Up-dates recommended: 1/2014

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Blooming Prairie School District's Wellness Policies on Physical
Activity and Nutrition
Preamble
Whereas, children need access to healthful foods and opportunities to be physically active in
order to grow, learn, and thrive;
Whereas, good health fosters student attendance and education;
Whereas, obesity rates have doubled in children and tripled in adolescents over the last two
decades, and physical inactivity and excessive calorie intake are the predominant causes of
obesity;
Whereas, heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes are responsible for two-thirds of deaths in
the United States, and major risk factors for those diseases, including unhealthy eating habits,
physical inactivity, and obesity, often are established in childhood;
Whereas, ! of high school students do not participate in sufficient vigorous physical activity
and "#! of high school students do not attend daily physical education classes;
Whereas, only #! of children $# to %& years' eat a healthy diet consistent with the five main
recommendations from the (ood )uide *yramid;
Whereas, nationally, the items most commonly sold from school vending machines, school
stores, and snack bars include low-nutrition foods and beverages, such as soda, sports drinks,
imitation fruit juices, chips, candy, cookies, and snack cakes;
Whereas, school districts around the country are facing significant fiscal and scheduling
constraints; and
Whereas, community participation is essential to the development and implementation of
successful school wellness policies;
+hus, +he ,looming *rairie School -istrict ."/0 is committed to providing school environments
that promote and protect children1s health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy
eating and physical activity2 +herefore, it is the policy of the ,looming *rairie School -istrict
that3
+he school district will engage students, parents, teachers, food service professionals,
health professionals, and other interested community members in developing,
implementing, monitoring, and reviewing district-wide nutrition and physical activity
policies2
4ll students in grades 5-%# will have opportunities, support, and encouragement to be
physically active on a regular basis2
(oods and beverages sold or served at school will meet the nutrition recommendations
of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans2
6ualified child nutrition professionals will provide students with access to a variety of
affordable, nutritious, and appealing foods that meet the health and nutrition needs of
students; will accommodate the religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity of the student
body in meal planning; and will provide clean, safe, and pleasant settings and ade7uate
time for students to eat2
%
+o the maximum extent practicable, all schools in our district will participate in available
federal school meal programs $including the School ,reakfast *rogram, 8ational School
9unch *rogram :including after-school snacks;, Summer (ood Service *rogram, (ruit and
<egetable Snack *rogram, and =hild and 4dult =are (ood *rogram :including suppers;'2
Schools will provide nutrition education and physical education to foster lifelong habits of
healthy eating and physical activity, and will establish linkages between health education
and school meal programs, and with related community services2
TO ACH!"! TH!S! PO#C$ %OA#S&

' School Wellness Committee
+he school district and>or individual schools within the district will create, strengthen, or work
within existing school wellness committees to develop, implement, monitor, review, and, as
necessary, revise school nutrition and physical activity policies2 +he committee also will serve as
resources to school sites for implementing those policies2 $4 school wellness committee consists
of a group of individuals representing the school and community, and should include parents,
students, representatives of the school food authority, members of the school board, school
administrators, teachers, health professionals, and members of the public2'

' Nutritional (uality o) *oods and Beverages Sold and Served
on Cam+us
School ,eals
?eals served through the 8ational School 9unch and ,reakfast *rograms will3
be appealing and attractive to children;
be served in clean and pleasant settings;
meet, at a minimum, nutrition re7uirements established by local, state, and federal
statutes and regulations; #
*repare menus with at least @! of items offered made-from-scratch2
Ancorporate beverages and snack items that are naturally sweetened, trans fat-free and
packaged in single servings2
offer a variety of fruits and vegetables;
#

serve only low-fat $%!' and fat-free milk

and nutritionally-e7uivalent non-dairy

alternatives $to be defined by US-4'; and
1

ensure that B of the served grains are whole grain2
, C
Schools should engage students and parents, through surveys, in selecting foods sold through
the school meal programs in order to identify new, healthful, and appealing food choices2 An
addition, schools should share information about the nutritional content of meals with parents
and students2 Such information could be made available on menus, a website, on cafeteria menu
boards, placards, or other point-of-purchase materials2
Brea-)ast' +o encourage that all children have breakfast, either at home or at school, in order
to meet their nutritional needs and enhance their ability to learn3
Schools will, to the extent possible, operate the School ,reakfast *rogram2
Schools will, to the extent possible, arrange bus schedules and utiliDe methods to serve
school breakfasts that encourage participation2
Schools that serve breakfast to students will notify parents and students of the
availability of the School ,reakfast *rogram2
Schools will encourage parents to provide a healthy breakfast for their children through
newsletter articles, take-home materials, or other means2
*ree and .educed/+riced ,eals' Schools will make every effort to eliminate any social
stigma attached to, and prevent the overt identification of, students who are eligible for free
and reduced-price school meals
/
2 C +oward this end, schools may utiliDe electronic identification
and payment systems; promote the availability of school meals to all students; and>or use
nontraditional methods for serving school meals2
,eal Times and Scheduling' Schools3
will provide students with at least %@ minutes to eat after sitting down for breakfast and
attempt to provide at least %/ minutes after sitting down for lunch;
should schedule meal periods at appropriate times, e2g2, lunch should be scheduled
between %% a2m2 and % p2m2;
should not schedule tutoring, club, or organiDational meetings or activities during
mealtimes, unless students may eat during such activities;
will schedule lunch periods to follow recess periods $in elementary schools';
will provide students access to hand washing or hand sanitiDing before they eat meals or
snacks; and
should take reasonable steps to accommodate the tooth-brushing regimens of students
with special oral health needs $e2g2, orthodontia or high tooth decay risk'2
(uali)ications o) School *ood Service Sta))' 6ualified nutrition professionals will administer
the school meal programs2 %
Sharing o) *oods and Beverages' Schools should discourage students from sharing their
foods or beverages with one another during meal or snack times, given concerns about allergies
and other restrictions on some children1s diets2
See Addendum A& State E (ederal ?andated ?eal Fe7uirements

*oods and Beverages Sold ndividually
!lementary Schools' +he school food service program will approve and provide all food and
beverage sales to students in elementary schools2 )iven young children1s limited nutrition skills,
food in elementary schools should be sold as balanced meals2 Af available, foods and beverages
sold individually should be limited to low-fat and non-fat milk, fruits, and non-fried vegetables2
,iddle01unior High and High Schools' An middle>junior high and high schools, attempts will
be made to include nutritious and healthy options for foods and beverages will be sold
individually outside the reimbursable school meal program, during the school day, or through
programs after the school day2 4ttempts will be made to increase the amount and availability of
healthy alternatives in both beverages and food vending including3 increase water offered in
vending machines, offer calcium-enriched items in vending machine, and manipulate vending
machine locations as needed to increase accessibility to nutritious beverage options2 <ending
machines offering non-nutritious items are unavailable during school hours2 ,everage and food
vending will include healthy alternatives2
*undraising Activities' +o support children1s health and school nutrition-education efforts,
school fundraising activities will be encouraged to include nutritious food options whenever
possible2 Schools will encourage fundraising activities that promote physical activity2
Snac-s' Snacks served during the school day will make a positive contribution to children1s diets
and health, with an emphasis on serving nutritious foods and beverages2 Schools will assess if
and when to offer snacks based on timing of school meals, children1s nutritional needs, children1s
ages, and other considerations2 +he Wellness =ommittee will disseminate a list of healthful
snack items to teachers, and parents2
.e2ards0Celebrations' Schools>families will be encouraged to use nutritional foods and
beverages if offering rewards for academic performance, for good behavior, for classroom
celebrations, and will not withhold food or beverages $including food served through school
meals' as a punishment2 foods in the classroom for celebrations and special events2 Special
emphasis will be placed on avoiding foods that may cause allergic reactions2 8o food or
beverage will be withheld $including food served through school meals' as a punishment2

' Nutrition and Physical Activity Promotion and *ood
,ar-eting
Nutrition !ducation and Promotion' ,looming *rairie School -istrict ."/0 aims to teach,
encourage, and support healthy eating by students2 Schools should provide nutrition education
and engage in nutrition promotion that3
is offered at each grade level as part of a se7uential, comprehensive, standards-based
program designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to
promote and protect their health;
includes enjoyable, developmentally-appropriate, culturally-relevant, participatory
activities, such as contests, promotions, taste testing, farm visits, and school gardens;
promotes fruits, vegetables, whole grain products, low-fat and fat-free dairy products,
healthy food preparation methods, and health-enhancing nutrition practices;
emphasiDes caloric balance between food intake and energy expenditure $physical
activity>exercise';
links with school meal programs, other school foods, and nutrition-related community
services;
teaches media literacy with an emphasis on food marketing; and
includes training for teachers and other staff2
ntegrating Physical Activity into the Classroom Setting' +he Wellness =ommittee
recommends at least 0@ minutes of daily physical activity and for students to fully embrace
regular physical activity as a personal behavior, students need opportunities for physical activity
beyond physical education class2 +oward that end3
classroom health education will complement physical education by reinforcing the
knowledge and self-management skills needed to maintain a physically-active lifestyle
and to reduce time spent on sedentary activities, such as watching television;
opportunities for physical activity will be incorporated into other subject lessons; and
classroom teachers will provide short physical activity breaks between lessons or
classes, as appropriate2
Communications 2ith Parents' +he district>school will support parents1 efforts to provide a
healthy diet and daily physical activity for their children2 +he district>school will send home
nutrition information, post nutrition tips on school websites, and provide nutrient analyses of
school menus2 Schools should encourage parents to pack healthy lunches and snacks
+he district>school will provide information about physical education and other school-based
physical activity opportunities before, during, and after the school day; and support parents1
efforts to provide their children with opportunities to be physically active outside of school2 Such
supports will include sharing information about physical activity and physical education through
a website, newsletter, or other take-home materials, special events, or physical education
homework2
*ood ,ar-eting in Schools' School-based marketing will be consistent with nutrition
education and health promotion2 +he promotion of healthy foods, including fruits, vegetables,
whole grains, and low-fat dairy products is encouraged2
Sta)) Wellness' +he ,looming *rairie School -istrict ."/0 highly values the health and well-
being of every staff member and will support activities and policies that promote personal efforts
by staff to maintain a healthy lifestyle2 Staff will be encouraged to take advantage of wellness
promotion activities offered per insurance companies, through the school, or by the community2

"' Physical Activity O++ortunities and Physical !ducation
Daily Physical !ducation 3P'!'4 5/67' 4ll students in grades 5-%#, including students with
disabilities, special health-care needs, and in alternative educational settings, will receive
physical education per the following guidelines3 5-0 students will receive #/ minutes of
physical education per day $ days per week it will be taught by a *G teacher but # days per
week by a licensed teacher',"
th
and H
th
grades will each have a total of one semester of
physical education $every other day throughout the school year', and &
th
and %@
th
grades will
have one semester of physical education $daily'2 4ll physical education will be taught by a
certified physical education teacher unless otherwise noted above2 Student involvement in other
activities involving physical activity $e2g2, interscholastic or intramural sports' will not be
substituted for meeting the physical education re7uirement2 Students will spend at least /@
percent of physical education class time participating in moderate to vigorous physical activity2

Daily .ecess' 4ll elementary school students will have at least %/ minutes a day of supervised
recess, preferably outdoors, during which schools should encourage moderate to vigorous physical
activity verbally and through the provision of space and e7uipment2
Schools should discourage extended periods $i2e2, periods of two or more hours' of inactivity2
When activities, such as mandatory school-wide testing, make it necessary for students to
remain indoors for long periods of time, schools should give students periodic breaks during
which they are encouraged to stand and be moderately active2
Physical Activity and Punishment' +eachers and other school and community personnel will
not use physical activity $e2g2, running laps, pushups' or withhold opportunities for structured
physical activity $e2g2, recess, physical education' as punishment2 +he only exception is when
physical activity is modified due to logical conse7uence to a studentIs behavior2
Sa)e .outes to School' +he school district will assess and, if necessary and to the extent
possible, make needed improvements to make it safer and easier for students to walk and bike
to school2 When appropriate, the district will work together with local public works, public safety,
and>or police departments in those efforts2 +he school district will explore the availability of
federal Jsafe routes to schoolJ funds, administered by the state department of transportation, to
finance such improvements2
8se o) School *acilities Outside o) School Hours' ?aintain current use of school spaces and
facilities by students, staff, and community members when facilities are available and with
-istrict approval2
"' ,onitoring and Policy .evie2
,onitoring' +he superintendent or designee will ensure compliance with established district-
wide nutrition and physical activity wellness policies2 An each school, the principal or designee
will ensure compliance with those policies in his>her school and will report on the school1s
compliance to the school district superintendent or designee2
School food service staff, at the school or district level, will ensure compliance with nutrition
policies within school food service areas and will report on this matter to the superintendent $or
if done at the school level, to the school principal'2 An addition, the school district will report on
the most recent US-4 School ?eals Anitiative $S?A' review findings and any resulting changes2
Af the district has not received a S?A review from the state agency within the past five years, the
district will re7uest from the state agency that a S?A review be scheduled as soon as possible2
+he superintendent or designee will develop a summary report annually for three years and
every years thereafter on district-wide compliance with the district1s established nutrition and
physical activity wellness policies, based on input from schools within the district2 +hat report
will be available to the school board, parent>teacher organiDations, school principals, and
school health services personnel in the district2
Policy .evie2' +o help with the initial development of the district1s wellness policies, each
school in the district will conduct a baseline assessment of the school1s existing nutrition and
physical activity environments and policies2
4ssessments will be repeated annually for three years then every three years thereafter to help
review policy compliance, assess progress, and determine areas in need of improvement2 4s
part of that review, the school district will review our nutrition and physical activity policies;
provision of an environment that supports healthy eating and physical activity; and nutrition and
physical education policies and program elements2 +he district, and individual schools within the
district, will, as necessary, revise the wellness policies and develop work plans to facilitate their
implementation2

*ootnotes
%
*rofessional food service company will provide nutritious foods, educational opportunities and professional service for the ,*
School -istrict2
#
+o the extent possible, schools will offer at least two non-fried vegetable and two fruit options each day and will offer five
different fruits and five different vegetables over the course of a week2 Schools are encouraged to source fresh fruits and
vegetables from local farmers when practicable2
#
4s recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 20052

Smart Snacks In Schools 8utritionai Standards2

C
At is against the law to make others in the cafeteria aware of the eligibility status of children for free, reduced-price, or JpaidJ
meals2
1/24/14