School Wellness
6:50 School Wellness
The Board of Education of East St. Louis School District is committed to providing a learning environment that supports and promotes wellness, good nutrition, and an active lifestyle and recognizes the positive relationship between good nutrition, physical activity, and the capacity of students to develop and learn.
Student wellness, including good nutrition and physical activity, shall be promoted in the District’s educational program, school activities, and meal programs. This policy shall be interpreted consistently with Section 204 of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 and the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (HHFKA). The Superintendent or designee will ensure each school building complies with this policy, the policy is available to the community on an annual basis, and that the community is informed about the progress of this policy’s implementation.
Goals for Nutrition Education and Nutrition Promotion
The goals for addressing nutrition education and nutrition promotion include the following:
· Schools will support and promote sound nutrition for students.
· Schools will foster the positive relationship between sound nutrition, physical activity, and the capacity of students to develop and learn.
· Nutrition education will be part of the District’s comprehensive health education curriculum. See Board policy 6:60, Curriculum Content.
· The curriculum will be consistent with and incorporate relevant Illinois Learning Standards as established by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).
Goals for Physical Activity
The goals for addressing physical activity include the following:
· Schools will support and promote an active lifestyle for students.
· Physical education will be taught in all grades and shall include a developmentally planned and sequential curriculum that fosters the development of movement skills, enhances health-related fitness, increases students’ knowledge, offers direct opportunities to learn how to work cooperatively in a group setting, and encourages healthy habits and attitudes for a healthy lifestyle. See policies 6:60, Curriculum Content and 7:260, Exemption from Physical Education.
· Unless otherwise exempted, all students will be required to engage daily during the school day in a physical education course. See policies 6:60, Curriculum Content and 7:260, Exemption from Physical Education.
· The curriculum will be consistent with and incorporate relevant Illinois Learning Standards for Physical Development and Health as established by the Ill. State Board of Education.
Goals for Other School-Based Activities
The goals for school-based activities include the following:
· Schools will support and promote a healthy eating environment for students.
· Schools will promote and participate in wellness activities.
· Schools will offer other school-based activities to support student health and wellness, including coordinated events and clubs.
Nutrition Guidelines for Foods Available During the School Day
Students will be offered and schools will promote nutritious food and beverage choices consistent with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans published jointly by the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Agriculture (USDA). In addition, in order to promote student health and reduce childhood obesity, the Superintendent or designee shall restrict the sale of competitive foods, as defined by the USDA, in the food service areas during meal periods and comply with all ISBE rules.
Exempted Fundraising Day (EFD) Requests
All food and beverages sold to students on the school campuses of participating schools during the school day must comply with the “general nutrition standards for competitive foods” specified in federal law, unless the Superintendent or designee in a participating school has granted an exempted fundraising day (EFD). To request an EFD and learn more about the District’s related procedure(s), contact the Superintendent or designee. The District’s procedures are subject to change. The number of EFDs is set by ISBE rule.
Guidelines for Reimbursable School Meals
Reimbursable school meals served shall meet, at a minimum, the nutrition requirements and regulations for the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program.
Unused Food Sharing Plan
In collaboration with the District’s local health department, the Superintendent or designee will:
1. Develop and support a food sharing plan (Plan) for unused food that is focused on needy students.
2. Implement the Plan throughout the District.
3. Ensure the Plan complies with the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, as well as accompanying guidance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on the Food Donation Program.
4. Ensure that any leftover food items are properly donated to combat potential food insecurity in the District’s community. Properly means in accordance with all federal regulations and State and local health and sanitation codes.
Monitoring
The Superintendent or designee shall annually provide implementation data and/or reports to the Board concerning this policy’s implementation sufficient to allow the Board to monitor and adjust the policy. This report must include without limitation each of the following:
· An assessment of the District’s implementation of the policy
· The extent to which schools in the District are in compliance with the policy
· The extent to which the policy compares to model local school wellness policies
· A description of the progress made in attaining the goals of the policy
Community Input
The Superintendent or designee will actively invite suggestions and comments concerning the development, implementation, and improvement of the school wellness policy from parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, teachers of physical education, school health professionals, the school board, school administrators, and community.
Recordkeeping
The Superintendent or designee shall retain records to document compliance with this policy.
LEGAL REF.:
Pub. L. 108-265, Sec. 204, Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004.
42 U.S.C. §1751 et seq., Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act.
42 U.S.C. §1758b, Pub. L. 111-296, Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.
42 U.S.C. §1771 et seq., Child Nutrition Act of 1966.
42 U.S.C. §1779, as implemented by 7 C.F.R. §§210.11 and 210.31.
50 ILCS 205/, Local Records Act.
105 ILCS 5/2-3.139 and 5/2-3.189.
23 Ill.Admin.Code Part 305, Food Program.
ISBE’s School Wellness Policy Goal, adopted Oct. 2007.
CROSS REF.: 4:120 (Food Services), 5:100 (Staff Development Program), 6:60 (Curriculum Content), 7:260 (Exemption from Physical Education)
Adopted: December 12, 2023