The Governing Board recognizes the link between student health and learning and desires to provide a comprehensive program promoting healthy eating and physical activity for district students. The Superintendent or designee shall build a coordinated school health system that supports and reinforces health literacy through health education, physical education and activity, health services, nutrition services, psychological and counseling services, health promotion for staff, a safe and healthy school environment, and parent/guardian and community involvement.

To encourage consistent health messages between the home and school environment, the Superintendent or designee may disseminate health information and/or the district's student wellness policy to parents/guardians through district or school newsletters, handouts, parent/guardian meetings, district and school websites, and other communications. Outreach to parents/guardians shall emphasize the relationship between student health and academic performance.

School Health Council/Committee

The Superintendent or designee shall permit parents/guardians, students, food service employees, physical education teachers, school health professionals, Board members, school administrators, and members of the public to participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the district's student wellness policy.

The school health council/committee shall advise the district on health-related issues, activities, policies, and programs. At the discretion of the Superintendent or designee, the duties of the council/committee may also include the planning, implementation, and evaluation of activities to promote health within the school or community.

Nutrition and Physical Activity Goals

The Board shall adopt goals for nutrition promotion and education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that promote student wellness.

The district's nutrition education and physical education programs shall be based on research, consistent with the expectations established in the state's curriculum frameworks and content standards, and designed to build the skills and knowledge that all students need to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Nutrition education shall be provided as part of the health education program and, as appropriate, shall be integrated into other academic subjects in the regular educational program. Nutrition education also may be offered through before- and after-school programs.

The Board prohibits the marketing and advertising of non-nutritious foods and beverages through signage, vending machine fronts, logos, scoreboards, school supplies, advertisements in school publications, coupon or incentive programs, free give-aways, or other means.

All students shall be provided opportunities to be physically active on a regular basis. Opportunities for moderate to vigorous physical activity shall be provided through physical education and recess and may also be provided through school athletic programs, extracurricular programs, before- and after-school programs, programs encouraging students to walk or bicycle to and from school, in-class physical activity breaks, and other structured and unstructured activities.

The Board may enter into a joint use agreement to make district facilities or grounds available for recreational or sports activities outside the school day and/or to use community facilities to expand students' access to opportunity for physical activity.

The Superintendent or designee shall encourage staff to serve as positive role models for healthy eating and physical fitness. He/she shall promote work-site wellness and may provide opportunities for regular physical activity among employees. Professional development may include instructional strategies that assess health knowledge and skills and promote healthy behaviors.

Nutritional Guidelines for Foods Available at School

For all foods available on each campus during the school day, the district shall adopt nutritional guidelines which are consistent with 42 USC 1773 and 1779 and support the objectives of promoting student health and reducing childhood obesity.

The Board believes that foods and beverages available to students at district schools should support the health curriculum and promote optimal health. Nutritional standards adopted by the district for all foods and beverages sold to students, including foods and beverages provided through the district's food service program, student stores, vending machines, or other venues, shall meet or exceed state and federal nutritional standards.

In order to maximize the district's ability to provide nutritious meals and snacks, all district schools shall participate in available federal school nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs and after-school snack programs, to the extent possible. When approved by the California Department of Education, the district may sponsor a summer meal program.

The Superintendent or designee shall encourage school organizations to use healthy food items or non-food items for fundraising purposes. He/she also shall encourage school staff to avoid the use of non-nutritious foods as a reward for students' academic performance, accomplishments, or classroom behavior.

School staff shall encourage parents/guardians or other volunteers to support the district's nutrition education program by considering nutritional quality when selecting any snacks which they may donate for occasional class parties. Class parties or celebrations shall be held after the lunch period when possible.

Program Implementation and Evaluation

The Superintendent shall designate one or more district or school employees, as appropriate, to ensure that each school site complies with this policy.

The Superintendent or designee shall inform and update the public, including parents/guardians, students, and others in the community, about the contents and implementation of this policy. He/she shall periodically measure and make available to the public an assessment of the extent to which district schools are in compliance with this policy, the extent to which this policy compares to model wellness policies available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and a description of the progress made in attaining the goals of the wellness policy.