FILE:  JGB

Cf:  EE

 

SCHOOL WELLNESS

 

 

The Vermilion Parish School Board (hereto referred to as the District) is committed to the optimal development of every student.  The District believes that for students to have the opportunity to achieve personal, academic, developmental and social success, we need to create positive, safe and health-promoting learning environments at every level, in every setting, throughout the school year.

 

Research shows that two components, good nutrition and physical activity before, during and after the school day, are strongly correlated with positive student outcomes. For example, student participation in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) School Breakfast Program is associated with higher grades and standardized test scores, lower absenteeism and better performance on cognitive tasks.  Conversely, less-than-adequate consumption of specific foods including fruits, vegetables and dairy products, is associated with lower grades among students.  In addition, students who are physically active through active transport to and from school, recess, physical activity breaks, high-quality physical education and extracurricular activities – do better academically.  Finally, there is evidence that adequate hydration is associated with better cognitive performance.

 

This policy outlines the District’s approach to ensuring environments and opportunities for all students to practice healthy eating and physical activity behaviors throughout the school day while minimizing commercial distractions.  Specifically, this policy establishes goals and procedures to ensure that:

 

 

This policy applies to all students, staff and schools in the District.  Specific measureable goals and outcomes are identified within each section below.

 

SCHOOL HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL

 

Committee Role and Membership

 

The District will convene a representative School Health Advisory Council (hereto referred to as the SHAC) that meets at least four (4) times per year to establish goals for and oversee school health and safety policies and programs, including development, implementation and periodic review and update of this district-level wellness policy (heretofore referred as “wellness policy”). The primary goal of the SHAC is to improve, enhance, and maintain the health and well-being of all students along with cultivate a healthy learning environment through the implementation of this policy (La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:17(D)). The SHAC will also serve as a resource for all schools within the District.

 

The SHAC membership will represent all school levels (elementary and secondary schools) and include (to the extent possible), but not be limited to: parents and caregivers; students; representatives of the school nutrition program; physical education teachers; health education teachers; school health professionals, mental health and social services staff; school administrators, school board members, health professionals, and the general public. When possible, membership will also include Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education coordinators (SNAP-EDEDSNAP-Ed).  To the extent possible, the SHAC will include representatives from each school building and reflect the diversity of the community.

 

Each school within the District will establish an ongoing School SHAC that convenes to review school-level issues, in coordination with the SHAC Leadership.  Each school will designate a SHAC coordinator, who will ensure that there are three meetings per year, and that the school is in compliance with the local wellness policy. The three meetings will comprise of a beginning of the year meeting to review school policies and procedures in accordance to the local wellness policy, a mid-year meeting to assess school progress with the local wellness policy along with corrective actions, and an end of the year meeting to have final assessment of the local wellness policy and all necessary corrective actions. The school SHAC will consist of a parent, two students, school cafeteria manager, physical education teacher, school administrator, and any additional personnel that may be requested. The school SHAC coordinators will meet with the District SHAC once per year for review and assessment of the local wellness policy at the school level.

 

The Superintendent or designee(s) will convene the SHAC and facilitate development of and updates to the wellness policy, and will ensure each school’s compliance with the policy.

 

The designated official for oversight of the SHAC: Jerome Puyau, Superintendent. The names, titles, and contact information of this/these individuals are:

 

Brad Prudhomme

Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance

brad.prudhomme@vpsb.net

Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy

Jessica Gelineau

Technical Support

jessica.gelineau@vpsb.net

Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy

Tina Chargois

Parent

tina.chargois@vpsb.net

Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation

Carina Chargois

Student/Rene Rost Middle

 

Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation

Devin Broussard

Student/Erath High

 

Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation

Michelle Caldwell

Physical Education Teacher

michelle.caldwell@vpsb.net

Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation

Roderick Moy

School Health Services/Health Education

roderick.moy@vpsb.net

Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation

Linda White

School Health Services

linda.white@vpsb.net

Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation

Yardina Wilson

Guidance Counselor

yardina.wilson@vpsb.net

Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation

Lysonia Robertson

Principal/Elementary

lysonia.robertson@vpsb.net

Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation

Joan Romero

Principal/Middle

joan.romero@vpsb.net

Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation

Marc Turner

Principal/High School

marc.turner@vpsb.net

Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation

Melanie Hebert

Cafeteria Manager/ Manager Asst

melanie.hebert@vpsb.net

Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation

Shawri Landry

Curriculum Facilitator

shawri.landry@vpsb.net

Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation

Sara Duplechain

School Board Member

sara.duplechain@vpsb.net

Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation

Donna Stelly

Community Member/Nurse

donna.stelly@abbgen.net

Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation

Mandy Armentor

Community Member/LSU Agriculture Center

marmentor@agcenter.lsu.edu

Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation

Enna Darby

Community Member

edarby7404@yahoo.com

Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation

 

Wellness Policy Implementation, Monitoring, Accountability and Community Engagement

 

Implementation Plan

 

The District will develop and maintain a plan for implementation to manage and coordinate the execution of this wellness policy. The plan delineates roles, responsibilities, actions and timelines specific to each school; and includes information about who will be responsible to make what change, by how much, where and when; as well as specific goals and objectives for nutrition standards for all foods and beverages available on the school campus, food and beverage marketing, nutrition promotion and education, physical activity, physical education and other school-based activities that promote student wellness.

 

This wellness policy and the progress reports can be found at: www.vpsb.net.

 

Recordkeeping

 

The District will retain records to document compliance with the requirements of the wellness policy at the Vermilion Parish School Board Central Office, Superintendent’s office.

 

Documentation maintained in this location will include but will not be limited to:

 

 

Annual Notification of Policy

 

The District will actively inform families and the public each year 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 and/or district-wide communications.  The District will provide as much information as possible about the school nutrition environment. This will include a summary of the District’s and schools’ events or activities related to wellness policy implementation.  Annually, the District will also publicize the name and contact information of the members leading and coordinating the committee, as well as information on how the public can get involved with the school wellness committee.

 

Triennial Progress Assessments

 

At least once every three years, the District will evaluate compliance with the wellness policy to assess the implementation of the policy.

 

The position/person responsible for managing the triennial assessment and contact information is Amy Fremin, MS, RD, LDN, Coordinating Supervisor Child Nutrition Program, www.amy.fremin@vpsb.net.

 

The SHAC, in collaboration with individual schools, will monitor schools’ compliance with this wellness policy.  The District will actively notify households/families of the availability of the triennial progress report.

 

Revisions and Updating the Policy

 

The SHAC will update or modify the 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 wellness policy will be assessed and updated as indicated at least every three years, following the triennial assessment.

 

Community Involvement, Outreach and Communications

 

The District is committed to being responsive to community input, which begins with awareness of the wellness policy.  The District will actively communicate ways in which representatives of SHAC and others can participate in the development, implementation and periodic review and update of the wellness policy through a variety of means appropriate for that district. The District will also inform parents 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.  The District will ensure that communications are culturally and linguistically appropriate to the community, and accomplished through means similar to other ways that the District and individual schools are communicating important school information with parents.

 

The District will actively notify the public about the content of or any updates to the wellness policy annually, at a minimum.

 

School Nutrition Meals

 

Our school district is committed to serving healthy meals to children, with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat milk; that are moderate in sodium, low in saturated fat, and have zero grams trans-fat per serving (nutrition label or manufacturer’s specification); and to meeting the nutrition needs of school children within their calorie requirements.  The school meal programs aim to improve the diet and health of school children, help mitigate childhood obesity, model healthy eating to support the development of lifelong healthy eating patterns and support healthy choices while accommodating cultural food preferences and special dietary needs.

 

The District participates in USDA child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Community Eligibility Provision Program, NSLP Afterschool Snack Program and the Summer Food Service Program.  The District also researches and may participate in additional nutrition-related programs and activities including farm to school programs, school gardens, breakfast in the classroom, mobile breakfast carts, grab and go breakfast, and the supper program. All schools within the District are committed to offering school meals through the NSLP and SBP programs, and other applicable federal child nutrition programs, that:

 

 

The District will provide:

 

 

Staff Qualifications and Professional Development

 

The school nutrition program supervisor, all managers, technicians, and staff will meet or exceed hiring and annual continuing education/training requirements in the USDA professional standards for child nutrition professionals. These school nutrition personnel will refer to USDA’s Professional Standards for School Nutrition Standards website to search for training that meets their learning needs.

 

Water

 

To promote hydration, free, safe, unflavored drinking water will be available to all students throughout the school day* and throughout every school campus* (“school campus” and “school day” are defined in the glossary). The District will make drinking water available where school meals are served during mealtimes.

 

 

Competitive Foods and Beverages

 

The District is committed to ensuring that all foods and beverages available to students on the school campus* during the school day* support healthy eating.  The foods and beverages served outside of the school meal programs (e.g., “competitive” foods and beverages) will meet the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards and the Louisiana Smart Snacks Guidelines, at a minimum.  The Pennington Biomedical Research Center is a resource for selecting competitive foods and beverages that meet both federal and state regulations.

 

Smart Snacks aim to improve student health and well-being, increase consumption of healthful foods during the school day and create an environment that reinforces the development of healthy eating habits.

 

Celebrations and Rewards

 

The District highly encourages all food and beverage items offered to students through celebrations, parties, classroom snacks brought by parents, and student rewards and incentives meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards and the Louisiana Smart Snacks Guidelines.  A letter will be sent to all parents providing a list of food beverage ideas meeting these guidelines, including non-food celebration ideas.

 

Homemade items are not allowed to be brought to school for student for any type of celebration, party, classroom snack, reward or incentive due to food safety and sanitation regulations and food allergies.  All items brought to school must be pre-packaged from the store in its original packaging.

 

The District will provide teachers and other relevant school staff a list of alternative ways to reward children besides food and beverages.

 

Fundraising

 

To support healthy food choices and improve student health and well-being, all foods and beverages intended for fundraising are only allowed for off campus consumption.  The District will make available to parents and teachers a list of healthy fundraising ideas.

 

Nutrition Promotion

 

Nutrition promotion and education positively influence lifelong eating behaviors by using evidence-based techniques and nutrition messages, and by creating food environments that encourage healthy nutrition choices and encourage participation in school meal programs.  Students and staff will receive consistent nutrition messages throughout schools, classrooms, gymnasiums, and cafeterias.  Nutrition promotion also includes marketing and advertising nutritious foods and beverages to students and is most effective when implemented consistently through a comprehensive and multi-channel approach by school staff, teachers, parents, students and the community.

 

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 occur through at least:

 

 

Nutrition Education

 

The District will teach, model, encourage and support healthy eating by all students. Schools will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that:

 

 

Essential Healthy Eating Topics in Health Education

 

The District will include in the health education curriculum a minimum of 12 of the following essential topics on healthy eating:

 

 

Food and Beverage Marketing in Schools

 

The District is committed to providing a school environment that ensures opportunities for all students to practice healthy eating and physical activity behaviors throughout the school day while minimizing commercial distractions.  The District strives to teach students how to make informed choices about nutrition, health and physical activity.  These efforts will be weakened if students are subjected to advertising on District property that contains messages inconsistent with the health information the District is imparting through nutrition education and health promotion efforts.  It is the intent of the District to protect and promote student’s health by permitting advertising and marketing for only those foods and beverages that are permitted to be sold on the school campus, consistent with the District’s wellness 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 and the Louisiana Smart Snacks guidelines.

 

Food and beverage marketing is defined as advertising and other promotions in schools. Food and beverage marketing often includes an oral, written, or graphic statements made for the purpose of promoting the sale of a food or beverage product made by the producer, manufacturer, seller or any other entity with a commercial interest in the product. This term includes, but is not limited to the following:

 

 

As the District/school nutrition services/Athletics Department/PTA/PTO reviews existing contracts and considers new contracts, equipment and product purchasing (and replacement) decisions should reflect the applicable marketing guidelines established by the District wellness policy.

 

Physical Activity

 

Children and adolescents should participate in at least sixty (60) minutes of physical activity every day.  A substantial percentage of students’ physical activity can be provided through a comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP).  A CSPAP reflects strong coordination and synergy across all of the components:  quality physical education as the foundation; physical activity before, during and after school; staff involvement and family and community engagement and the district is committed to providing these opportunities.  Schools will ensure that these varied physical activity opportunities are in addition to, and not as a substitute for, physical education (addressed in “Physical Education” subsection).  All schools in the district will be encouraged to participate in Fuel Up To Play 60 or Let’s Move! Active Schools (www.letsmoveschools.org) in order to successfully address all CSPAP areas.

 

Physical activity during the school day will be offered and encouraged to all students.  The District will provide teachers and other school staff with a list of ideas for alternative ways to discipline students besides using exclusion of physical activity.

 

To the extent practicable, the District will ensure that its grounds and facilities are safe and that equipment is available to students to be active.  The District will conduct necessary inspections and repairs.

 

Physical Education

 

The District will provide students with physical education, using an age-appropriate, sequential physical education curriculum consistent with national and state standards for physical education.  The physical education curriculum will promote the benefits of a physically active lifestyle and will help students develop skills to engage in lifelong healthy habits, as well as incorporate essential health education concepts (discussed in the “Essential Physical Activity Topics in Health Education” subsection).  The curriculum will support the essential components of physical education.

 

All students will be provided equal opportunity to participate in physical education classes.  The District will make appropriate accommodations to allow for equitable participation for all students and will adapt physical education classes and equipment as necessary.  Physical education classes will not be withheld from students as a punishment.

 

All elementary students (kindergarten to eighth grade) will receive physical education for at least 150 minutes per week throughout the school year.

 

All secondary students (high school) are required to take one and a half credits of physical education.

 

The District physical education program will promote student physical fitness through individualized fitness and activity assessments (via the Fitness Gram Program at www.focusedfitness.org) or other appropriate assessment tool) and will use criterion-based reporting for each student.

 

 

Essential Physical Activity Topics in Health Education

 

Health education will be required in all grades (elementary and middle) and the district will require high school students to take and pass one half health education credit. The District will include in the health education curriculum a minimum of 12 the following essential topics on physical activity:

 

 

Recess (Elementary)

 

The District strongly encourages all students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade have a recess on all days during the school year (this policy may be waived on early dismissal or late arrival days).  If recess is offered before lunch, schools will have appropriate hand-washing facilities located just inside/outside the cafeteria to ensure proper hygiene prior to eating and students are required to use these mechanisms before eating.

 

Outdoor recess will be offered when weather and playground conditions are feasible for outdoor play.

 

In the event that the school or district must conduct indoor recess, teachers and staff will follow the indoor recess guidelines that promote physical activity for students, to the extent practicable.

 

Recess will complement, not substitute, physical education class.  Recess monitors or teachers will encourage students to be active, and will serve as role models by being physically active alongside the students whenever feasible.

 

Classroom Physical Activity Breaks (Elementary and Secondary)

 

The District recognizes that students are more attentive and ready to learn if provided with periodic breaks when they can be physically active or stretch.  The District recommends teachers provide short (3-5-minute) physical activity breaks to students during and between classroom times at least three days per week.  These physical activity breaks will complement, not substitute, for physical education class, and recess.

 

The District will provide resources and links to resources, tools, and technology with ideas for classroom physical activity breaks.  Resources and ideas are available through USDA and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

 

Active Academics

 

Teachers will incorporate movement and kinesthetic learning approaches into “core” subject instruction when possible (e.g., science, math, language arts, social studies and others) and/or appropriate.  They will do their part to limit sedentary behavior during the school day.  Teachers will serve as role models by being physically active alongside the students whenever feasible.

 

Before and After School Activities

 

The District offers opportunities for students to participate in physical activity either before and/or after the school day (or both) through a variety of methods.  The District will encourage students to be physically active before and after school by: distributing flyers, posting on school websites, using the District callout system, and other social media outlets.  The District will choose appropriate and reasonable options such as the YMCA Aftercare Program, Boys’ and Girls’ Club, and intramural sports and activities.

 

Active Transport

 

The District will support active transport to and from school, such as walking or biking, when feasible and safe.

 

The District will encourage this behavior by engaging in six or more of the activities below; including but not limited to:

 

 

Other Activities that Promote Student Wellness

 

The District will integrate wellness activities across the entire school setting, not just in the cafeteria, other food and beverage venues and physical activity facilities.  The District will coordinate and integrate other initiatives related to physical activity, physical education, nutrition and other wellness components so all efforts are complementary, not duplicative, and work towards the same set of goals and objectives promoting student well-being, optimal development and strong educational outcomes.

 

All efforts related to obtaining federal, state or association recognition for efforts, or grants/funding opportunities for healthy school environments will be coordinated with and complementary of the wellness policy, including but not limited to ensuring the involvement of the SHAC and School SHACs.

 

Community Partnerships

 

The District will continue relationships with community partners (e.g., hospitals, universities/colleges, local businesses, SNAP-Ed providers and coordinators, etc.) in support of this wellness policy’s implementation.  Existing and new community partnerships and sponsorships will be evaluated to ensure that they are consistent with the wellness policy and its goals.

 

Community Health Promotion and Family Engagement

 

The District will promote to parents/caregivers, families, and the general community the benefits of and approaches for healthy eating and physical activity throughout the school year.  Families will be informed and invited to participate in school-sponsored activities and will receive information about health promotion efforts.

 

As described in the “Community Involvement, Outreach, and Communications” subsection, the District will use electronic mechanisms (e.g., email or displaying notices on the district’s website), as well as non-electronic mechanisms, (e.g., newsletters, presentations to parents or sending information home to parents), to ensure that all families are actively notified of opportunities to participate in school-sponsored activities and receive information about health promotion efforts.

 

Staff Wellness and Health Promotion

 

The SHAC will have a staff wellness subcommittee that focuses on staff wellness issues, identifies and disseminates wellness resources and performs other functions that support staff wellness in coordination with human resources staff.  This committee will have a designated leader that will ensure planning, coordination, and implementation of wellness events/promotions.  Schools in the District will implement strategies to support staff in actively promoting and modeling healthy eating and physical activity behaviors.  The District promotes staff member participation in health promotion programs and will support programs for staff members on healthy eating/weight management that are accessible and free or low-cost.

 

Professional Learning

 

When feasible, 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).  Professional learning will help District staff understand the connections between academics and health and the ways in which health and wellness are integrated into ongoing district reform or academic improvement plans/efforts.

 

Glossary:

 

Extended School Day – the time during, before and after-school that includes activities such as clubs, intramural sports, band and choir practice, drama rehearsals and more.

 

School Campus - areas that are owned or leased by the school and used at any time for school- related activities, including on the outside of the school building, school buses or other vehicles used to transport students, athletic fields and stadiums (e.g., on scoreboards, coolers, cups, and water bottles), or parking lots.

 

School Day – the time between midnight the night before to 30 minutes after the end of the instructional day.

 

Triennial – recurring every three years.

 

Adopted:  September 15, 2016

Revised:  April 12, 2017

 

 

Ref:    42 USC 1751 et seq. (Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act)

42 USC 1771 et seq. (Child Nutrition Act of 1966)

7 CFR 210 (National School Lunch Program)

7 CFR 210.31 (Local school wellness policy)

7 CFR 220 (School Breakfast Program)

La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:17.1, 17:197.1

Board minutes, 6-8-06, 9-15-16, 4-12-17

 

Vermilion Parish School Board