Southeastern Regional School District Wellness Policy
Southeastern Regional Vocational Technical School is committed to uniting our learning community by teaching and developing the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary for our students to lead lives of responsibility and achievement. We believe in a school environment that enhances learning and development of lifelong wellness practices. We recognize that good nutrition is an integral component of our students’ development, health status, and well being.
Southeastern Regional is dedicated to improving child nutrition and daily activity by collaborating with diverse stakeholders in advocating, promoting and implementing state initiatives for a healthy school environment, so that all students can learn and participate in positive lifestyle behaviors.
All members of the school community shall have access to adequate and healthy foods and beverages at school, prepared and served in a food safe environment. The Southeastern Regional School Committee will ensure participation in the national school lunch program.
- Nutrition education will be integrated into other areas of the curriculum such as math, science, English and social studies.
- Bulletin boards will be utilized to share information with students, staff, and the community regarding good nutrition and the importance of physical activity
- The staff responsible for nutrition education will be adequately prepared and participate regularly in professional development activities to effectively deliver an accurate nutrition education program as planned. Preparation and professional development activities will provide basic knowledge of nutrition, combined with skill practice in program-specific activities and instructional techniques and strategies designed to promote healthy eating habits.
- The school cafeteria serves as a “learning laboratory” to allow students to apply critical thinking skills to assist in developing health behaviors.
- The School district will provide information to families that encourage them to teach their children about health and nutrition and to provide nutritious meals for their families.
- Physical activity will be integrated across the vocational technical curricula and throughout the school day.
- Physical education will include the instruction of individual activities as well as competitive and non-competitive team sports to encourage life-long physical activity.
- Adequate equipment is available for all students to participate in physical education.
- After school activities will encourage physical activity.
- Physical education courses will be the environment where students learn, practice and are assessed on developmentally appropriate motor skills, social skills and knowledge.
- Policies ensure that state-certified physical education instructors teach all physical education classes.
- Policies ensure that state physical education classes have a student/teacher ration similar to other classes.
- The school provides a physical and social environment that encourages safe and enjoyable activity for all students, including those who are not athletically gifted.
- The school will encourage students and community members to use the school’s physical activity facilities outside of the normal school day.
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Other School Based Activities
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- After-school programs will encourage physical activity and healthy habit formation.
- Support for the health of all students is demonstrated by hosting health clinics, health screenings, and helping to enroll eligible children in Medicaid and other children’s health insurance programs.
- The school will organize local wellness committees comprised of families, teachers, administrators, community-based organizations and students to plan, implement and improve nutrition and physical activity in the school environment.
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Nutrition Guidelines for All Foods on Campus
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- All foods made available on campus during the regular school day will comply with the current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans:
○ Vending machines
○ A la carte
○ Beverage contracts
○ Fundraisers
○ Student stores
○ School sponsored parties/celebrations
- Food providers will take every measure to ensure that student access to foods and beverages meets federal, state and local laws and guidelines. Food providers will offer a variety of age appropriate healthy food and beverage selections for all students.
- Nutrition information for products offered in snack bars, a la carte, vending and school stores is readily available near the point of purchase.
- Promotional activities will be limited to programs that are requested by school officials to support teaching and learning. All promotional activities in school will be connected to activities that encourage physical activity, academic achievement or positive youth development and are in compliance with local guidelines.
- Food providers will be sensitive to the school environment in displaying their logos and trademarks on school grounds.
- Classroom snacks feature healthy choices.
- Advertising messages are consistent with and reinforce the objectives of the education and nutrition environment goals of the school.
- The National Association of State Boards of Education recommends that students should be provided adequate time to eat lunch, at least 20 minutes for lunch, from the time the student is seated.
- Lunch periods are scheduled as near the middle of the school day as possible
- Cafeterias include enough serving areas so that students do not have to spend too much time waiting in line.
- Dining areas are attractive and have enough space for seating all students.
- Drinking water is available for students at meals.
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Child Nutrition Operations
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- The child nutrition program will aim to be financially self-supporting. However, the program is an essential educational support activity. Budget neutrality or profit generation will not take precedence over the nutritional needs of the students. If subsidy of the child nutrition fund is needed, it will not be from the sale of foods that have minimal nutritional value and/or compete nutritionally with program meals.
- The child nutrition program will ensure that all students have affordable access to the varied and nutritious foods they need to stay healthy and learn well.
- The school will strive to increase participation in the available federal Child Nutrition lunch program.
- Employ a food service director, who is properly qualified, certified and/or credentialed according to current professional standards, to administer the school food service program and satisfy reporting requirements.
- All food service personnel shall have adequate pre-service training in food service operations.
- Students are encouraged to start each day with a healthy breakfast.
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Food Safety/Food Security
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- All foods made available on campus comply with the state and local food safety and sanitation regulations. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plans and guidelines are implemented to prevent food illness in schools.
- For safety and security of the food and facility access to the food service operations is limited to Child Nutrition staff and authorized personnel. For further guidance see the US Department of Agriculture food security guidelines.
Adoption Date: November 21, 2006