Local School Wellness Policy: Creating Healthy School Environments

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Local School Wellness PolicyCreating Healthy
School Environments

• Developed by the Marin Nutrition Wellness
• Physical Activity Collaborative

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Snapshot of American Kids

• Overfed but undernourished
• Declining physical activity
• Limited health literacy

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What Is the Future for Our Children?

• Good health?
• Obesity and chronic disease?
• Its up to us to decide

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The National Picture

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Overweight and at risk of overweight in Marin
Children
Healthy People 2010 Goal
2002 Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance Survey.
Based on 2000 CDC growth chart percentiles for
BMI-for-age ?85th percentile, CHDP population.
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U.S. Children Overfed But Undernourished
Critical Age
Children Consuming Daily Recommended Intake
Iron
Phosphorus
Zinc
Vitamin C
Vitamin A
Magnesium
Folate
Calcium
Data compiled by Dr. John Lasekan, Ross
Labs NHANES 1999-2000 and the Continuing Food
Survey 1994-96, 1998
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Fruit and Vegetable ConsumptionMarin and
California Children Grade 11Percentage of
children eating gt five servings of fruit and
vegetables in the day prior to the survey
Marins Goal ? 10 by 2010
Source California Healthy Kids Survey 2001, 2003
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(No Transcript)
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Physical ActivityMarin and California Children
Grade 11Percentage of children who exercised for
at least 20 minutes on at least 3 of the past 7
days
Marins Goal ? 25 by 2010
Source Calfornia Healthy Kids Survey 2001, 2003
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Why focus on Schools?

• Schools are a logical place to promote lifelong
  healthy behaviors. Every school day 50 million
  young people attend more than 110,000 schools in
  the United states. Research has shown that well
  designed, well implemented school based physical
  activity and nutrition programs can be effective.
• Position of the School Nutrition Association
  (formerly ASFSA)
• 2002

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Can Schools Improve Nutrition?

• Kids who participate in National School Lunch
  consume greater amounts of essential vitamins and
  minerals, vegetables, milk and milk products,
  meat and meat substitutes and less soda and/or
  fruit juices and have overall a better quality
  diet. 
• School Nutrition Dietary Assessment Study-II
  Summary of Findings. USDA, 2001.

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Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act

• Signed by President Bush on June 30, 2004.
• Section 204 of this Act requires each district
  participating in the USDA School Meal Program to
  have established a local school wellness policy
  by the school year beginning July 2006.

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School Wellness Policy Why?

• Recognizes the critical role of schools in
  promoting health in children.
• Puts responsibility at the local level.
• Allows for individual needs at the local level.
• May increase participation in the NSLP
  Increased revenue for the district.
• Supports student nutrition and learning.

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Effects of Improving Nutrition on Learning

• Improved behavior.
• Improved attendance (A single-day absence by just
  one student can cost a school district anywhere
  from 9 to 20).
• Less visits to school nurse.
• Increased attention, creativity and test scores.
• Essential for growth and development.

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School Wellness Policy must at a minimum

• Set goals for nutrition education and physical
  activity that promote student wellness.
• Set nutrition guidelines for all food sold on
  campus during the day.
• Assure that nutrition guidelines for school meals
  are met.

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School Wellness Policy Must at a minimum

• Include parents, students, school food service
  professionals, school board members,
  administrators, and community members in the
  policy development process.
• Incorporate a plan for measuring the
  effectiveness of policy (and who will oversee).
• Source Section 204 of the Child Nutrition
  Act 2004

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Physical health affects learning, and schools
have a role to play in developing lifelong habits
of nutrition and fitness. It is time to promote
and support a culture of health and fitness in
our schools.State Superintendent of Public
Instruction, Jack OConnell
CA State of Education Address on
January 24, 2005
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Federal Wellness Policy requirements build upon
what is currently happening in California

• Superintendents Challenge
• LEAF (Linking Education, Activity, and Food)
  Grants
• Team Nutrition Policy Grants
• Various State Laws

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School Wellness Policy Provisions

• Requirement 1
• Appropriate goals designed to promote student
  wellness for
• Nutrition education
• Physical activity and
• Other school-based wellness activities.

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Nutrition Education (sample language)

• Nutrition education is offered in the classroom
  and is linked to the school cafeteria, school
  garden and local farms, with coordination between
  teachers and foodservice staff.
• Students receive consistent nutrition messages
  throughout the school environment.

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Physical Activity(sample language)

• Students are provided opportunities for physical
  activity during the school day through daily
  recess periods, elective physical education (PE)
  classes, working in the school garden, walking
  programs, and the integration of physical
  activity into the academic curriculum.

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Other School-Based Activitiesto Address

• Adequate time and pleasant surrounding for meals
• Classroom parties and special events
• Fundraising events
• Using food as a reward or punishment
• School environment (composting, water etc.)
• School gardens
• Connections with local farms for fresh food and
  educational opportunities (Farm to School)
• Community resources/alliances

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School Wellness Policy Provisions

• Requirement 2
• Nutrition guidelines for all foods available
  during the school day
• school meals
• a la carte foods,
• vending machines,
• snack bars, school stores, concession stands
• any school-sponsored fundraising activities

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School Wellness Policy Provisions

• Requirement 3
• Assurance that nutrition guidelines for school
  meals will not be less restrictive than federal
  regulations.

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School Wellness Policy Provisions

• Requirement 4
• A plan for measuring the effectiveness of the
  wellness policy, including the designation of at
  least one person to oversee the activities and
  maintain responsibility for program operation.

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School Wellness Policy Provisions

• Requirement 5
• The policy development team must include
• Parents
• Students
• Child nutrition staff
• Representatives of the school board
• School administrators
• Members of the public
• CDE encourages Teachers, School Nurses,
  Dietitians and others

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Road Map for Creating Policy

• Learn about Section 204 Local Wellness
• Policy requirements
• School District appoints a coordinator
• responsible for
• development and implementation of the School
  Wellness policy
• establishment of the School Health Council (also
  called School Nutrition Advisory Council or SNAC)
• 3. School Health Council meets to
• gather/review existing district health policies
• assesses the school environment
• summarize results

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Road Map for Creating Policy (continued)

• 4. School Health Council reviews
• CSBA Sample Board Policy
• National NANA Model Policy Framework
• Marin School Wellness Vision Recommendations
• 5. School Health Council works toward
• drafting the local School Wellness Policy
• (including local tech support, resources, budget
  etc.)
• submitting Policy to School Board by March for
  June 2006 approval

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Road Map for Creating Policy (continued)

• 6. The School Health Council develops a plan for
  on-going implementation and evaluation of policy
• District/School implements policy using best
• practices and local resources

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Our Vision for Marin Happy, Healthy Kids