To implement the Wellness Policy, the following district specific goals have been established:
Goal 1 – Nutrition Education and Promotion: Schools will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that help students develop lifelong healthy eating behaviors. The goal(s) for addressing nutrition education and nutrition promotion include the following:
- The school district will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that promotes fruits, vegetables, whole-grain products, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, healthy food preparation methods and health-enhancing nutrition practices.
Goal 2 – Physical Activity: Schools will provide students and staff with age and grade appropriate opportunities to engage in physical activity that meet federal and state guidelines, including the Iowa Healthy Kids Act. The goal(s) for addressing physical activity include the following:
Physical Education
The school district will provide physical education that:
- is taught by a certified physical education teacher.
- includes students with disabilities, students with special health-care needs my be provided in alternative educational settings.
- engages students in moderate to vigorous activity during at least 50 percent of physical education class time.
Daily Recess
- Elementary schools should provide recess for students that:
- is at least 20 minutes a day.
- is preferably outdoors.
- encourages moderate to vigorous physical activity verbally and through the provision of space and equipment.
- discourages extended periods (i.e., periods of two or more hours) of inactivity.
Physical Activity and Punishment
Employees should not use physical activity (e.g., running laps, pushups) or withhold opportunities for physical activity (e.g., recess, physical education) as punishment.
Goal 3 – Other School-Based Activities that Promote Student Wellness: Schools will support student, staff, and parents’ efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle, as appropriate. The goal(s) for addressing other school-based activities that promote student wellness include the following:
Integrating Physical Activity into Classroom Settings
For students to receive the nationally recommended amount of daily physical activity and for students to fully embrace regular physical activity as a personal behavior, students need opportunities for physical activity beyond the physical education class. Toward that end, the school district will:
- offer classroom health education that complements physical education by reinforcing the knowledge and self-management skills needed to maintain a physically active lifestyle and to reduce time spent on sedentary activities.
- discourage sedentary activities, such as watching television, playing computer games, etc.
- provide opportunities for physical activity to be incorporated into other subject lessons.
- encourage classroom teachers to provide short physical activity breaks between lessons or classes, as appropriate.
Communication with Parents
- The school district will support parents’ efforts to provide a healthy diet and daily physical
- activity for their children. The school district will:
- provide parents a list of foods that meet the school district’s snack standards and ideas for healthy celebrations/parties and rewards.
- provide information about physical education and other school-based physical activity opportunities before, during and after the school day.
Staff Wellness
- The school district values the health and well-being of every staff member and will plan and implement activities and policies that support personal efforts by staff to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Each school should:
- base the plan on input solicited from employees and outline ways to encourage healthy eating, physical activity and other elements of a healthy lifestyle among employees.
Public Involvement: There is a process for permitting parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, teachers of physical education, school health professionals, the school board, administrators and the public to participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the policy.
Adopted: 08/14/2017
Reviewed: 05/20/2019
Revised: 05/20/2019
