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Section I: Instructional Program
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Policy Title: District Wellness Policy
Policy Code: IHAM
Lead Department: Academic Excellence and Food Services
Policy Intent/Rationale:
The Tucson Unified School District promotes wellness by supporting
good nutrition and regular physical activity as part of the
total learning environment. Wellness is defined as the dynamic
state of achieving optimal well-being in all the dimensions
of health: physical, mental/emotional, and social.
The District supports a healthy environment where children
learn and participate in positive dietary and lifestyle practices.
Schools contribute to the basic health status of children
by facilitating learning through the support and promotion
of good nutrition and physical activity. Improved health optimizes
student performance potential.
The District supports a work environment where employees
are encouraged to embrace healthy lifestyle choices, educational
resources are provided, and information about wellness activities
is available so that employees can serve as good role models
for students.
Provide a comprehensive learning environment for
developing and practicing lifelong wellness behaviors.
The entire school environment, not just the classroom, shall
be aligned with goals to positively influence a student’s
understanding, beliefs and habits as they relate to good nutrition
and regular physical activity. A healthy school environment
should not be sacrificed because of a dependence on revenue
from high fat, high added sugar, low nutrient foods, and food
and beverage sales in addition to meals to support school
programs.
Support and promote proper dietary habits contributing
to students’ health status and academic performance.
All foods and beverages available to students on school grounds
before, during, and after the instructional day, except public
events, should meet the District Nutrition Standards. Emphasis
should be placed on foods that are nutrient dense per calorie.
To ensure safe, nutritious foods, consideration of available
foods and beverages should be based on national health initiatives,
nutrient contribution, variety, appeal, safety, and packaging.
Provide physical education and physical activity
opportunities for students.
The Tucson Unified School District is committed to improve
academic performance.
Educators, administrators, parents, health practitioners and
communities must consider the critical role student health
plays in academic stamina and performance and adapt the school
environment to ensure students’ basic nourishment and
activity needs are met. To ensure widespread understanding
of the benefits to school environments where nutritious foods
are provided and where students have an opportunity for physical
activity, a public awareness campaign that highlights research
demonstrating the positive relationship between good nutrition,
physical activity, and capacity of students to develop and
learn should be conducted.
Establish and maintain a District Wellness Committee with
the purposes of:
- developing guidance to explicate this policy
- monitoring the implementation of this policy
- evaluating and reporting policy progress
- serving as a resource to school sites, (e.g. providing
lists of healthy snacks for incentives, celebrations and
physical activity initiatives, etc.) and
- recommending revisions to policy as necessary.
The Committee is appointed by the Superintendent and meets
a minimum of annually with Committee membership including,
but not limited to:
- District Food Service Director/Manager, Co-Chair
- Physical Education and Health Program Leader, Co-Chair
- Committee members shall also include:
- Physical Education Teacher
- Coach/Athletic Trainer
- School Nurse
- Classroom Teacher
- Parent Representatives
- Student Representatives
- Governing Board Member
- Administrative Representative
- Local Community Partners (e.g. Boys & Girls Club,
YMCA)
Responsibilities of the District Wellness Committee may include,
but not be limited to, oversight of the following:
- Implementation of district nutrition and physical activity
standards.
- Integration of nutrition and physical activity in the
overall curriculum.
- Assurance that staff professional development includes
nutrition and physical activity issues.
- Assurance that students receive nutrition education and
engage in moderate/vigorous physical activity.
- Promotion of healthful choices among all school venues
that involve the availability and/or sale of food and beverages.
On each school campus, schools shall establish a plan for
implementation including principal designation of one or more
individuals to ensure compliance with standards of the District
Wellness Policy. The principal or designee will report on
the school’s compliance to the Co-Chairpersons of the
District Wellness Committee.
The Director of Food Services will ensure compliance with
the nutrition-related components of the policy within the
school food service areas and will report to the District
Wellness Committee on this matter.
Adopted: June 27, 2006
LEGAL REF.: A.R.S. 15-242 Nutritional Standards
R7-2-301 Minimum Course of Study and Competency Goals for
Students in
the Common Schools
R7-2-302 Minimum Course of Study and Competency Requirements
for
Graduation from High School
R7-2-302.04 Minimum Course of Study and Competency Requirements
for
Graduation from High School
This policy fulfills the requirements of Section 204 of The
Child Nutrition
and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-265).
CROSS REF.: Policy # 1241 Fund Raising;
Future policy # JLE Student Fund-Raising Activities
Administrative Regulation 1241 Fund Raising
Policy # JLD Guidance and Counseling
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