Mount Pleasant School District Changes Board Policy 707.05

NOTICE OF INTENDED ACTION

The Board of Directors of the Mount Pleasant Community School District will take action on the following policies at its next regular board meeting.

Revised Policy

Board Policy Manual

Mt. Pleasant Community Schools

The Mount Pleasant Community School District Board of Education is committed to the optimal development of every student. The board believes for students to have the opportunity to achieve personal, academic, developmental, and social success, there needs to be a positive, safe, and health-promoting learning environment at every level, in every setting.

The school district provides a comprehensive learning environment for developing and practicing lifelong wellness behaviors. The entire school environment, not just the classroom, shall be aligned with healthy school district goals to positively influence a student’s understanding, beliefs and habits as they relate to good nutrition and regular physical activity. In accordance with law and this belief, the board commits to the following:

The school district will identify at least one goal in each of the following areas:

• Nutrition Education and Promotion:  Schools will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that helps students develop lifelong healthy eating behaviors.
• Physical Activity: Schools will provide students with age and grade appropriate opportunities to engage in physical activity that meet the Iowa Healthy Kids Act.
• Other School Based Activities that Promote Wellness: As appropriate, schools will support students, staff, and parents’ efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

The following nutritional guidelines for food available on school campuses will be adhered to:

• Meals served through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program will be appealing and meet, at a minimum, nutrition requirements established by state and federal law;
• The District child nutrition program will accommodate students with special dietary needs.
• Schools providing access to healthy foods outside the reimbursable meal programs before school, during school and thirty minutes after school shall meet the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) Smart Snacks in Schools nutrition standards, at a minimum.  This includes such items as those sold through a la carte lines and vending machines;
• Any foods and beverages marketed or promoted to students on the school campus during the school day will meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks In School nutrition standards.
• Snacks provided to students during the school day without charge (e.g., class parties) will aim to meet standards set by the district in accordance with law. The district will provide parents a list of foods and beverages that meet nutrition standards for classroom snacks and celebrations.

The superintendent or superintendent’s designee shall implement and ensure compliance with the policy by:

• Reviewing the policy at least every three years and recommending updates as appropriate for board approval;
• Implementing a process for permitting parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, teachers of physical education, school health professionals, the school board, administrators and the public to participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the policy;
• Making the policy and updated assessment of the implementation available to the public (e.g., posting on the website, newsletters, etc). This information shall include the extent to which the schools are in compliance with policy and a description of the progress being made in attaining the goals of the policy; and
• Developing administrative regulations, which shall include specific wellness goals and indicators for measurement of progress consistent with law and district policy.
• The principal will ensure compliance with the Wellness Policy that pertains to their building.

The Board of Directors of the Mount Pleasant Community School District promotes healthy students by supporting wellness, good nutrition and regular physical activity as a part of the total learning environment. An important aspect is that the district is ‘peanut/tree nut aware.’ We work with students, parents and staff to ensure those affected by a peanut or tree nut allergy will have a plan in place to ensure safety at school.

To implement the Wellness Policy, the following district specific goals have been established:
Goal 1 – Nutrition Education and Promotion:  Schools will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that help students develop lifelong healthy eating behaviors. The goal(s) for addressing nutrition education and nutrition promotion include, but are not limited to  the following:

• Provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect their health;
• Ensure nutrition education and promotion are not only part of health education classes, but also integrated into other classroom instruction;
• Include enjoyable, developmentally-appropriate, culturally-relevant, and participatory activities, such as cooking demonstrations or lessons, promotions, taste-testing, farm visits, and school gardens;
• Promote fruits, vegetables, whole-grain products, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, and healthy foods;
• Emphasize caloric balance between food intake and energy expenditure (promotes physical activity/exercise);
• Link with school meal programs, cafeteria nutrition promotion activities, school gardens, Farm to School programs, other school foods, and nutrition-related community services;
• Concessions:  The Mount Pleasant Community School District encourages concessions that are sold outside of the instructional day to offer nutritious options for sale including but not limited to; fresh fruits, vegetables, yogurt, granola bars and string cheese. Water should also be offered wherever beverages are sold.

Goal 2 – Physical Activity: Schools will provide students and staff with age and grade appropriate opportunities to engage in physical activity that meet federal and state guidelines, including the Iowa Healthy Kids Act. The goal(s) for addressing physical activity include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Promote the benefits of a physically active lifestyle and help students develop skills to engage in lifelong healthy habits;
• Engage students in moderate to vigorous activity during at least 50 percent of physical education class time;
• Encourage classroom teachers to provide short physical activity breaks (3-5 minutes), as appropriate;
• Encourage teachers to incorporate movement and kinesthetic learning approaches into core subject instructions when possible;
• Offer classroom health education that complements physical education by reinforcing the knowledge and self-management skills needed to maintain a physically active lifestyle;
• Afford elementary students with recess according to the following:
  • At least 20 minutes a day;
  • Outdoors as weather and time permits;
  • Encourages moderate to vigorous physical activity; and
  • Scheduled to avoid extended periods of inactivity (i.e., periods of two or more hours).
• Staff will not use physical activity (running laps, push-ups, sit ups, etc) or routinely withhold opportunities for physical activity (i.e. recess, physical education) as punishment.

Goal 3 – Other School-Based Activities that Promote Student Wellness: Schools will support student, staff, and parents’ efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle, as appropriate. The goal(s) for addressing other school-based activities that promote student wellness include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide parents a list of foods and beverages that meet nutrition standards for classroom snacks and celebrations;
• Food and beverage items that are utilized as an incentive shall adhere to the Mount Pleasant School District Nutritional Standards.
• Share information about the nutritional content of meals with parents and students through the Food Service tab on the District Website;
• Strive to provide students with at least 10 minutes to eat after sitting down for breakfast and 20 minutes after sitting down for lunch;
• Drinking water will be available during mealtimes;
• Discourage students from sharing foods or beverages during meal or snack times, given concerns about allergies and dietary needs, except from school sanctioned sharing table;
• Students will have access to hand washing or hand sanitizing before and after meals or snacks.

Public Involvement: There is a process for permitting parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, teachers of physical education, school health professionals, the school board, administrators and the public to participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the policy.

• The district has a local wellness policy committee to advise the district on the development, implementation, and improvement of the school wellness policy;
• The superintendent or superintendent’s designee invites suggestions or comments concerning the development, implementation, and improvement of the school wellness policy. As such, interested persons are encouraged to contact the superintendent or superintendent’s designees.

Written comments may be sent to Superintendent John Henriksen, 400 East Madison Street, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa  52641.