Auburn City Schools

District Wellness committee will be assigned by the Superintendent (consisting of but not limited to School Health Services, Child Nutrition Program, School Administration and Community Representative). This committee will develop and maintain a plan for implementation to manage and coordinate the execution of this wellness program.

Each School Wellness committee will be assigned by School Administrator (consisting of but not limited to Administration, School Nurse, Cafeteria Manager, PE Teacher, Parent, Teacher, Community member) will submit a quarterly compliance review to District Wellness committee (see Wellness Program Assessment Tool)

District Wellness Committee will submit an Annual report to the Superintendent with updates to Wellness program and ensure that each school is in compliance.

At least once every three years, the District will evaluate compliance with the Wellness program to assess the implementation of the program and include:

• The extent to which schools are in compliance with the Wellness program;

• A description of the progress made in attaining the goals of the District’s Wellness program.

The Annual and Triennial reports will be available at Click here. as well as made available to families in the school district.

Recordkeeping

The ACS District will retain records to document compliance with the requirements of the Wellness program. Documentation maintained will include but will not be limited to:

• The written Wellness program;

•  Documentation demonstrating compliance with community involvement requirements,

•  Documentation of annual program progress reports for each school.

•  Documentation of the triennial assessment of the program for the school district;

•  Documentation demonstrating compliance with public notification requirements, including:

1)     Methods by which the Wellness program, Annual progress reports, and Triennial assessments are made available to the public; and

2)     Efforts to notify families about the content, implementation, and updates of Wellness program whether by use of electronic and/or non-electronic means.

School Meals

Our school district is committed to serving healthy meals to children, with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat milk; moderate in sodium, low in saturated fat, and zero grams’ trans-fat per serving (nutrition label or manufacturer’s specification); and to meet the nutrition needs of school children within their calorie requirements.

The school meal programs aim to improve the diet and health of school children, help mitigate childhood obesity, model healthy eating to support the development of lifelong healthy eating patterns, and support healthy choices while accommodating cultural food preferences and special dietary needs.

All schools within the ACS District participate in USDA child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the School Breakfast Program (SBP) and are committed to offering school meals;

• Are accessible to all students

• Are appealing and attractive to children

• Are served in clean and pleasant settings

• Meet or exceed current nutrition requirements established by local, state, and Federal statutes and regulations. (The District offers reimbursable school meals that meet USDA nutrition standards)

• Promote healthy food and beverage choices using Smarter Lunchroom techniques (appendix)

Staff Qualifications and Professional Development

All school nutrition program directors, managers, and staff will meet or exceed hiring and annual continuing education/training requirements in the "USDA Professional Standards for Child Nutrition Professionals".

Water

ACS will promote hydration by making plain (i.e. no flavoring, additives or carbonation) drinking water available to all students at no cost during the lunch meal periods at the locations where meals are served during the school day.

Competitive Foods and Beverages

The District is committed to ensuring that all foods and beverages available to students on the school campus* during the school day support healthy eating. The foods and beverages will meet the USDA and Alabama Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards. 

Celebrations and Rewards

All foods offered on the school campus will meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards including:

1.     Celebrations and parties. (All food items should be pre-packaged with the ingredient label intact)

• The district will provide a list of healthy party ideas to parents and teachers, including non-food celebration ideas by use of electronic and/or non-electronic means.

2.     Classroom snacks brought by parents

• Smart Snacks Calculator can be found at: Click here.

• The District will provide teachers and other relevant school staff a list of alternative ways to reward children by use of electronic and/or non-electronic means

Fundraising

• Fundraising activities that involve the selling of food should reinforce food choices that promote good health; and

• Encourage non-food fundraisers and promote physical activity (such as walk-a-thons, jump rope for heart, fun runs, etc.).

Nutrition Promotion

Nutrition promotion and education positively influence lifelong eating behaviors by using evidence-based techniques and nutrition messages.

• Students and staff will receive consistent nutrition messages throughout schools, classrooms, gymnasiums, and cafeterias.

• Nutrition promotion also includes marketing and advertising nutritious foods and beverages to students

• The District will promote a food environment that encourages healthy nutrition and beverage choices for students throughout the school campus, as well as encourage participation in school meal programs.

Nutrition Education

The District aims to teach, model, encourage, and support healthy eating by students. Schools will provide nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion that:

• Is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect their health

• Is part of not only health education classes, but also integrated into other classroom instruction through subjects such as math, science, language arts, social sciences, and elective subjects

• Promote fruits, vegetables, whole-grain products, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, and healthy food preparation methods

• Emphasize caloric balance between food intake and energy expenditure (promotes physical activity/exercise)

• Teach media literacy with an emphasis on food and beverage marketing; and include nutrition education training for teachers and other staff.

Healthy Eating Topics in Health Education

The ACS District nutrition education will be integrated into other areas of the curriculum such as math, physical education, science, language arts and social studies.

• Teachers will ensure that the nutrition strands from the Alabama Health Course of Study are taught at the appropriate grade levels.

The District will provide students with physical education, using an age-appropriate, sequential physical education curriculum consistent with national and state standards for physical education.

• Time allotted for physical activity will be consistent with state standards.

• Physical activity will not be withheld for any reason unless medically necessary or approved by school administrators

• All physical education classes are taught by licensed teachers who are certified or endorsed to teach physical education

• All students will be provided equal opportunity to participate in physical educations classes with appropriate accommodations made as necessary

• Elementary schools will offer at least 20 minutes of recess most days during the school year

• High school students will complete at least one physical education credit which shall be the Lifetime Individual Fitness Education (LIFE) class or one JROTC credit

• Recess will compliment, not substitute, physical education class. Teachers will encourage students to be active, and will serve as role models

• District recommends Elementary and Secondary teachers provide short (3-5 minute) physical activity breaks to students between classroom time. Students are more attentive and ready to learn if provided with periodic breaks when can stretch and be physically active

Auburn City Schools provides school health services in compliance with state and federal mandates. Health services offered in the school setting include but not limited to:

• Identifier of incidence of diet-related chronic disease and indications for prevention and treatment

• Advisor/consultant on school health committees: advise on the necessity of good nutrition for learning and brain function

• Routine management and specialized procedures for students diagnosed with a chronic condition including development of Individual Health Plan

• Provider of referrals as appropriate including but not limited to: vision, dental, mental health, infection, immunizations and scoliosis

• Liaison with school and community as well as student and family involvement in promoting health and wellness (flu vaccination clinic, dental services, health education and mental health services)

• Provider and supporter of annual professional learning opportunities and resources for staff, promoting healthy behaviors in the schools

Glossary:

Extended School Day - time during before and after school activities that includes clubs, intramural sports, band and choir practice, drama rehearsals, etc.

School Day – midnight the night before to 30 minutes after the end of the instructional day

School Campus - areas that are owned or leased by the school and used at any time for school-related activities such as the school building or on the school campus, including on the outside of the school building, school buses or other vehicles used to transport students, athletic fields, and stadiums (e.g. on scoreboards, coolers, cups, and water bottles), or parking lots

Triennial – recurring every three years

Auburn City Schools provides school health services in compliance with state and federal mandates. Health services offered in the school setting include but not limited to:

• Identifier of incidence of diet-related chronic disease and indications for prevention and treatment

• Advisor/consultant on school health committees: advise on the necessity of good nutrition for learning and brain function

• Routine management and specialized procedures for students diagnosed with a chronic condition including development of Individual Health Plan

• Provider of referrals as appropriate including but not limited to: vision, dental, mental health, infection, immunizations and scoliosis

• Liaison with school and community as well as student and family involvement in promoting health and wellness (flu vaccination clinic, dental services, health education and mental health services)

• Provider and supporter of annual professional learning opportunities and resources for staff, promoting healthy behaviors in the schools

Glossary:

Extended School Day - time during before and after school activities that includes clubs, intramural sports, band and choir practice, drama rehearsals, etc.

School Day – midnight the night before to 30 minutes after the end of the instructional day

School Campus - areas that are owned or leased by the school and used at any time for school-related activities such as the school building or on the school campus, including on the outside of the school building, school buses or other vehicles used to transport students, athletic fields, and stadiums (e.g. on scoreboards, coolers, cups, and water bottles), or parking lots

Triennial – recurring every three years

Bradley, B, Green, AC. Do Health and Education Agencies in the United States Share Responsibility for Academic Achievement and Health? A Review of 25 years of Evidence About the Relationship of Adolescents’ Academic Achievement and Health Behaviors, Journal of Adolescent Health. 2013; 52(5): 523-532.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The association between school-based physical activity, including physical education, and academic performance. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, 2010.

Kellogg's Nutrition-2016: https://www.kelloggsnutrition.com

Hillman C, Pontifex M, Castelli D, Khan N, Raine L, Scudder M, Drollette E, Moore R, Wu C-T, Kamijo K. Effects of the FITKids randomized control trial on executive control and brain function. Pediatrics 2014; 134(4): e1063-1071.

Change Lab Solutions. (2014). District Policy Restricting the Advertising of Food and Beverages Not Permitted to be Sold on School Grounds. Retrieved from Click here..

Breakfast for learning pdf Research Brief: Breakfast for Learning from Click here.