Richland County School District One, SC Healthy and Nutritious School Environment

Type: Policy
Status: Adopted on 8/15/06
Source File: http://www.richlandone.org/departments/student_nutrition/Wellness%20Policy-%20As%20of%208-15-06.pdf
Text:
Purpose: To establish the Board’s vision and the basic structure to support the health and well being of students and staff.. The Healthy School Environment Policy supports this vision through the incorporation of healthy food choices, nutrition education, physical education and physical activity.
This policy will be administered by the superintendent or his/her designee. The district supports nutrition and nutrition education as well as physical education and physical activity as integral parts of a quality education. This policy seeks to establish a safe, healthy and nutritious school environment where students will have opportunities to learn and practice making healthy food choices. This policy also seeks to establish opportunities for all students to develop the skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary to participate in a lifetime of healthful physical activity. Good nutrition and physical fitness are is imperative to peak academic performance for students and for long-term health.
Administrative Rule
The policy governing the sale of all food and beverages to students during the school day will be administered by the superintendent or his or her designee.
Food and beverages served and sold during the school day in the cafeteria, school canteens, school stores, fundraisers, vending machines, and anywhere else food or beverages are served/sold to students must meet Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) and protect the health and safety of students.
The district will prohibit the sale of foods of minimum nutritional value in vending machines, snack bars, school stores, concession stands, and a la′ carte offerings in the food service program which students will have access to during the school day. Elementary schools are prohibited from having vending machines, which students can access.
Policy assessment will be ongoing and the administrative rule may be amended as deemed necessary.
Nutrition Guidelines:
a. Chewing gum, flavored ice bars, and candy bars will not be served or sold during the school day.
b. “Other foods” may contain no more than 35 percent, by weight, of sugar or other artificial sweeteners.
* Other foods will be defined as foods other than those served as part of the school meal, including snacks from the vending machines, canteen sales, a la carte sales, foods sold during school hours for fund- raising purposes, and food for special functions. Other foods will not include those items brought to school by individual students for their own consumption, but will include foods brought to school to be sold (i.e. fast foods, pizzas, sub sandwiches, etc.)
* Foods must be in compliance with the Dietary Guidelines for fats and must contain 8 grams of fat or less per one ounce serving. Foods must have 30% or less of its total calories from fat, 10% or less of its calories from saturated fat and 1% of calories from trans fat. (Nuts and seeds are the exception and are permissible in accordance with portion guidelines)
c. All snack foods served/sold to students during the school day must meet USDA standards for FMNV and be limited to the following maximum portion sizes:
* 1.25 oz for snacks (chips, crackers, popcorn, jerky trail mix, nuts, seeds or dried fruit)
* 2 ounces for cookies and cereal bars
* 3 ounces for other bakery items (muffins, sweet rolls, etc)
* 4 ounces for frozen desserts, including but not limited to ice cream
* 8 ounces for non-frozen yogurt
* 12 ounces for beverages, excluding water and milk
d. Student access to the sale and service of carbonated beverages will be prohibited.
e. Beverages will be defined as any juice or juice product- this will include descriptions such as fruit drink, vegetable drink, fruit nectar, fruit soda, fruit potion or any like names.
f. Beverages offered must contain 100% of real fruit or vegetable juices to be served/sold. Water will be accessible to all students. Water may be bottled drinking water, flavored water, sparkling water, natural spring water or the like.
g. Sports drinks may not be served / sold during the school day.
h. All beverage and food items must have nutrition specs submitted to student nutrition services for review and final approval before being served/sold.
i. All single entrée items and side dishes served/sold should be no larger than the portions of those foods served/sold by Student Nutrition Services.
j. Student Nutrition Services reserves the right to refuse service of any food or beverage items from vendors regardless of compliance of the policy guidelines. Student Nutrition Services also reserves the right to limit quantities and exercise portion control on any food / beverage items offered at school.
Quality Foods:
a. School staff and district personnel will support Student Nutrition Services and the USDA Nutrition programs by making the participation and return of meal eligibility applications a high priority.
b. Student Nutrition Services will provide annual training to food service employees and canteen managers according to current professional standards in food safety and service.
c. Student Nutrition Services will monitor compliance with USDA guidelines and district nutrition standards for all food and/or beverage items served/sold during the school day in the cafeterias and canteens.
d. Student Nutrition Services will periodically review and amend meal preparation and cooking methods as well as food transportation methods used to ensure the maximum nutrients possible are retained.
e. Student Nutrition Services will improve menu choices and selections of qualified products for vending machines and school canteen sales by utilizing student, parent, staff and community input. Food and beverage selections are contingent on compliance with nutrition standards and budget implications.
f. Schools and organizations planning fundraisers are encouraged to consider a variety of alternative items for sale, including but not limited to, vegetables, gift wraps, flowers, and clothing with the school logo.
g. Food sales for fundraisers during the school day must meet healthy food guidelines. So as not to interfere with the breakfast or lunch program, no sales can take place during the hours of operation that breakfast and lunch are being served.
h. Food sales for fundraisers that occur before the school day or after school ends are not governed by this rule.
Eating Environment:
a. School staff and district personnel will encourage students to make healthy food choices and consume full meals by limiting the competition of canteen and vending sales with the nutrition program.
b. Administrators and staff will promote a school environment that supports the Healthy and Nutritious School Environment policy. Staff is encouraged to model healthy eating by offering healthier choices at school festivals, celebrations, meetings and other events.
c. Students will receive positive messages, both verbal and non-verbal about healthy eating and physical activity throughout the school setting. School and district personnel will help reinforce these positive messages.
d. School administrators will schedule appropriately to ensure that all students have adequate time to consume meals in accordance with the USDA guidelines, which require a minimum of 20 minutes for K-5 to eat after being served.
e. Student Nutrition Services will work with the Office of Communications to inform and promote healthy changes to school meals and vending to district staff, students, parents and the public.
f. Students, parents, administrators and staff will have access to valid and useful health information and health promotion products and services. The district will provide nutritional information that will encourage parents and district personnel to provide nutritious foods for their children and themselves.
Nutrition Education:
a. The Office of Curriculum and Instruction will oversee the integration of nutrition education into the comprehensive health education program. Student Nutrition Services will collaborate with the Office of Curriculum and Instruction to enhance nutrition education.
b. Students in grades K-8 will receive comprehensive health education annually that includes nutrition education, with students in grades K-5 receiving nutrition education weekly. *
c. At least one time in grades 9-12, students will receive comprehensive health education that includes nutrition education. *
d. Annually, principals will report level of compliance with the CHEA requirements to be included in district report to the SDE. *
e. Professional development will be provided for teachers and volunteers on the relationship between physical activity and nutrition for academic performance and healthy lifestyles. *
f. The use of candy or foods of minimum nutritional value as a learning incentive, punishment or reward should not be practiced. Healthy food choices should be substituted.
*Indicates compliance with CHEA, SH&FA and SDE requirements.
Category:Food-Related Policies
Category:Policies
Category:School Districts
Category:South Carolina