Peabody Public Schools Wellness Policy       (7-6-06)

            The Peabody Public Schools recognizes that in order for our students to succeed within the educational processes, we must contribute to their general well being by offering opportunities for physical activity, nutrition education, comprehensive health education and nutritionally sound meals.  To this end, the Peabody Public Schools support the adoption and implementation of a comprehensive wellness policy at all elementary, middle and high schools. The Peabody Public schools will work in the cooperation with parents, community service organizations and teachers to offer the children of Peabody a comprehensive health program that increases their ability to succeed as a student and as an individual.

            The Peabody Public Schools recognize that a comprehensive school health program will improve the safety and general health of all of our entire school community and help us raise the bar in academic achievement for our students.

The Peabody Public School’s comprehensive health program will incorporate the following components: 

1.      A healthy School Environment- the culture and climate that exists within a school that supports the physical, mental, emotional, and social well being and safety of all members.

2.      Pupil Services- School psychology, school social work, school counseling, and school nursing.

3.      Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment- Involves planning, implementing, and evaluating a sequential, developmentally appropriate K-9 health curriculum that is consistent with the Ma. Department of Education Comprehensive Health Frameworks. The committee recommends that a health elective for students in grades eleven and twelve be developed.

4.      Student Programs- That help address student’s physical, emotional, social, and cognitive needs.  These programs include extracurricular programs, peer programs, student assistance programs, and mentoring.

5.      Adult Programs- Provide information and support to adults directly involved in the care and education of our students.  This would include professional development for staff, parent education, and support programs and employee assistance and wellness programs.

6.      Family and Community Connections- such as the various formal and informal working relationships between schools, the community, and the families that live here.

 

In order to achieve these goals the School District/Wellness committee supports the following:

I  School Health Council

            The school district/city will create Wellness Council to develop, implement, review and as needed revise school nutrition and physical activities policies.  The Council will consist of individuals representing the schools and community, and should include parents, students, school food services representatives, members of the school board, school administrators, and health professionals.

II. Nutritional Quality of Foods and Beverages Sold and Served

The Peabody Public Schools appreciate that a healthy diet is essential for our students to succeed in today’s learning environment and that eating patterns developed in childhood can affect future adult dietary decisions. To that end, the Peabody Public Schools will educate our students to recognize diets that support a healthy lifestyle and reduce the risk of illness and future chronic illness.

The Peabody Public Schools will share information about the nutritional content of meals with parents and students. This information will be made available via school menus, cafeteria menu boards and surveys.

Meals served through the National School Breakfast and Lunch Programs will:

·         Provide an assurance that the guidelines for reimbursable school meals shall not be less restrictive than the regulations and guidance issued by the Secretary of Agriculture pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of section 10 of the Child Nutrition Act (42 u.s.c.1779) and section 9 (f) (1) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 u.s.c. 1758) (f) (1), 1766 (a) 0, as those regulations apply to schools.

·         Comply with current United States Department of Agriculture guidelines including: vending machines, A La Carte, beverage contracts, fundraisers, concession stands, student stores and vendors parked on school property.

·         Be sensitive to school nutritional goals while displaying food providers’ logos and trademarks on school grounds.

·         Be appealing and attractive to children.

·         Be served in clean and pleasant settings.

·         Include healthy choices and age appropriate selections for food and beverages sold at fundraisers at elementary, middle and high schools.

·         Ensure profit generation will not take precedence over the nutritional needs of students. The school meals program will aim to be self-supporting; however it is important to note that the program is an essential educational support activity.

·         Ensure that all students will have affordable access to a variety of nutritious foods needed to stay healthy and learn well. The Peabody Schools will make every effort to eliminate the social stigma attached to, and prevent the overt identification of students who are eligible for free and reduced meals.

·         Will provide students with enough time to eat and schedule meals at appropriate times.

·       When possible, schedule lunch periods to follow recess periods at the elementary level.

·       Provide students access to hand washing/sanitizing before and after meals and snacks.

·       Food/beverages will not be used as a reward nor withheld as a punishment.

Food and Beverages Sold Individually (outside reimbursable school meals)

·        Elementary Schools – The school food program will provide all food and beverage sales to students in our elementary schools

·        Middle/High School – Food and beverages sold outside of the reimbursable school meals via fundraisers, vending machines, school store and the A La Carte lines will be monitored by food service personnel to assure compliance with current U.S.D.A. guidelines.

Qualifications of Food Service Staff:

·        Certified Food Personnel will administer the Peabody Schools meal programs. As part of the Peabody School District’s responsibility to operate a food service program, the district will provide continuing professional development for all food service personnel. Appropriate certifications and/or trainings for food service personnel will be required according to their levels of responsibilities.

III. Nutrition and Physical Activity Promotion and Food Marketing

             The Peabody School District will endeavor to encourage and support healthy eating by students.  Our schools should provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that:

·         Is offered at the elementary, middle and high school levels as part of a sequential, comprehensive health education program.

·         Promotes fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, healthy food preparation methods and health enhancing nutrition practices.

·         Teaches media literacy with an emphasis on food marketing.

·         Is sensitive to school nutritional goals in displaying food providers’ logos and trademarks on school grounds.

·         Serves foods to students that comply with all state and local food safety regulations.  Hazards analysis and critical control point plans and guidelines are implemented to prevent food illness in schools.

·         Ensures that all students have access to affordable nutritious foods needed to stay healthy and learn well.

·         Provide students enough time to eat.

Integrating Physical Activity into the Classroom Setting

In order for students to fully embrace regular physical activity as a personal behavior, students need opportunities for physical activity beyond physical education class.  Toward that end:

·         Health education teachers will complement physical education by reinforcing the knowledge and self-management skills needed to maintain a physically-active lifestyle and to reduce sedentary activities, such as watching television

·         Classroom teachers will be encouraged to provide short physical activity breaks between lessons or classes. It is recommended that a five-minute activity period be developed and distributed to classroom teacher’s district-wide to encourage physical activity in the classroom.

Communication With Parents

The district will support parents’ efforts to provide a healthy diet and daily physical activity for their children.

·         The district will send home nutrition information and post nutrition tips on the school’s Website.

·         Schools in the district will provide parents information about physical education and other school-based activity opportunities. Such support might include available opportunities for physical activity and physical education through a newsletter, web site, special events or physical education homework.

 

Staff Wellness The Peabody School District values the health and well-being of every staff member and will plan (to the extent practical) and implement activities and policies that support personal efforts by staff to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Activities will be developed after soliciting information via a survey of staff members.

IV. Physical Activity Opportunities and Physical Education

 Physical Education (P.E.) K-12, including students with disabilities, special health-care needs, and in alternative educational settings, will participate in physical education classes as follows:

K to 5 – will participate in physical education classes once per week for forty minutes, with a goal of increasing class meetings to twice weekly or eighty minutes.

Middle School – will participate in physical education classes twice per cycle (six day cycle) for a total of 100 minutes.

Grades 9 & 10 – will participate in physical education five times per week for one semester each year for a total of 210 minutes per week.

Grades 11 & 12 – will be offered elective classes in physical education with a goal of offering a mandatory physical education classes that would be taught in conjunction with the Family and Consumer Science Department. The classes would offer activity, nutritional and wellness lessons.

 Certified Physical Education teachers will teach all physical education classes. Student involvement in other activities involving physical activity (ex. interscholastic or intramural sports) will not be substituted for meeting the physical education requirement. Students will spend at least 50 percent of physical education time participating in moderate to vigorous physical activity.

Daily Recess. All elementary school students will have at least 10 minutes a day of supervised recess, preferably outdoors, during which schools should encourage moderate to vigorous physical activity verbally and through the provision of space and equipment. Recess periods, which are regularly scheduled periods within the elementary school day for unstructured physical activity and play, provide another opportunity for daily physical activity, along with social and cognitive benefits. The committee recommends that the schools encourage students to be active during recess, schedule recess before lunch rather than after (studies have shown that students eat more of their lunches when recess comes before lunch) and that recess be increased to twenty minutes).

The Peabody Public Schools will discourage long periods of inactivity. During mandatory testing periods, the schools will give students periodic breaks during which they can stand and be moderately active.

All schools will offer extracurricular physical activity programs, such as intramural programs. The middle school (when appropriate) and the high school will offer interscholastic athletics that meet a wide range of needs. After-school childcare programs will be provided the opportunity through the provision of space and equipment for daily periods of vigorous physical activity.

Use of School Facilities Outside of School Hours. School spaces and facilities should be available to students, staff, and community members before, and after the school day, on weekends, and during school vacations. These spaces and facilities also should be available to community agencies and organizations offering physical activity and nutrition programs. School policies regarding safety will apply at all times.

V. Monitoring and Policy Review

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

School food service staff, at the school or district level, will ensure nutrition policies within the 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 a SMI review from the state within the past five years, the district will request from the state agency that a SMI review be scheduled as soon as possible.