WELLNESS
Purpose
The link between nutrition, physical activity, and learning is well documented. Healthy eating and activity patterns are essential for students to achieve their full academic potential, full physical and mental growth, and lifelong health and well-being. Healthy eating and physical activity, essential for a healthy weight, are also linked to reduced risk for many chronic diseases. Schools have a responsibility to help students learn, establish, and maintain lifelong healthy eating and activity patterns. Well-planned and effectively implemented school nutrition and fitness programs have been shown to enhance students’ overall health, as well as their behavior and academic achievement in school. Staff wellness also is an integral part of a healthy school environment since school staff can be daily role models for healthy behaviors. Superintendent will designate the individual(s) responsible for implementation of policy.
Overall Goal
Students in Pryor School District 46-I001 shall possess the knowledge and skills necessary to make nutritious food choices and enjoyable physical activity choices appropriate for their developmental age. Staff in the District is encouraged to model healthful eating and physical activity as a valuable part of daily life.
To meet this goal, the District adopts this school wellness policy with the following commitments to nutrition, nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that support student and staff wellness.
School Meals
Per USDA Regulations (7 CFR Parts 210 & 220), Pryor Public Schools will follow the meal patterns and nutrition standards for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, aligning them with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. USDA rules require most schools to increase the availability of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat fluid milk in school meals; reduce the levels of sodium, saturated fat and trans fat in meals; and meet the nutrition needs of school children within their calorie requirements. These improvements to the school meal programs, largely based on recommendations made by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, are expected to enhance the diet and health of school children, and help mitigate the childhood obesity trend. Additionally:
Other Food Items Sold on School Campuses
Per Oklahoma Senate Bill 265, USDA Regulation Section 210, Appendix B, and Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 the following are required.
Nutrition & Health Education
Per Oklahoma Senate Bill 1627 and USDA Regulations, Sections 210.12 and 227 the following are required.
School-Based Activities
Outside Snacks
In efforts to promote healthier lifestyles, only healthy snacks will be served in the classroom, with the only exception of certain designated celebrations cleared through the Healthy and Fit School Advisory Committee and approved by the Principal.
If and when high sugary snacks are brought to school, the school reserves the right to send the snacks back home with the student.
Physical Education and Physical Activity
General Requirements
The District will ensure that all elementary school students (K-5) participate in a minimum of 60 minutes of physical activity each week whether through physical education, exercise programs, after-school athletics, fitness breaks, recess, classroom activities, or wellness and nutrition education.
Recess and Physical Activity Breaks
Recess: The District will require schools to provide elementary school students (K-5) at least 60 minutes of recess each week (in addition to the PE requirements). Additionally, the District will develop indoor recess guidelines to ensure students can have adequate physical activity on days when recess must be held indoors.
Physical Activity Breaks: The District will encourage schools to provide all students (K-12) short breaks (three to five minutes) throughout the day to let them stretch, move around, and break up their time spent sitting. These physical activity breaks may take place during and/or between classroom time.
Physical Education (PE)
The District will require all schools to establish a comprehensive, standards-based PE curriculum for each grade (K-12). Schools will ensure that PE classes and equipment afford all students (K-12) an equal opportunity to participate in PE.
In addition, the following requirements apply to all students (K-12):
Teacher Qualifications, Training and Involvement
Punishment and Rewards
Grounds, Facilities and Equipment
The District will ensure the availability of proper equipment and facilities that meet safety standards and will conduct necessary inspections and repairs.
Community Use of Recreational Facilities
The District will encourage school staff, students, and their families to participate in physical activity outside of the school day. The District will explore and, when appropriate, permit use during non-school hours by staff, students and their families.
Active Transportation
The District will do the following:
After-School Physical Activity
With district-sponsored after-school activities, the district will seek to:
OTHER ACTIVITIES WHICH PROMOTE SCHOOL WELLNESS
Staff Wellness
The District recognizes that employee health is essential to student health and to creating healthy school environments. Accordingly, the District will implement an employee wellness program that promotes healthy eating, physical activity, and overall health. The District may partner with community agencies and organizations (e.g., local health departments, hospitals, health insurance companies, and local chapters of national organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Red Cross, and YMCA) to assist in providing education, services, and resources for staff.
The District will do the following to support staff wellness:
Nutrition
Provide employees with access to a refrigerator, microwave, and sink with a water faucet.
Physical Activity
General Wellness
Health Education
Where applicable, schools’ health education curriculums will follow the Oklahoma Academic Standards.
This wellness policy and each school site wellness policy shall be reviewed annually to consider the policies’ appropriateness in meeting local, state, and federal requirements and school-community needs for the children served by Pryor Public Schools.