Wellness Policy on Physical Activity and Nutrition

St John Bosco School supports the health and well-being of our students by promoting

nutrition and physical activity at all grade levels.

In accordance with federal law, it is the policy of St John Bosco to provide students access to

healthy foods and beverages; provide opportunities for developmentally appropriate physical activity; and

require that all meals served by the school corporation meet or exceed the federal nutritional guidelines

issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The School Wellness Policy shall be made available to students and families through the school website:

I. Wellness Committee

The board will engage parents/guardians, food service professionals, teachers of physical

education, students, school healthcare professionals, school board members, school

administrators, and other interested community members in developing, implementing,

monitoring, and reviewing corporation-wide nutrition and physical activity policies. A Wellness

Committee will be formed and maintained at the corporation level to oversee the development,

implementation and evaluation of the school corporation’s wellness policy.

A. In accordance with state and federal law, the school corporation will form and maintain a

corporation level Wellness Committee that may include  the following:

● Parents/Guardians

● Food Service Director/Professionals

● Teachers of Physical Education

● Students

● School health care professionals/Registered Dietitians/School Nurse

● School board members

● School administrators

● Any interested member of the public

● Representatives of interested community organizations

● Other potential members of the Council include teachers, teaching

assistants, SNAP-Ed educators, and community representatives, such as

recreation professionals, city planners, industry professionals and

voluntary service workers.

B. The Committee shall meet at least annually to review nutrition and physical activity

policies and to develop an action plan for the coming year. The Committee shall meet

as needed during the school year to discuss implementation activities and address

barriers and challenges.

C. The Committee shall report annually to the Superintendent and the School Board on

the implementation of the wellness policy and include any recommended changes or

revisions.

D. The School Board will adopt or revise nutrition and physical activity policies based on

recommendations made by the Committee.

II. Wellness Coordinator

The sponsor will identify at least one person as responsible for monitoring the local wellness policy.

III. Standards for USDA Child Nutrition Programs and School Meals

The board will provide and promote the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs to ensure that all

students have access to healthy foods to support healthier choices and promote optimal learning.

A. School Meal Content

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

1. Be appealing and appetizing to children;

2. Meet, at a minimum, the nutrition requirements established by the USDA for

federally funded programs.

3. Contain 0 percent trans fats.

4. Offer a variety of fruits and vegetables;

5. 80 percent of the grains offered are whole grain-rich

6. All cooked foods will be baked or steamed. Proper procurement procedures and

preparation methods will be used to decrease excess fat, calorie and sodium

levels in food.

7. Schools are encouraged to purchase or obtain fresh fruits and vegetables from

local farmers when practical.

8. Students will have the opportunity to provide input on local, cultural and ethnic

favorites.

9. The food services department shall provide periodic food promotions that will

allow for taste testing of new foods being introduced on the menu.

10. The sponsor will make substitutions for food and/or beverage components for

students with special dietary needs at no additional cost to the student. This

includes, but is not limited to, food allergies and/or intolerances, texture

modifications, carbohydrate counts, and calorie modifications. Substitutions shall

be made on a case-by-case basis.

11. The food services department will share and publicize information about the

nutritional content of meals with students and parents/guardians. The information

will be available in a variety of forms that can include handouts, the school

website, articles, school newsletters, presentations that focus on nutrition and

healthy lifestyles, and through any other appropriate means available to reach

families.

B. School Meal Participation

i. To the extent possible, schools will provide the USDA School Breakfast Program to all

students.

ii. To the extent possible, schools will utilize methods to serve school breakfasts that

encourage participation including serving through [breakfast in the classroom, breakfast

after the bell, grab and go breakfast]

iii. Schools will inform families of the availability and location of Summer Food Service

Program meals, in accordance with the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

C. Mealtimes and Scheduling

i. Adequate time will be provided to students to eat lunch (at least 20 minutes after being

served) and breakfast (at least 10 minutes after being served).

ii. Elementary schools may schedule recess before lunch.

iii. School meals will be served in clean and pleasant settings.

iv. Students will have convenient access to hand-washing and sanitizing stations.

v. Potable (drinking) water must be readily available at all mealtimes.

vi. Appropriate supervision will be provided in the cafeteria and rules for safe behavior shall

be consistently enforced.

D. Professional Development

i. Professional development and training will be provided at least annually to food service

managers and staff on proper food handling techniques and healthy cooking practices.

IV. Nutrition Standards for Competitive and Other Foods and Beverages

A. [Corporation or Facility] will provide and allow foods and beverages that support proper

nutrition, promote healthy choices, and comply with federal nutrition standards (Smart Snack

Standards) on school grounds including in vending machines, school stores, and concession

stands. This also includes food and beverages made available in schools during the school day for

events, such as school fundraisers and birthday or classroom celebrations.

a. Food and Beverages Sold on School Campus

i. Will follow guidance based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

ii. A la carte, school vending machines, and other foods outside of school meals

shall be limited to items that meet the following criteria:

1. No more than 35 percent of total calories from fat,

2. Less than 10 percent of total calories from saturated fats,

3. 0 grams trans fats,

4. No more than 35 percent of calories from total sugars,

5. No more than 200 milligrams of sodium per portion as packaged,

6. No more than 200 calories per package, and

7. 50 percent or more whole grain by weight (for grain-based products)

iii. A la carte, school vending machines and other beverages outside of school meals

shall be limited to:

1. Water without flavoring, additives,

2. Low-fat and nonfat milk in 8-ounce portions for K-5 students or

12-ounce portions for grades 6-12,

3. 100% fruit juice in 8-ounce portion for grades K-5 and 12 ounces for

grades 6-12, and

4. For students in grades 9-12 , all beverages other than water, milk, or juice

shall be less than 5 calories or less per ounce

a. No calorie (10 calories or less) beverages cannot be more than 20

ounces.

b. Availability

v. Students and staff will have free, potable (drinking) water for consumption

available in water fountains throughout the school building.

d. Fundraisers

i. Fundraising activities will support healthy eating and wellness. [Corporation or

facility] will promote the sale of non-food items for school-sponsored

fundraising. For a food or beverage item to be sold as a fundraiser, it must meet

the approved Smart Snack standards. Fundraisers subject to this rule are those

sold during the school day on school grounds. School day is defined as from

midnight the night before to 30 minutes after the end of school.

ii. Fundraisers selling food items that do not meet the federal nutrition standards

are limited to two such fundraisers per school building per year. Which

fundraisers are allowed will be chosen by the School Board and Wellness

Committee. [OR] No fundraisers selling food items will be allowed in any school

during the school day.

V. Marketing of Food and Beverages

A. Signage or similar media on school campus during the school day may only advertise food and/or

beverages provided and sold by the school that meet the competitive foods standards for foods

sold in schools (i.e. Smart Snacks).

B. Marketing that promotes student health will be permitted in school buildings and on school

grounds.

VI. Nutrition Education

A. Nutrition topics shall be integrated within the comprehensive health education curriculum and

taught at every grade level according to standards of the Indiana Department of Education.

B. Schools will link nutrition education activities with existing coordinated school health programs

or other comparable comprehensive school health promotion frameworks.

C. Health education will be provided as part of a comprehensive health education program and

taught by a licensed instructor.

D. The corporation will provide nutrition education training opportunities to teachers and staff for all

grade levels.

VII. Nutrition Promotion

A. Nutrition promotion will include lessons, such as how to read food labels, choosing healthy

options, and portion control.

B. School staff will collaborate with community groups and organizations to provide opportunities

for student projects related to nutrition (e.g., cultivating school gardens, reading food labels and

maintaining a caloric balance between food intake and physical activity/exercise).

C. Nutrition promotion resources will be provided to parents/guardians through handouts, website

links, school newsletters, presentations and any other appropriate means available to reach

parents/guardians.

D. Nutrition educators will partner with school staff of the school food service program to use the

cafeteria as a “learning lab”. Healthy items, such as vegetables, salad bars and fruits will be

displayed prominently in cafeterias to make healthier choices more appealing.

E. Nutrition labels will be provided on all foods to allow students to easily identify healthier foods.

F. Foods of minimal nutritional value, including brands and illustrations, shall not be advertised or

marketed in educational materials.

VIII. Physical Activity and Physical Education

The Wellness Committee supports the health and well-being of students by promoting physical activity

through physical education, recess, and other physical activity breaks; before- and after-school activities;

and walking and bicycling to school. Additionally, the Wellness Committee supports physical activity

among elementary students by providing them with at least 30 of the recommended 60 minutes of

physical activity per day. Each elementary school shall provide daily physical activity in accordance with

Indiana Code 20-30-5-7.5.

A. Physical Education

a. All students in grades K-12 will participate in physical education in order to meet the

Physical Education Standards. High schools will encourage students to take more than the

courses of physical education required for all Indiana diplomas.

b. Waivers will not apply towards the physical education courses required for a diploma.

Credit flexibility in physical education will be limited to elective physical education

courses.

c. Physical education classes will have the same student/teacher ratio used in other classes.

In Indiana, the ratio for a single school shall not exceed an average of 30 to 1.

d. The physical education program shall be provided adequate space and equipment to

ensure quality physical education classes for students.

B. Daily Recess and Physical Activity Breaks

a. All elementary school students will have at least one period of active recess per day and junior

       high will have recess 4 times a week that is at least 20 minutes in length as recommended by the 

      National Association for Sport

and Physical Education (NASPE). This recess period will be outdoors when possible. If

outdoor recess is not possible due to inclement weather, teachers will provide an indoor

physical activity break in the classroom.

b. All teachers will be encouraged to use physical activity breaks during classroom time as

often as possible.

c. Schools should discourage extended periods of inactivity (2 or more hours). During

events such as mandatory school-wide testing, teachers will give students periodic breaks

for moderate physical activity.

C. Physical Activity Opportunities Before and After School