Lafourche Student Wellness Promotion Policy

Eat Vegetables, Move More

To help combat childhood obesity and improve children’s health, the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (PL # 108-265) requires each local educational agency that receives funding for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Child Nutrition Programs to establish a local school wellness policy by the beginning of 2006-2007 school year.

With this new requirement, the U.S. Congress recognizes that schools play a critical role in creating a healthy environment for the prevention of childhood obesity and for combating problems, like Type 2 diabetes, that are associated with poor nutrition and physical inactivity. This law places the responsibility of developing a school wellness policy at the local level, so the individual needs of each school can be addressed most effectively.

In addition, Act 331 was passed by the 2005 Louisiana Legislature in order to establish healthy standards for foods and beverages sold through vending, concessions or other such sales on school grounds. SBESE Bulletin 1196 of the Louisiana Department of Education, which reflects the USDA and Act 331 requirements, will also be detailed in this policy.

The Lafourche Parish School District is committed to providing school environments that promote and protect children's health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating and physical activity. In response to the requirements of USDA and Act 331, the Lafourche Parish Nutrition Advisory Council has revised the current Student Wellness Promotion Policy to reflect these changes.

Decisions related to foods served at school shall be based first and foremost on the nutritional needs of young people.

DEFINITIONS

The following definitions apply to the Lafourche Student Wellness Promotion Policy:

A. Competitive Foods: Foods and beverages sold or made available to students that compete with the school’s operation of the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program. This definition includes, but is not limited to, food and beverages sold in vending machines, in school stores or as part of in-school fundraisers. In-school fundraisers include food items sold by school administrators or staff (principals, coaches, teachers, etc.), students or student groups, parents or parent groups, or any other person, company or organization. These items may be sold at school only if they meet the requirements of Act 331 and SBESE Bulletin 1196 for elementary and high schools and only at the designated times for each school.

B. Elementary School: Schools with grade 9 and one or more lower grades, but not grades 10, 11, or 12; schools with any single grade or combination of grades below grade 9.

C. FMNV: Foods of Minimal Nutritional Value. Refers to the four categories of foods and beverages (soft drinks, water ices, chewing gum, and certain candies) that are restricted by the U. S. Department of Agriculture under the child nutrition programs:

1. Soft Drinks: Any carbonated beverage. No product shall be excluded from this definition because it contains small amounts of nutrients added to the food such as vitamins, minerals and protein.

2. Water Ices: Any frozen, sweetened water such as “...sicles” and flavored ice with the exception of products that contain 100 percent fruit juice.

3. Chewing Gum: Any flavored products from natural or synthetic gums and other ingredients that form an insoluble mass for chewing.

4. Certain Candies: Any processed foods made predominantly from sweeteners or artificial sweeteners with a variety of minor ingredients that characterize the following types:

a) Hard Candy: A product made predominantly from sugar (sucrose) and corn syrup that may be flavored and colored, and is characterized by a hard, brittle texture. Includes such items as sour balls, lollipops, fruit balls, candy sticks, starlight mints, after dinner mints, jaw breakers, sugar wafers, rock candy, cinnamon candies, breath mints and cough drops.

b) Jellies and Gums: A mixture of carbohydrates that are combined to form a stable gelatinous system of jellylike character and are generally flavored and colored, and include gum drops, jelly beans, jellied and fruit-flavored slices.

c) Marshmallow Candies: An aerated confection composed of sugar, corn syrup, invert sugar, 20 percent water, and gelatin or egg white to which flavors and colors may be added.

d) Fondant: A product consisting of microscopic-sized sugar crystals that are separated by a thin film of sugar and/or invert sugar in solution such as candy corn or soft mints.

e) Licorice: A product made predominantly from sugar and corn syrup that is flavored with an extract made from the licorice root.

f) Spun Candy: A product that is made from sugar that has been boiled at high temperature and spun at a high speed in a special machine, commonly referred to as cotton candy.

g) Candy Coated Popcorn: Popcorn that is coated with a mixture made predominantly from sugar and corn syrup.

D. Food Service: Refers to the school’s operation of the National School Program and School Breakfast Program and includes all food service operations conducted by the school principally for the benefit of school children, all of the revenue from which is used solely for the operation or improvement of such food services.

E. Fruit or Vegetable Juice: Beverages labeled as containing 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice.

F. Fruit or Vegetable Drink: Beverages labeled as containing fruit or vegetable juice in amounts less than 100 percent. These drinks do not meet the standards of Act 331 and SBESE Bulletin 1196 and may not be sold or provided to students in elementary school, but may be a part of the choices provided in high schools.

G. High School: any school whose grade structure fall within the 6 through 12 range and includes grades in the 10 to 12 range, or any school that contains only grade 9.

H. School Day: For the purpose of the Lafourche Student Wellness Promotion Policy, the school day begins during a period of thirty minutes prior to and thirty minutes after the end of the normal school day

I. School Meals: Meals provided under the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program for which schools receive reimbursement in accordance with all applicable federal regulations, policies, instructions and guidelines.

ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS

Foods and beverages that may be sold during the school day, beginning one-half hour before the start of the school day and ending one-half hour after the end of the school day, for elementary and middle schools, include the following:

• 100% fruit or vegetables juices that do not contain natural or artificial sweeteners (no more than 16 ounces).
• Unsweetened flavored drinking water or unflavored drinking water (any size).
• Nonfat, reduced fat, low fat, plain and/or flavored milk and yogurt, nonfat, reduced fat and/or low fat real cheese.
• Nuts, nut butters, seeds, trail mix, and/or soybean snacks and other food items that have met the criteria of Act 331 and are on an approved list developed by Pennington Biomedical Institute (See Appendix D for list or see http://www.pbrc.edu/for most current list). 

Food and beverage items that may not be sold or provided to elementary school students during the school day include:

• Foods of minimum nutrition value (FMNV). (See Definition)
• Snacks or desserts that exceed 150 calories per serving, have more than 35% of their calories from fat, or have more than 30 grams of sugar per serving except for unsweetened or uncoated nuts or seeds.
• Fresh pastries: donuts, beignets, etc.
• Items not specifically on the approved list developed by Pennington Biomedical Institute (See Appendix D).

SBESE Bulletin 1196 limits any vending, concessions or other such sale of food and beverage items until after the lunch period for elementary school children. Pennington Biomedical Research Center has developed an approved list of snack food items that can be sold in compliance with Act 331. The most current list can be obtained online at http://www.pbrc.edu.

Act 331 clearly states that nothing in the Act shall be construed to prohibit or limit the sale or distribution of any food or beverage items through fundraisers by students, teachers, or groups when the items are intended for sale off the school campus. However, schools are strongly encouraged to limit selling food items of low nutritional value as fundraisers, such as candy, cupcakes, or sugar beverages. (See Appendix C)

Such foods and beverages may not be sold or given to students on any school premises by school administrators or staff (principals, coaches, teachers, etc.), students or student groups, parents or parent groups, or any other person, company or organization during the school day.

No school campus may serve Competitive Foods (or provide access to them through direct or indirect sales) to students anywhere on school premises during meal periods. This does not pertain to food items made available by the school food service department.

It shall be the responsibility of the school principal to ensure that products sold or provided to students on school grounds meet the minimum standards required by Act 331 and SBESE Bulletin 1196. Each school principal shall determine if students will be allowed to possess drinking water in classrooms during class.

HIGH SCHOOLS

When food and beverages are offered to high school students on school grounds during the times mentioned, at least 50% of the snacks and beverages offered must meet the content and nutritional standards established in Act 331.

Foods and beverages that may be sold during the school day, beginning one-half hour before the start of the school day and ending one-half hour after the end of the school day, include the following:

• 100% fruit or vegetables juices that do not contain natural or artificial sweeteners (no more than 16 ounces).
• Unsweetened flavored drinking water or unflavored drinking water (any size).
• Nonfat, reduced fat, low fat, plain and/or flavored milk and yogurt; non-dairy milk, such as soy milk; nonfat, reduced fat and/or low fat real cheese.
• Nuts, nut butters, seeds, trail mix, and/or soybean snacks and other food items that have met the criteria of Act 331 and are on an approved list developed by Pennington Biomedical Institute (See Appendix D for list or see http://www.pbrc.edu for most current list).

Beginning the last ten minutes of each lunch period, the selection of foods and beverages offered for sale to students in high school shall be comprised of no less than 50% of the approved beverages for elementary schools (i.e., 100% fruit and vegetable juices, unsweetened flavored drinking water or unflavored drinking water, or nonfat, reduced fat, low fat, plain and/or flavored milk and non-dairy milk, such as soy milk). The selection of beverages of low nutritional value may not exceed 16 ounces in size. At least 50% of snack choices in vending and concessions must meet the criteria of Act 331 and be on an approved list developed by Pennington Biomedical Institute. (See Appendix D)

SBESE Bulletin 1196 limits any vending, concessions or other such sale of food and beverage items until the last 10 minutes of each lunch period for high school students.

High schools are strongly encouraged to limit selling food items of low nutritional value as fundraisers, such as candy, cupcakes, or sugar beverages off campus. (See Appendix C)

No school campus may serve competitive foods (or provide access to them through direct or indirect sales) to students anywhere on school premises during meal periods. This does not pertain to food items made available by the school food service department.

It shall be the responsibility of the school principal to ensure that products sold or provided to students on school grounds meet the minimum standards required by Act 331 and SBESE Bulletin 1196. Each school principal shall determine if students will be allowed to possess drinking water in classrooms during class.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS AT ALL SCHOOLS

• Commercial fast foods, carbonated beverages, concentrated sweets, and high fat foods shall not be allowed in the cafeteria.
• Students who do not wish to eat in the cafeteria will be responsible for bringing their lunches from home in the morning. If a child leaves home without a lunch, one may be purchased in the cafeteria. Parents bringing lunches to school cause a disruption to the daily school routine; therefore, parents will be allowed to bring a child's lunch only in extenuating circumstances.
• Teachers may not use food as rewards for student accomplishment and the withholding of food as punishment (e.g., restricting a child’s selection of flavored milk at mealtime due to behavior problems). This applies to FMNV as well as any other food. (See Appendix A)
• Schools must serve healthy foods at school parties. Notices shall be sent to parents/guardians either separately or as part of a school newsletter, reminding them of the necessity of providing healthy treats for students and/or encouraging the use of non-food treats for classroom birthday or award celebrations. (See Appendix B)

FMNV AND POLICY EXEMPTIONS

1. School Nurses: This policy does not apply to school nurses using FMNV during the course of providing health care to individual students.

2. Accommodating Students with Special Needs: Special Needs Students whose Individualized Education Program (IEP) plan indicates the use of an FMNV or candy for behavior modification (or other suitable need) may be given FMNV or candy items.

3. School Events: Students may be given FMNV, candy items or other restricted foods during the school day for up to three different events each school year to be determined by each campus. Examples of these events are Fall Festival, Cajun Day, etc. At such events held during the school day, FMNV may not be given during meal times in the areas where school meals are being served or consumed, and regular meal service (breakfast and lunch) must continue to be available to all students in accordance with federal regulations.

Schools should strongly encourage nutritious and appealing options (such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, trail mix, beef jerky, reduced-fat milk, reduced fat yogurt, reduced-fat cheese, 100% juice and water) whenever foods/beverages are sold or otherwise offered after school at sporting and academic events, celebrations, social events, after school care, and other school functions.

4. LEAP and Special Test Days: Schools and parents may provide one additional nutritious snack per day for students taking these tests. The snack must comply with the the Student Wellness Promotion Policy and may not include FMNV such as candy, chips or dessert type items (cookies, cakes, cupcakes, pudding, ice cream or frozen desserts, etc.). (See Appendix B for nutritious snacks)

5. Instructional Use of Food in Classroom: For instructional purposes, teachers may use foods as long as the food items are not considered FMNV, such as candy. Students may consume food prepared in class for instructional purposes. However, this should be on an occasional basis, and food may not be provided or sold to other students or classes. Food provided for students as part of a class or school cultural heritage event for instructional or enrichment purposes would be exempt from the policy. However, FMNV may not be served during meal periods in the areas where school meals are being served or consumed, and regular meal service (breakfast and lunch) must continue to be available to all students.

6. Field Trips: School-approved field trips are exempt from the nutrition policy. A school official must approve the dates and purposes of the field trips in advance.

7. Athletic, Band and Other Competitions: The nutrition policy does not apply to students who leave campus to travel to athletic, band or other competitions. The school day is considered to have ended for these students. School activities, athletic functions, etc. that occur after the normal school day are not covered by the policy.

8. This policy does not restrict what parents may provide for their own child’s lunch or snacks. Parents may provide FMNV or candy items for their own child’s consumption, but they may not provide restricted items to other children at school. A school may adopt a more restrictive rule, however, as their policy.

9. Elementary classrooms may allow one nutritious snack per day under the teacher’s supervision. The snack may be in the morning or afternoon but may not be at the same time as the regular meal periods for that class. The snack may be provided by the teacher, parents or other groups and should be at no cost to students. The snack must comply with the Lafourche Student Wellness Promotion Policy and may not include FMNV such as, candy or dessert type items (cookies, cakes, cupcakes, pudding, ice cream or frozen desserts, etc.). Please refer to Appendix B for suggestions for nutritious snacks.

FOOD MARKETING

• School-based marketing will be consistent with nutrition education and health promotion. As such, schools will limit food and beverage marketing to the promotion of foods and beverages that meet the nutrition standards for meals or for foods and beverages sold individually. School-based marketing of brands promoting predominantly low-nutrition foods and beverages is strongly discouraged. The promotion of healthy foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products is encouraged.

• Schools shall promote healthy food choices in a variety of ways, such as: display nutritional information about food items, highlight healthier food selections in menus, school-wide audio or video announcements, educational table tents, taste testing opportunities, health fairs, nutrition tips in school newsletters, various contests with incentives, dress-up characters as role models, etc.
  
  
• Marketing activities that promote healthful behaviors include: vending machine covers promoting water or milk; pricing structures that promote healthy options in vending machines, and sales of fruit for fundraisers.

• The goal of improving nutritional intake can also be accomplished by applying basic marketing strategies to sales of healthful options. Schools can consider the four P’s when establishing guidelines for foods and beverages served or sold during the school day:

Product: Vendors and companies have increasing numbers of products available—many with a more healthful profile than traditional snack foods and beverages.

Placement: The sales of more nutrient-rich foods and beverages can be increased by placing them in “prime” locations—like at students’ eye level in a vending machine.

Price: Another way to increase the sale of healthful items is to offer them at a lower cost. For example, water can be sold for $.25 to .50 less than other drinks.

Promotion: There are many creative ways to promote healthy options---like offering samples of new healthful products or giving discount coupons during the introductory period; or designating healthy choices in vending machines and school cafeteria by using school mascot symbol.

NUTRITION EDUCATION

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) advocates the need for school-based nutrition education. Because a high percentage of children and adolescents are enrolled in school, the classroom environment is ideally suited to give students the skills and support needed to adopt healthful eating behaviors for life. Teachers, food service personnel, and other staff can offer their expertise and model appropriate eating behaviors. Additionally, students have opportunities to practice healthful eating behaviors at school. Collaboration among school food service staff, teachers, the community, families and institutional services is necessary.

There are two broad approaches to school-based nutrition education – traditional classroom lessons that address general knowledge, attitude, and behavior – and behavioral change programs based on social learning theory. Using both venues is recommended for optimal impact. Nutrition education can be integrated into content area instruction across the curriculum including science, mathematics, English/language arts, and social studies. The alignment of nutrition lessons with standards and benchmarks provides for easy integration of the information into routine instructional planning. Integration of nutrition information into teaching content areas should use the resources of the classroom, the school, and the community. Nutrition education also is part of health education, which enables students to acquire knowledge and skills needed to practice good health. A planned, sequential curriculum is essential.

Behavior change can be enhanced through social learning theory, as well. Social learning theory may include a parent component for younger students and peer involvement for older students. School activities such as Family Nutrition Night can promote the social learning theory. Additionally, the cafeteria can be used as part of the total educational system for modeling behavior.

The Lafourche Parish School Board will:

• Promote and implement nutrition education that promotes lifelong healthful eating practices;
• Use lessons that are age-appropriate, behaviorally focused content that is developmentally appropriate and culturally relevant;
• Use lessons that are sequential and are correlated with standards, benchmarks, and grade level expectations;
• Provide hands-on activities that are fun;
• Provide repeated opportunities to taste foods that are low in fat, sodium and added sugars and high in vitamins, minerals and fiber;
• Focus on positive aspects of healthful eating behaviors; and
• Promote social learning techniques such as role modeling, providing incentives, developing social resistance skills, overcoming barriers to behavioral changes and goal setting;
• Strive toward hiring qualified, certified health education teachers.
• Provide staff development for teachers.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Both regular physical activity and nutrition mutually contribute to healthy citizens and reduce the incidence of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, depression, obesity, and other chronic health problems. Federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that children and teenagers be physically active for an accumulation of at lest 60 minutes daily. Since children spend the majority of their time at school during weekdays, it is imperative that schools provide students with the means to participate in physical activity.

Quality physical education programs include the following components:

• Emphasizes knowledge and skills that promote a lifetime of physical activity.
• Is based on standards that define what students should know and be able to do.
• Keeps students active for most of the class time.
• Provides many different physical activity choices.
• Meets needs of all students, especially those who are not athletically gifted.
• Features cooperative, as well as competitive, games.
• Develops students’ self confidence and eliminates practices that humiliate students.
• Assesses students on their progress in reaching goals, not on whether they achieve an absolute standard.
• Promotes physical activity outside of school.
• Teaches self-management skills, such as goal-setting and self-monitoring.
• Actively teaches cooperation, fair play, and responsible participation in physical activity and is an enjoyable experience for students.
• Focuses, and the high school level, on helping adolescents make the transition to a physically active adult lifestyle.

In Louisiana, Act 734, passed in 2004 requires that public schools for grades K-6 require 30 minutes each school day of quality, moderate to vigorous physical activity for students.

The Lafourche Parish School Board will:

• Promote and implement quality physical education programs that emphasize and promote participation in lifelong physical activities and reaching a health enhancing level of physical fitness among all students.
• Provide students in grades K-8 with a minimum of 150 minutes per week of health and physical education.
• Ensure that students in grades K-6 participate in planned, organized, moderate to vigorous physical activity form a minimum of 30 minutes each school day.
• Strive toward having qualified, certified physical education teachers guide physical activity instruction in all elementary grades as well as in middle and high school physical education classes.
• Provide staff development on standards implementation for physical education instructors.
• Ensure that adequate safety policies and provisions are in place for physical education programs.
• Strive toward ensuring that adequate equipment is in place to guarantee that all students are able to be active for a minimum of 30 minutes per school day.
• Provide a variety of fitness training, motor skills, and team work modules in the 270 hours of physical education required at the high school level for graduation.
• Use a recognized instrument or program to evaluate student’s physical fitness.
• Provide age-appropriate equipment and facilities for implementing quality physical education programs.

The Lafourche Parish School Board will provide opportunities for physical activity:

• Recognize that daily physical activity is essential to student welfare and academic performance.
• Encourage physical activity during recess for elementary students, intramurals programs, integration the academic curriculum, and clubs as well as in physical education programs.
• Provide daily recess for all children in K-8 grades.
• Work with the community to create ways for students to walk, bike, skateboard, roller skate, play basketball, play softball, play baseball, or participate in other physical activities in a safe location at times other than the school day.
• Encourage parents and guardians to support students’ participation in physical activities, to be physically active role models, and to include physical activities in family plans.
• Encourage school staff to participate in physical activities to serve as role models.
• Support community-based physical activity programs.

DRUG FREE SCHOOLS POLICY

The purpose of the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities (SDFSC) is to support programs that are directed to preventing violence in and around school. It also strengthens programs that prevent underage drinking, underage tobacco usage, and street drug usage. Other issues addressed are bullying and healthy lifestyle choices which include (nutrition and physical activity).

MONITORING POLICY IMPLEMENTATION

The Lafourche School District has appointed the superintendent or his/her designee to coordinate and assess the implementation of the Lafourche Student Wellness Promotion Policy. Therefore, it is the policy of the Lafourche School District that:

• The school district will engage students, parents, teachers, food service professionals, health professionals, and other interested community members in developing, implementing, monitoring, and reviewing district-wide nutrition and physical activity policies.
• All students in grades K-12 will have opportunities, support, and encouragement to be physically active on a regular basis.
• Foods and beverages sold or served at school will meet the nutrition requirements as outlined in Bulletin 1196, which is explained in this policy.
• 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 accommodate the religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the student body in meal planning; and will provide clean, safe, and pleasant settings and adequate time for students to eat.
• To the maximum extent practicable, all schools in our district will participate in available federal school meal programs (including the School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program, and the Summer Food Service Program.
• 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.

LAFOURCHE PARISH NUTRITION ADVISORY COUNCIL

A. The Council shall include parents and community representatives, school board members (one appointed by the school board) and administrators, teachers, principals, child nutrition staff and students.

B. Each school should have a Student Nutrition Advisory Council to help promote healthy food choices and provide feedback to the Child Nutrition Program and to the Lafourche Parish Nutrition Advisory Council.

C. The goal of the Council shall be to regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the Student Wellness Promotion Policy in encouraging healthy eating and physical activity and revise the policy as appropriate to increase its effectiveness.

D. The Council shall meet at least twice a year.

E. The Council shall recognize outstanding schools, cafeterias and staff members who make an extra effort to abide by the Student Wellness Promotion Policy.

F. The Council shall submit an annual report to the Lafourche Parish School Board on the District's compliance with this policy each May. The Child Nutrition Supervisor shall take the leadership in compiling the report.

COMPLIANCE AND PENALTIES

The Louisiana Department of Education administers the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program through its Food and Nutrition Division. Responsibilities include processing claims for reimbursement, providing special marketing projects and procurement assistance to promote more nutritious eating habits, conducting on-site compliance monitoring and coordinating training. The Lafourche Parish School District will aggressively enforce and diligently monitor the Lafourche Student Wellness Promotion Policy to ensure compliance. A documented corrective action plan will be required and will be monitored diligently to ensure continued compliance.

Adopted: June 7, 2006

Ref: Board minutes, 6-7-06.