole-grain products, low-fat
          and fat-free dairy products, and healthy food preparation
          methods;
        • Emphasizes caloric balance between food intake and energy
          expenditure (promotes physical activity/exercise);
        • Links with school meal programs, cafeteria nutrition
          promotion activities, school gardens, Farm to School
          programs, other school foods and nutrition-related
          community services;
        • Teaches media literacy with an emphasis on food and
          beverage marketing; and
        • Includes nutrition education training for teachers and other
          staff. 

IV.  PHYSICAL ACTIVITY 

The District will provide physical and wellness education aligned with national and state
standards. Opportunities for physical activity during the school day (including but not
limited to recess, classroom, physical activity breaks, or physical education) shall not be
withheld for the duration of an entire physical activity period nor withheld as
punishment. Students assigned to internal school suspension or other disciplinary
consequences outside the general education setting may have participation in group physical
activity restricted; schools should provide alternative, safe, and supervised opportunities for
physical movement when practicable.

In addition, the District will promote developmentally appropriate activity as provided in
Board Policy 2286 (IMAH), Daily Physical Activity. The Wellness Policy requires at
least one “measurable goal for physical activity”. Further suggestions, as well as more
comprehensive and coordinated physical activity programs, may be found on the
Alliance for a Healthier Generation site.

A.  Classroom Physical Activity Breaks

In addition to any recess periods provided in the ordinary daily schedule, students will
be offered periodic opportunities to be active or to stretch throughout the day. The
Board recommends teachers provide short 3-to-5-minute physical activity breaks to
students during and between classroom time at least three days per week. These
physical activity breaks will not substitute for physical education class, recess, and class
transition periods. 
 
B.  Before and After School Activities

The District offers opportunities for students to participate in physical activity after
school through interscholastic and intramural sports and clubs. 

C.  Walking and Biking to School

The District will support walking or biking to school by students and faculty only if
determined safe by the building principal. 
 
V.  OTHER ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE STUDENT WELLNESS

The District will endeavor to integrate wellness activities across the entire school
setting, not just in the cafeteria or physical education and athletic facilities. In
furtherance of this objective, each school in the District will identify at least one activity
or list of options with a requirement to engage in one or more each school year.

VI.  PROFESSIONAL LEARNING/WELLNESS OPPORTUNITIES

A. The District will offer annual professional learning opportunities and resources for
staff to increase knowledge and skills about promoting healthy behaviors in the
classroom and school (e.g., increasing the use of kinesthetic teaching approaches or
incorporating nutrition lessons into math class). 

 
 
 
Adopted: 6/19/2006 
Revised: 10/2009, 11/2014, 6/20/22, 10/17/22, 4/20/26