MJUSD
DIVISION 5000
STUDENTS
STUDENT WELLNESS
The Governing Board recognizes the link between student health and learning and desires to provide a comprehensive program promoting healthy eating and physical activity for District students. The Superintendent or designee shall build a coordinated school health system that supports and reinforces health literacy through health education, physical education, health services, nutrition services, psychological and counseling services, health promotion for staff, a safe and healthy school environment, and parent/guardian and community involvement.
School Health Council/Committee
The Board's policy related to student wellness shall be developed with the involvement of parents/guardians, students, school food service professionals, school administrators, Board representatives, and members of the public.
The Superintendent or designee may appoint a school health council or other committee consisting of representatives of the above groups. The council or committee may also include District administrators, health professionals, school nurses, health educators, physical education teachers, counselors, and/or others interested in school health issues.
The school health council or committee shall assist with policy development and advise the District on health-related issues, activities, policies, and programs. At the discretion of the Superintendent or designee, the council's charges may include planning and implementing activities to promote health within the school or community.
Nutrition Education and Physical Activity Goals
The Board shall adopt goals for nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that are designed to promote student wellness in a manner that the District determines appropriate.
The District's nutrition education and physical education programs shall be based on research, consistent with the expectations established in the state's curriculum frameworks, and designed to build the skills and knowledge that all students need to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Nutrition education shall be provided as part of the health education program in grades K-12 and, as appropriate, shall be integrated into core academic subjects and offered through before- and after-school programs.
All students in grades K-12 shall be provided opportunities to be physically active on a regular basis. Opportunities for moderate to vigorous physical activity shall be provided through physical education, recess, school athletic programs, extracurricular programs, before- and after-school programs, and other structured and unstructured activities.
The Superintendent or designee shall encourage staff to serve as positive role models. He/she shall promote and may provide opportunities for regular physical activity among employees.
Professional development shall include instructional strategies that assess health knowledge and skills and promote healthy behaviors.
To encourage consistent health messages between the home and school environment, the Superintendent or designee may disseminate health information to parents/guardians through District or school newsletters, handouts, parent/guardian meetings, the District or school web site, and other communications. Outreach to parents/guardians shall emphasize the relationship between student health and academic performance.
The Board prohibits the marketing and advertising of non-nutritious foods and beverages through signage, vending machine fronts, logos, scoreboards, school supplies, advertisements in school publications, coupon or incentive programs, or other means.
Nutrition Guidelines for Foods Available at School
The Board shall adopt nutrition guidelines selected by the District for all foods available on each campus during the school day, with the objectives of promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity.
The Board believes that foods and beverages available to students at District schools should support the health curriculum and promote optimal health. Nutrition standards adopted by the District for all foods and beverages sold to students, including foods and beverages provided through the District's food service program, student stores, vending machines, fundraisers, or other venues, shall meet or exceed state and federal nutrition standards.
The Superintendent or designee shall encourage school organizations to use healthy food items or non-food items for fundraising purposes. He/she also shall encourage school staff to avoid the use of non-nutritious foods as a reward for students' academic performance, accomplishments, or classroom behavior.
School staff shall encourage parents/guardians or other volunteers to support the District's nutrition education program by considering nutritional quality when selecting any snacks which they may donate for occasional class parties and by limiting foods or beverages that do not meet nutritional standards to no more than one (1) food or beverage per party. Class parties or celebrations shall be held after the lunch period when possible.
Guidelines for Reimbursable Meals
Foods and beverages provided through federally reimbursable school meal programs shall meet or exceed federal regulations and guidance issued pursuant to 42 USC 1758(f)(1), 1766(a), and 1779(a) and (b), as they apply to schools.
In order to maximize the District's ability to provide nutritious meals and snacks, all District schools shall participate in available federal school nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, to the extent possible.
Program Implementation and Evaluation
The Board shall establish a plan for measuring implementation of the policy. The Superintendent shall designate at least one (1) person within the District and at each school who is charged with operational responsibility for ensuring that the school sites implement the District's wellness policy.
The Superintendent or designee shall recommend for Board approval specific quality indicators that will be used to measure the implementation of the policy district-wide and at each district school. These measures shall include, but not be limited to, an analysis of the nutritional content of meals served; student participation rates in school meal programs; any sales of non-nutritious foods and beverages in fundraisers or other venues outside the District's meal programs; and feedback from food service personnel, school administrators, the school health council, parents/guardians, students, and other appropriate persons.
The Superintendent or designee shall report to the Board at least every two (2) years on the implementation of this policy and any other Board policies related to nutrition and physical activity.
Posting Requirements
Each school shall post the District's policies and regulations on nutrition and physical activity in public view within all school cafeterias or in other central eating areas.
Each school shall also post a summary of nutrition and physical activity laws and regulations prepared by the California Department of Education.
Legal Reference:
Education Code
49430-49436 Pupil Nutrition, Health, and Achievement Act of 2001
49490-49493 School breakfast and lunch programs
49500-49505 School meals
49510-49520 Nutrition
49530-49536 Child Nutrition Act
49540-49546 Child care food program
49547-49548.3 Comprehensive nutrition services
49550-49560 Meals for needy students
49565-49565.8 California Fresh Start pilot program
49570 National School Lunch Act
51222 Physical education
51223 Physical education, elementary schools
Code of Regulations, Title 5
15500-15501 Food sales by student organizations
15510 Mandatory meals for needy students
15530-15535 Nutrition education
15550-15565 School lunch and breakfast programs
United States Code, Title 42
1751-1769 National School Lunch Program, especially:
1751 Note Local wellness policy
1771-1791 Child Nutrition Act, including:
1773 School Breakfast Program
1779 Rules and regulations, Child Nutrition Act
Code of Federal Regulations, Title 7
210.1-210.31 National School Lunch Program
220.1-220.21 National School Breakfast Program
First Reading: 5/10/06
Governing Board Adoption: 6/21/06