The Denison School District Board of Education is committed to the optimal development of every student. The board believes for students to have the opportunity to achieve personal, academic, developmental, and social success, there needs to be a positive, safe, and health-promoting learning environment at every level, in every setting.
The school district provides a comprehensive learning environment for developing and practicing lifelong wellness behaviors. The entire school environment, not just the classroom, shall be aligned with healthy school district goals to positively influence a student's understanding, beliefs and habits as they relate to good nutrition and regular physical activity. In accordance with law and this belief, the board commits to the following:
The school district will identify at least one goal in each of the following areas:
• Nutrition Education and Promotion: Schools will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that helps students develop lifelong healthy eating behaviors.
• Physical Activity: Schools will provide students with age and grade appropriate opportunities to engage in physical activity that meet the Iowa Healthy Kids Act.
• Other School Based Activities that Promote Wellness: As appropriate, schools will support students, staff, and parents’ efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
The following nutritional guidelines for food available on school campuses will be adhered to:
• Meals served through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Program will be appealing and meet, at a minimum, nutrition requirements established by state and federal law;
• Schools providing access to healthy foods outside the reimbursable meal programs before school, during school and thirty minutes after school shall meet the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) Smart Snacks in Schools nutrition standards, at a minimum. This includes such items as those sold through a la carte lines, vending machines, student run stores, and fundraising activities;
• Snacks provided to students during the school day without charge (e.g., class parties) will meet standards set by the district in accordance with law. The district will provide parents a list of foods and beverages that meet nutrition standards for classroom snacks and celebrations; and
• Schools will only allow marketing and advertising of foods and beverages that meet the Smart Snacks in school nutritional standards on campus during the school day.
The superintendent or superintendent’s designee shall implement and ensure compliance with the policy by:
• Reviewing the policy at least every three years and recommending updates as appropriate for board approval;
• Implementing a process for permitting parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, teachers of physical education, school health professionals, the school board, administrators and the public to participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the policy; • Making the policy and updated assessment of the implementation available to the public (e.g., posting on the website, newsletters, etc). This information shall include the extent to which the schools are in compliance with policy and a description of the progress being made in attaining the goals of the policy; and
• Developing administrative regulations, which shall include specific wellness goals and indicators for measurement of progress consistent with law and district policy.
To implement the Wellness Policy, the following district specific goals have been established:
Goal 1 – Nutrition Education and Promotion: Schools will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that help students develop lifelong healthy eating behaviors. The goal(s) for addressing nutrition education and nutrition promotion include the following:
• Provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect their health;
• Promote fruits, vegetables, whole-grain products, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, and healthy foods;
• Emphasize caloric balance between food intake and energy expenditure (promotes physical activity/exercise).
Goal 2 – Physical Activity: Schools will provide students and staff with age and grade appropriate opportunities to engage in physical activity that meet federal and state guidelines, including the Iowa Healthy Kids Act. The goal(s) for addressing physical activity include the following:
• Promote the benefits of a physically active lifestyle and help students develop skills to engage in lifelong healthy habits;
• Encourage classroom teachers to provide short physical activity breaks (3-5 minutes), as appropriate;
• Ensure physical activity is not used for or withheld as a punishment;
• Afford elementary students with recess according to the following: o At least 20 minutes a day; o Outdoors as weather and time permits.
Goal 3 – Other School-Based Activities that Promote Student Wellness: Schools will support student, staff, and parents’ efforts to maintain a healthy lifestyle, as appropriate. The goal(s) for addressing other school-based activities that promote student wellness include the following:
• Share information about the nutritional content of meals with parents and students;
• Support the consumption of breakfast at school by implementing alternative breakfast options to the extent possible (e.g., grab n’ go, breakfast in the classroom, breakfast after 1st period, etc.);
• Permit students to bring and carry water bottles filled with water throughout the day;
• Make drinking water available where school meals are served during mealtimes;
Public Involvement: There is a process for permitting parents, students, representatives of the school food authority, teachers of physical education, school health professionals, the school board, administrators and the public to participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the policy. The superintendent or superintendent’s designee invites suggestions or comments concerning the development, implementation, and improvement of the school wellness policy. As such, interested persons are encouraged to contact the superintendent or superintendent’s designee.
Date Board Adopted 7/17/2006
Date Board Reviewed 3/21/2022
Legal Reference: 42 U.S.C. §§ 1751 et seq. 42 U.S.C. §§ 1771 et seq. Iowa Code §§ 256.7(29); 256.11(6). 281 I.A.C. 12.5; 58.11.