GCSD Board Policy #5662
Non-Instruction/Business Operations

The Greece School District is committed to providing a school environment that promotes and protects children's health, well-being, and the ability to learn by fostering healthy eating and physical activity.

The District has established a wellness committee to develop the District's proposed local wellness policy, making such policy recommendations for review and adoption by the Board of Education. The District Wellness Committee includes, but is not limited to, representatives from each of the following groups:

a) Parents;
b) Students;
c) Physical Education teachers;
d) School health professionals;
e) The District's food service program;
f) The School Board;
g) School administrators; and
h) Members of the public.

The District Wellness Committee will also be responsible for assessing current activities, programs and policies available in the District, and providing mechanisms for implementation, evaluation, and revision of the policy. In so doing, the Wellness Committee will evaluate and make recommendations which reflect the specific needs of the District and its students.

Goals to Promote Student Wellness

The District seeks to ensure all of its students obtain the knowledge and skills necessary to make nutritious food selections and enjoy lifelong physical activity. To this end, the District sets forth the following goals relating to nutrition promotion and education, physical activity, and other school-based activities.

Nutrition Promotion and Education

a) Classroom Teaching: Nutrition topics will be integrated within the comprehensive health education curriculum and other instructional areas, as appropriate, and taught at every grade level, K through 12. Nutrition instruction will follow applicable New York State Standards and be designed to help students acquire:

1. Nutrition knowledge, including but not limited to: the benefits of healthy eating; essential nutrients; nutritional deficiencies; principles of healthy weight management; the use and misuse of dietary supplements; and safe food storage, handling, and preparation.
   
   
2. Nutrition-related skills, including but not limited to: planning healthy meals; understanding and using food labels; critically evaluating nutrition information, misinformation, and commercial food advertising; assessing personal eating habits; and setting and achieving goals related to these concepts.
   
   

 b) Education, marketing, and promotion

1. As appropriate, the District will promote nutrition education activities that involve parents, students, and the community.
   
   
2. The District will promote school and community awareness of this policy through various means, such as a publication on the District website.
   
   
3. The District will encourage and promote wellness through social media, newsletters, and an annual family wellness event.
   
   
4. Marketing and advertising on school campuses during the school day will be consistent with nutrition education and health promotion. As such, schools will restrict food and beverage marketing to the promotion of those foods and beverages that meet the nutrition standards set forth by the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act's Smart Snacks in School Rule.
   
   
5. The District is cognizant of the fact that certain scoreboards, signs, and other durable equipment it employs may market foods and beverages in a way that is inconsistent with the aims of this policy. While the immediate replacement of such equipment may be impossible due to existing contracts or prohibitive costs, the District will consider replacing or updating such equipment over time to ensure the message it delivers to students regarding nutrition, health, and well-being is consistent.
   
   

c) Additional provisions

1. Parents will be encouraged to send in healthy treats for classroom celebrations. To ensure food safety, all snacks must be commercially prepared and provided in a hermetically sealed container.
   
   
2. School personnel is strongly discouraged from using food as a reward or withholding food as punishment under any circumstance.
   
   

Physical Activity

a) The Greece School District will provide opportunities for every student to participate in physical education and to be involved in physical activities. In doing so, the District aims to promote among students the development of knowledge and skills for specific physical activities, the maintenance of physical fitness, regular participation in physical activity, and an understanding of the short-term and long-term benefits from a physically active and healthy lifestyle.

b) The District will ensure that the following standards are met to achieve its goals relative to physical education and physical activity:

1. The District will have a Board-approved Physical Education Plan on file with the New York State Education Department that meets or exceeds the requirements set forth in Section 135.4 of the Commissioner of Education's regulations.
   
   
2. The District recognizes the importance of physical education classes in providing students with meaningful opportunities for physical exercise and development. Consequently, the District will ensure:
   
   

         (a)     All physical education classes are taught or supervised by a certified physical education teacher.

         (b)     All physical education staff receives professional development on a yearly basis.

         (c)     Interscholastic sports, intramural sports, and recess do not serve as substitutes for a quality physical education program.

         (d)    Students are afforded the opportunity to participate in moderate to vigorous activity for at least 60% of PE class.

         (e)     It provides adequate space and equipment for physical education and conforms to all applicable safety standards.
 

          (f)     A sequential physical education course of study consistent with national standards for physical education is implemented, with a focus on students' development of motor skills, movement forms, and health-related fitness.

         (g)     A physical and social environment is provided that encourages safe and enjoyable activity for all students, including those who are not athletically gifted.

         (h)     Activities are adapted to meet the needs of students who are temporarily or permanently unable to participate in the regular program of physical education. In doing so, the District will abide by specific provisions in 504 Plans and/or individualized education programs (IEP).

         (i)      All students, including students in need of adaptive physical education, will be encouraged to participate in physical fitness programs and competitions.

3. All students will be required to fulfill the physical education requirements set forth in the regulations of the Commissioner of Education as a condition of graduating from the District's schools.
   
   

c) All classroom teachers, and particularly those engaged in the instruction of K through 5 students, are strongly encouraged to incorporate into the school day short breaks for students that include physical activity, especially after long periods of inactivity. Additionally, all elementary students will be offered one daily period of recess for a minimum of twenty (20) minutes. This requirement will not apply on days where students arrive late, leave early, or are otherwise on campus for less than a full day. Where weather and/or facilities allow, recess will be offered in a place that accommodates moderate to vigorous physical activity.

d) Physical activity will not be withheld for disciplinary action unless the student is a danger to him/herself or others. Recess or other physical activity time will not be canceled for instructional make up time.

Other School-Based Activities

The District is committed to establishing a school environment that is conducive to healthy eating and physical activity for all. The District will, therefore, adopt the following standards:

a) Federal School Meal Programs

1. The District will participate to the maximum extent practicable in available federal school meal programs (including the School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program, and Summer Food Service Program). Food served through these programs will meet all applicable federal and state standards.
   
   
   
2. The District will ensure that food service directors, managers, and staff are provided with annual professional development in the areas of food and nutrition consistent with USDA Professional Standards for State and Local Nutrition Programs.
   
   

b) Access to School Nutrition Programs

The District will utilize a system of student payment that ensures all eligible students have access to free/reduced meals in a non-stigmatizing manner.


c) Meal Environment

The District will ensure:

1. School dining areas have sufficient space for students to sit and consume meals.
   
   
2. School dining areas are clean, safe, and pleasant environments that reflect the social value of eating.
   
   
3. Enough serving areas are provided to ensure student access to school meals with a minimum of wait time.
   
   
4. All students have a scheduled lunch period.
   
   
5. Lunch times are scheduled near the middle of the school day.
   
   
6. Students are given adequate time to eat healthy meals. USDA encourages uninterrupted 10 minutes for breakfast and 20 minutes for lunch.
   
   
7. Students and staff have access to free, safe, and fresh drinking water throughout the school day and where school meals are served.
   
   

 d) Community Access to District Facilities for Physical Activities

School grounds and facilities will be available to students, staff, community members and organizations, and agencies offering physical activity and nutrition programs consistent with District policy, including provisions regarding conduct on school grounds and administrative approval of use by outside organizations.

e) Community Partnerships

The District will continue relationships with community partners in support of this wellness policy's implementation. Existing and new community partnerships will be evaluated to ensure they are consistent with this policy and its goals.

Nutrition Guidelines

In an effort to encourage healthy life-long eating habits by providing foods that are high in nutrients, low in fat and added sugars, and of moderate portion size, the District Wellness Committee will recommend nutrition standards to be set for all foods and beverages available on school campus. For purposes of this section, the school day is defined as the period from the midnight before, to thirty (30) minutes after the end of the official school day.


School Meals

School meals will, at a minimum, meet the program requirements and nutrition standards of the School Breakfast and National School Lunch Programs.


Fundraising

a) All food and beverages sold as a fundraiser during the school day (12:00 midnight to 30 minutes after the end of the school day will meet the nutritional requirements listed in the USDA Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act "Smart Snacks in Schools" Rule. Food-related fundraisers should not compete/conflict with the National School Breakfast/Lunch Programs during meal serving times.

b) School-sponsored fundraisers conducted outside of the school day will be encouraged to support the goals of this policy by promoting the sale of healthy food items (fresh fruit and produce) and/or non-food items, such as water bottles, plants, etc., and by promoting events involving physical activity.

c) School administrators, with the assistance of the District Wellness Committee, will create and promote a list of approved fundraising activities. All fundraisers taking place during the school day must be approved by the appropriate Building Principal prior to their being conducted.

 Competitive Foods

a) Competitive foods-which include all foods and beverages sold outside the school meal programs, on the school campus in student accessible areas, and at any time from 12:00 midnight until 30 minutes after the end of the school -will follow, at a minimum, the nutrition standards specified by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. These standards will apply to all foods and beverages sold individually and outside of the reimbursable school meal, including vending machines, school stores and cafeteria a la carte lines.

b) Additionally, the District will not sell foods of minimal nutritional value in the student store, from a machine, or anywhere in the building from 12:00 midnight until 30 minutes after the end of the school day. Prohibited foods include soda water, water ices (excluding ices containing fruit or fruit juices), chewing gum, hard candy, jellies, gums, marshmallow candies, licorice, fondants (soft mints, candy corn), cotton candy and candy-coated popcorn.

Foods and Beverages Sold or Served at Events Outside of the School Day

a) All foods and beverages sold or served at school-sponsored events will be a single serving.

b) At events where food and beverages are sold, 50% of items sold must meet the USDA Healthy, Hunger-free Kids Act "Smart Snacks in Schools" Standards.

Implementation and Evaluation of the Wellness Policy

a) The District will establish an implementation and evaluation plan for this policy in order to monitor its effectiveness and the possible need for modification over time. To this end, the District designates the following individuals to have operational responsibility for ensuring that the District meets the goals and mandates of this policy:

 Assistant Superintendent of Student Achievement and Accountability

 Director of Food Service

b) These designated staff members will also serve as liaisons with community agencies in providing outside resources to help in the development of nutritional education programs and promotion of physical activities.

c) The District will annually report on the progress each of its schools has made toward meeting the goals of this policy. Such report will include:

1. The website address for the wellness policy and/or information on how the public can access a copy;
2. A description of each school's progress in meeting the wellness policy goals;
3. A summary of each school's local school wellness events or activities;
4. Contact information for the leader(s) of the Wellness Committee; and
5. Information on how individuals can get involved in the Wellness Committee's work.

Such report will be provided to the Board of Education and also distributed to the Wellness Committee, parent-teacher organizations, Building Principals, and school health services personnel within the District. The report will be available to community residents upon request.

d) Evaluation and feedback from interested parties, including an assessment of student, parent, teacher, and administration satisfaction with the wellness policy, are welcomed as an essential part of the District's evaluation program.

e) The District will document the financial impact, if any, to the school food service program, school stores, and vending machine revenues based on the implementation of the wellness policy.

f) Assessments of the District's wellness policy and implementation efforts will be repeated on a triennial basis. The assessment will include:

1. Compliance with the wellness policy;
2. How the wellness policy compares to model wellness policies; and
3. Progress made in attaining the goals of the wellness policy.
   
   

 g) The District will, as necessary, revise this wellness policy and develop work plans to facilitate its implementation.

 42 USC Section 1758b

7 CFR Section 210.11

79 FR 10693

Education Law Section 915

8 NYCRR Section 135.4

Approved:          August 8, 2006

Reviewed:          August 10, 2009

Reviewed:          November 21, 2012

Revised:             November 17, 2014

Revised:             June 14, 2016          

Next Review:       2018