West Babylon School District Wellness Policy 5405

The Board of Education is committed to providing school environments that promote and protect children s health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating habits and physical activity. Therefore, it is the policy of the West Babylon School District that:

The district will engage students, parents, teachers, administrators, food service professionals, health professionals, and other interested community members in developing, implementing, monitoring, and reviewing district-wide nutrition and physical activity policies. This group will serve as the West Babylon District-wide Wellness Committee.

All students in grades K-12 will have opportunities, support and encouragement to be physically active on a regular basis.

For purposes of this policy, school campus means all areas of district property accessible to students during the school day; school day means the period from the midnight before to 30 minutes after the end of the official school day; and competitive food means all food and beverages other than meals reimbursed under federal food programs available for sale to students during the school day.

The Board recognizes that a nutritious, well-balanced, reasonably portioned diet is essential for student wellness. To help students possess the knowledge and skills necessary to make nutritious food choices for a lifetime, the district shall ensure that all foods and beverages available in school promote good nutrition, balance, and reasonable portion sizes. The district shall ensure that reimbursable school meals and all foods and beverages available for sale to students on the school campus during the school day meet or exceed the program requirements and nutrition standards found in federal regulations.

To accomplish this, the Board directs that the district serve healthy and appealing foods and beverages at district schools, following state and federal nutrition guidelines, as well as safe food preparation methods.

School Meals

The district shall:

  1. Include fruits, vegetables, salads, whole grains, and low fat items at least to the extent required by federal regulations.
  2. Encourage students to try new or unfamiliar items.
  3. Make efforts to ensure that families are aware of need-based programs for free or reduced-price meals and encourage eligible families to apply.
  4. Consider serving produce and food from local farms and suppliers.
  5. Make free drinking water available at locations where meals are served.

The district shall provide adequate time for all children to eat and shall make certain all lunch hours are between the federal limits set between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

School nutrition services shall use the Smarter Lunchroom Self-Assessment Scorecard to determine ways to improve the school meals environment. At least 15 Smarter Lunchrooms techniques shall be implemented and maintained at each school.

Only healthful foods and beverages in appropriate portions may be used in classroom celebrations. All snack foods provided to students at parties or other events during the school day shall meet the nutrition guidelines set by the USDA s competitive foods nutrition standards.

Items must be commercially prepared. These items must be in original sealed package with labeling of ingredients and nutritional content. Whole fruits are permissible. If the fruit must be cut-up, this should be done at school following appropriate food handling standards.

Items containing ingredients to which a member of a classroom is allergic must be avoided. Under no circumstances should a student be served foods that contain ingredients to which he or she is allergic.

Homemade foods are for personal consumption only. These items are not to be shared, served or sold to students during school hours.

The exception to the above requirements is food produced as part of coursework and instruction. All foods prepared as part of classroom instruction shall follow appropriate food handling standards.

Organizations affiliated with the district (e.g., the PTA, Sports Parents Association, and Music Parents Association) are encouraged to offer healthy choices among the foods served or sold at after school events.

Qualified child nutrition professionals will provide students with access to a variety of affordable, nutritious and appealing foods that meet the health and nutrition needs of students; will provide clean, safe and pleasant settings and adequate time for students to eat; and will comply with federal, state and local child nutrition program requirements.

Schools will provide nutrition education and physical education to foster lifelong habits of healthy eating and physical activity, and will establish linkages between health education and school meal programs, and with related community services.

Each school will maintain a School Wellness Committee that meets at least every other month. These committees shall seek to include members who are representative of the diversity of our community. At least one parent/guardian representative shall be part of the committee. The committees will solicit input from the community at large, including students, parents/guardians and staff members. The committees will promote activities that further the goals of the policy. To accomplish this, the committees will be committed to reflecting the importance of diversity and culturally inclusive practices. All school- based activities are consistent with local wellness policy goals.

In addition, any food or beverage that is marketed on school grounds during the school day must meet at least the federal nutrition guidelines for competitive items. Marketing includes all advertising and promotions: verbal, written or graphic, or promotional items applied to all purchases and contracts made after the effective date of this provision.

This restriction does not apply to personal opinions or expression, or items used for educational purposes.

The district will offer at least 1 district wide family focused event supporting health promotion annually.

The Superintendent of Schools or designee will develop a summary report on district-wide compliance with the district s established nutrition and physical activity wellness policies, based upon input from schools within the district every three years.

The district will utilize Board of Education meetings as well as the school website to actively inform families and the community about the content of and any updates to the policy.

Adopted April 12, 2011

Revised: April 14, 2015

Reviewed: October 25, 2016

Revised: June 27, 2017

Revised: July 9, 2019

 

Overview of Requirements

  • § As of School Year 2006-2007, all districts were required to establish a local school wellness policy.
  • § The final rule requires LEAs to begin developing a revised local school wellness policy during School Year 2016- 2017. LEAs must fully comply with the requirements of the final rule by June 30, 2017. This includes, but is not limited to:
  • § Permitting parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, teachers of physical education, school health professionals, the school board, school administrators, and the general public to participate in the development, implementation, review, and update of the local wellness policy.
  • § Identifying wellness policy leadership of one or more LEA and/or school official(s) who have the authority and responsibility to ensure each school complies with the policy.
  • § Informing and updating the public (including parents, students, and others in the community) about the content and implementation of the local wellness policy.
  • § Ensuring the wellness policy includes all of the required components:
    • § Specific goals for nutrition promotion and education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that promote student wellness. LEAs are required to review and consider evidence-based strategies in determining these goals.
    • § Nutrition guidelines for all foods and beverages available or for sale on the school campus during the school day that are consistent with Federal regulations for:
      • § School meal nutrition standards, and
      • § Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards.
    • § Policies for other foods and beverages available on the school campus during the school day (e.g., in classroom parties, classroom snacks brought by parents, or other foods given as incentives).
    • § Policies for food and beverage marketing that allow marketing and advertising of only those foods and beverages that meet the Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards.
    • § Description of public involvement, public updates, policy leadership, and evaluation plan.

 

Legal

  • P.L. 108-265 (Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004)
  • 42 USC §§1758(f)(1)
  • 42 USC §§1766(a) (Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act)
  • 42 USC §1779 (Child Nutrition Act)
  • 7 CFR §210.10
  • 7 CFR §210.11 (National School Lunch Program participation requirements standards for lunches, snacks, and competitive foods)
  • 7 CFR §220.8 (School Breakfast Program participation requirements nutrition standards)
  • 8 NYCRR Part 135 (Health and Physical Education curricular requirements)
  • 8 NYCRR §114.1 (School Breakfast Program Requirements)
  • Appeal of Phillips, 37 EDR 204 (1997) (dec. no. 13,843)
  • Appeal of Williams, 32 EDR 621 (1993) (dec. no. 12,934)