FILE: JGB
Cf: EE
SCHOOL WELLNESS
The Vermilion Parish School Board (hereto referred to as the School District) is committed to the optimal development of every student. The School District believes that for students to have the opportunity to achieve personal, academic, developmental and social success, we need to create positive, safe and health-promoting learning environments at every level, in every setting, throughout the school year.
Research shows that two components, good nutrition and physical activity before, during and after the school day, are strongly correlated with positive student outcomes. For example, student participation in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) School Breakfast Program is associated with higher grades and standardized test scores, lower absenteeism and better performance on cognitive tasks. Conversely, less-than-adequate consumption of specific foods including fruits, vegetables and dairy products, is associated with lower grades among students. In addition, students who are physically active through active transport to and from school, recess, physical activity breaks, high-quality physical education and extracurricular activities – do better academically. Finally, there is evidence that adequate hydration is associated with better cognitive performance.
This policy outlines the School District’s approach to ensuring environments and opportunities for all students to practice healthy eating and physical activity behaviors throughout the school day while minimizing commercial distractions. Specifically, this policy establishes goals and procedures to ensure that:
Students in the School District have access to healthy foods throughout the school day - both through reimbursable school meals and other foods available throughout the school campus- in accordance with federal and state nutrition standards;
Students receive quality nutrition education that helps them develop lifelong healthy eating behaviors;
Students have opportunities to be physically active before, during and after school;
Schools engage in nutrition and physical activity promotion and other activities that promote student wellness;
School staff are encouraged and supported to practice healthy nutrition and physical activity behaviors in and out of school;
The community is engaged in supporting the work of the School District in creating continuity between school and other settings for students and staff to practice lifelong healthy habits; and
The School District establishes and maintains an infrastructure for management, oversight, implementation, communication about and monitoring of the policy and its established goals and objectives.
This policy applies to all students, staff and schools in the School District. Specific measureable goals and outcomes are identified within each section below.
SCHOOL HEALTH ADVISORY COUNCIL
Committee Role and Membership
The School District will convene a representative School Health Advisory Council (hereto referred to as the SHAC) that meets at least four (4) times per year to establish goals for and oversee school health and safety policies and programs, including development, implementation and periodic review and update of this district-level wellness policy (heretofore referred as “wellness policy”). The primary goal of the SHAC is to improve, enhance, and maintain the health and well-being of all students along with cultivate a healthy learning environment through the implementation of this policy (La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:17(D)). The SHAC will also serve as a resource for all schools within the School District.
The SHAC membership will represent all school levels (elementary and secondary schools) and include (to the extent possible), but not be limited to: parents and caregivers; students; representatives of the school nutrition program; physical education teachers; health education teachers; school health professionals, mental health and social services staff; school administrators, school board members, health professionals, and the general public. When possible, membership will also include Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education coordinators (SNAP-EDEDSNAP-Ed). To the extent possible, the SHAC will include representatives from each school building and reflect the diversity of the community.
Each school within the School District will establish an ongoing School SHAC that convenes to review school-level issues, in coordination with the SHAC Leadership. Each school will designate a SHAC coordinator, who will ensure that there are three meetings per year, and that the school is in compliance with the local wellness policy. The three meetings will comprise of a beginning of the year meeting to review school policies and procedures in accordance to the local wellness policy, a mid-year meeting to assess school progress with the local wellness policy along with corrective actions, and an end of the year meeting to have final assessment of the local wellness policy and all necessary corrective actions. The school SHAC will consist of a parent, two students, school cafeteria manager, physical education teacher, school administrator, and any additional personnel that may be requested. The school SHAC coordinators will meet with the School District SHAC once per year for review and assessment of the local wellness policy at the school level.
The Superintendent or designee(s) will convene the SHAC and facilitate development of and updates to the wellness policy, and will ensure each school’s compliance with the policy.
The designated official for oversight of the SHAC: Jerome Puyau, Superintendent. The names, titles, and contact information of this/these individuals are:
Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance |
Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy |
Technical Support |
Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy |
Parent |
Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation |
Student/Rene Rost Middle |
Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation |
Student/Erath High |
Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation |
Physical Education Teacher |
Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation |
School Health Services/Health Education |
Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation |
School Health Services |
Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation |
School Counselor |
Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation |
Principal/Elementary |
Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation |
Principal/Middle |
Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation |
Principal/High School |
Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation |
Cafeteria Manager/ Manager Asst |
Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation |
Curriculum Facilitator |
Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation |
School Board Member |
Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation |
Community Member/Nurse |
Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation |
Community Member/LSU Agriculture Center |
Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation |
Community Member |
Assists in the evaluation of the wellness policy implementation |
Wellness Policy Implementation, Monitoring, Accountability and Community Engagement
Implementation Plan
The School District will develop and maintain a plan for implementation to manage and coordinate the execution of this wellness policy. The plan delineates roles, responsibilities, actions and timelines specific to each school; and includes information about who will be responsible to make what change, by how much, where and when; as well as specific goals and objectives for nutrition standards for all foods and beverages available on the school campus, food and beverage marketing, nutrition promotion and education, physical activity, physical education and other school-based activities that promote student wellness.
This wellness policy and the progress reports can be found at: www.vpsb.net.
Recordkeeping
The School District will retain records to document compliance with the requirements of the wellness policy at the Vermilion Parish School Board Central Office, Superintendent’s office.
Documentation maintained in this location will include but will not be limited to:
The written wellness policy;
Documentation demonstrating that the policy has been made available to the public;
Documentation of efforts to review and update the local School Wellness policy; including an indication of who is involved in the update and methods the district uses to make stakeholders aware of their ability to participate on the SHAC;
Documentation to demonstrate compliance with the annual public notification requirements;
The most recent assessment on the implementation of the local School Wellness policy including how it has been made available to the public
Annual Notification of Policy
The School District will actively inform families and the public each year of basic information about this policy, including its content, any updates to the policy and implementation status. The School District will make this information available via the district website and/or district-wide communications. The School District will provide as much information as possible about the school nutrition environment. This will include a summary of the School District’s and schools’ events or activities related to wellness policy implementation. Annually, the School District will also publicize the name and contact information of the members leading and coordinating the committee, as well as information on how the public can get involved with the school wellness committee.
Triennial Progress Assessments
At least once every three years, the School District will evaluate compliance with the wellness policy to assess the implementation of the policy.
The position/person responsible for managing the triennial assessment and contact information is Amy Fremin, MS, RD, LDN, Coordinating Supervisor Child Nutrition Program, www.amy.fremin@vpsb.net.
The SHAC, in collaboration with individual schools, will monitor schools’ compliance with this wellness policy. The School District will actively notify households/families of the availability of the triennial progress report.
Revisions and Updating the Policy
The SHAC will update or modify the wellness policy based on the results of the annual School Health Index and triennial assessments and/or as School District priorities change; community needs change; wellness goals are met; new health science, information, and technology emerges; and new Federal or state guidance or standards are issued. The wellness policy will be assessed and updated as indicated at least every three years, following the triennial assessment.
Community Involvement, Outreach and Communications
The School District is committed to being responsive to community input, which begins with awareness of the wellness policy. The School District will actively communicate ways in which representatives of SHAC and others can participate in the development, implementation and periodic review and update of the wellness policy through a variety of means appropriate for that school district. The School District will also inform parents of the improvements that have been made to school meals and compliance with school meal standards, availability of child nutrition programs and how to apply, and a description of and compliance with Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards. The School District will ensure that communications are culturally and linguistically appropriate to the community, and accomplished through means similar to other ways that the School District and individual schools are communicating important school information with parents.
The School District will actively notify the public about the content of or any updates to the wellness policy annually, at a minimum.
School Nutrition 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; that are moderate in sodium, low in saturated fat, and have zero grams trans-fat per serving (nutrition label or manufacturer’s specification); and to meeting 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.
The School District participates in USDA child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Community Eligibility Provision Program, NSLP Afterschool Snack Program and the Summer Food Service Program. The School District also researches and may participate in additional nutrition-related programs and activities including farm to school programs, school gardens, breakfast in the classroom, mobile breakfast carts, grab and go breakfast, and the supper program. All schools within the School District are committed to offering school meals through the NSLP and SBP programs, and other applicable federal child nutrition programs, that:
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
Offer a reimbursable school meal according to the USDA nutrition standards
Promote healthy food and beverage choices using Smarter Lunchroom techniques
The School District will provide:
Menus on the District website or individual school websites, and will include nutrient content
Menus that are created and reviewed by a Registered Dietitian or other certified nutrition professional
School meals that are administered by a team of child nutrition professionals
A child nutrition program that will accommodate students with special dietary needs
Access to school meals within the allotted time, and sufficient serving areas for student meals
Staff Qualifications and Professional Development
The school nutrition program supervisor, all managers, technicians, and staff will meet or exceed hiring and annual continuing education/training requirements in the USDA professional standards for child nutrition professionals. These school nutrition personnel will refer to USDA’s Professional Standards for School Nutrition Standards website to search for training that meets their learning needs.
Water
To promote hydration, free, safe, unflavored drinking water will be available to all students throughout the “school day” and throughout every “school campus* (“school campus” and “school day” are defined in the glossary). The School District will make drinking water available where school meals are served during mealtimes.
Water cups/jugs will be available in the cafeteria if a drinking fountain is not present.
All water sources and containers will be maintained on a regular basis to ensure good hygiene and health safety standards. Such sources and containers may include drinking fountains, water jugs, hydration stations, water jets and other methods for delivering drinking water.
Competitive Foods and Beverages
The School 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 served outside of the school meal programs (e.g., “competitive” foods and beverages) will meet the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards and the Louisiana Smart Snacks Guidelines, at a minimum. The Pennington Biomedical Research Center is a resource for selecting competitive foods and beverages that meet both federal and state regulations.
Smart Snacks aim to improve student health and well-being, increase consumption of healthful foods during the school day and create an environment that reinforces the development of healthy eating habits.
Celebrations and Rewards
The School District highly encourages all food and beverage items offered to students through celebrations, parties, classroom snacks brought by parents, and student rewards and incentives meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards and the Louisiana Smart Snacks Guidelines. A letter will be sent to all parents providing a list of food beverage ideas meeting these guidelines, including non-food celebration ideas.
Homemade items are not allowed to be brought to school for student for any type of celebration, party, classroom snack, reward or incentive due to food safety and sanitation regulations and food allergies. All items brought to school must be pre-packaged from the store in its original packaging.
The School District will provide teachers and other relevant school staff a list of alternative ways to reward children besides food and beverages.
Fundraising
To support healthy food choices and improve student health and well-being, all foods and beverages intended for fundraising are only allowed for off campus consumption. The School District will make available to parents and teachers a list of healthy fundraising ideas.
Nutrition Promotion
Nutrition promotion and education positively influence lifelong eating behaviors by using evidence-based techniques and nutrition messages, and by creating food environments that encourage healthy nutrition choices and encourage participation in school meal programs. 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 and is most effective when implemented consistently through a comprehensive and multi-channel approach by school staff, teachers, parents, students and the community.
The School District will promote healthy food and beverage choices for all students throughout the school campus, as well as encourage participation in school meal programs. This promotion will occur through at least:
Implementing evidence-based healthy food promotion techniques through the school meal programs using Smarter Lunchroom techniques; and
Ensuring 100% of foods and beverages promoted to students meet the USDA Smart Snacks in School and the Louisiana Smart Snacks guidelines.
Nutrition Education
The School District will teach, model, encourage and support healthy eating by all 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;
Includes enjoyable, developmentally-appropriate, culturally-relevant and participatory activities, such as cooking demonstrations or lessons, promotions, taste-testing, farm visits and school gardens;
Promotes fruits, vegetables, whole-grain products, low-fat and fat-free dairy products and healthy food preparation methods;
Emphasizes caloric balance between food intake and energy expenditure (promotes physical activity/exercise);
Links with school meal programs, cafeteria nutrition promotion activities, school gardens, Farm to School programs, other school foods and nutrition-related community services;
Teaches media literacy with an emphasis on food and beverage marketing; and Includes nutrition education training for teachers and other staff.
All health education teachers will provide opportunities for students to practice or rehearse the skills taught through the health education curricula.
Essential Healthy Eating Topics in Health Education
The School District will include in the health education curriculum a minimum of 12 of the following essential topics on healthy eating:
Relationship between healthy eating and personal health and disease prevention
Food guidance from My Plate
Reading and using FDA's nutrition fact labels
Eating a variety of foods every day
Balancing food intake and physical activity
Eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grain products
Choosing foods that are low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol and do not contain trans fat
Choosing foods and beverages with little added sugars
Eating more calcium-rich foods
Preparing healthy meals and snacks
Risks of unhealthy weight control practices
Accepting body size differences
Food safety
Importance of water consumption
Importance of eating breakfast
Making healthy choices when eating at restaurants
Eating disorders
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Reducing sodium intake
Social influences on healthy eating, including media, family, peers and culture
How to find valid information or services related to nutrition and dietary behavior
How to develop a plan and track progress toward achieving a personal goal to eat healthfully
Resisting peer pressure related to unhealthy dietary behavior
Influencing, supporting, or advocating for others’ healthy dietary behavior
Food and Beverage Marketing in Schools
The School District is committed to providing a school environment that ensures opportunities for all students to practice healthy eating and physical activity behaviors throughout the school day while minimizing commercial distractions. The School District strives to teach students how to make informed choices about nutrition, health and physical activity. These efforts will be weakened if students are subjected to advertising on School District property that contains messages inconsistent with the health information the School District is imparting through nutrition education and health promotion efforts. It is the intent of the School District to protect and promote student’s health by permitting advertising and marketing for only those foods and beverages that are permitted to be sold on the school campus, consistent with the School District’s wellness policy.
Any foods and beverages marketed or promoted to students on the school campus* during the school day* will meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in School and the Louisiana Smart Snacks guidelines.
Food and beverage marketing is defined as advertising and other promotions in schools. Food and beverage marketing often includes an oral, written, or graphic statements made for the purpose of promoting the sale of a food or beverage product made by the producer, manufacturer, seller or any other entity with a commercial interest in the product. This term includes, but is not limited to the following:
Brand names, trademarks, logos or tags, except when placed on a physically present food or beverage product or its container.
Displays, such as on vending machine exteriors
Corporate brand, logo, name or trademark on school equipment, such as marquees, message boards, scoreboards or backboards (Note: immediate replacement of these items are not required; however, school districts will replace or update scoreboards or other durable equipment when existing contracts are up for renewal or to the extent that is in financially possible over time so that items are in compliance with the marketing policy.)
Corporate brand, logo, name or trademark on cups used for beverage dispensing, menu boards, coolers, trash cans and other food service equipment; as well as on posters, book covers, pupil assignment books or school supplies displayed, distributed, offered or sold by the School District.
Advertisements in school publications or school mailings.
Free product samples, taste tests or coupons of a product, or free samples displaying advertising of a product.
As the School District/school nutrition services/Athletics Department/PTA/PTO reviews existing contracts and considers new contracts, equipment and product purchasing (and replacement) decisions should reflect the applicable marketing guidelines established by the School District wellness policy.
Physical Activity
Children and adolescents should participate in at least sixty (60) minutes of physical activity every day. A substantial percentage of students’ physical activity can be provided through a comprehensive school physical activity program (CSPAP). A CSPAP reflects strong coordination and synergy across all of the components: quality physical education as the foundation; physical activity before, during and after school; staff involvement and family and community engagement and the district is committed to providing these opportunities. Schools will ensure that these varied physical activity opportunities are in addition to, and not as a substitute for, physical education (addressed in “Physical Education” subsection). All schools in the district will be encouraged to participate in Fuel Up To Play 60 or Let’s Move! Active Schools (www.letsmoveschools.org) in order to successfully address all CSPAP areas.
Physical activity during the school day will be offered and encouraged to all students. The School District will provide teachers and other school staff with a list of ideas for alternative ways to discipline students besides using exclusion of physical activity.
To the extent practicable, the School District will ensure that its grounds and facilities are safe and that equipment is available to students to be active. The School District will conduct necessary inspections and repairs.
Physical Education
The School District will provide students with physical education, using an age-appropriate, sequential physical education curriculum consistent with national and state standards for physical education. The physical education curriculum will promote the benefits of a physically active lifestyle and will help students develop skills to engage in lifelong healthy habits, as well as incorporate essential health education concepts (discussed in the “Essential Physical Activity Topics in Health Education” subsection). The curriculum will support the essential components of physical education.
All students will be provided equal opportunity to participate in physical education classes. The School District will make appropriate accommodations to allow for equitable participation for all students and will adapt physical education classes and equipment as necessary. Physical education classes will not be withheld from students as a punishment.
All elementary students (kindergarten to eighth grade) will receive physical education for at least 150 minutes per week throughout the school year.
All secondary students (high school) are required to take one and a half credits of physical education.
The School District physical education program will promote student physical fitness through individualized fitness and activity assessments (via the Fitness Gram Program at www.focusedfitness.org) or other appropriate assessment tool) and will use criterion-based reporting for each student.
All physical education teachers in the School District will be required to participate in at least a once a year professional development in education.
All physical education classes in the School District are taught by licensed teachers who are certified or endorsed to teach physical education.
Essential Physical Activity Topics in Health Education
Health education will be required in all grades (elementary and middle) and the school district will require high school students to take and pass one half health education credit. The School District will include in the health education curriculum a minimum of 12 the following essential topics on physical activity:
The physical, psychological, or social benefits of physical activity
How physical activity can contribute to a healthy weight
How physical activity can contribute to the academic learning process
How an inactive lifestyle contributes to chronic disease
Health-related fitness, that is, cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, and body composition
Differences between physical activity, exercise and fitness
Phases of an exercise session, that is, warm up, workout and cool down
Overcoming barriers to physical activity
Decreasing sedentary activities, such as TV watching
Opportunities for physical activity in the community
Preventing injury during physical activity
Weather-related safety, for example, avoiding heat stroke, hypothermia and sunburn while being physically active
How much physical activity is enough, that is, determining frequency, intensity, time and type of physical activity
Developing an individualized physical activity and fitness plan
Monitoring progress toward reaching goals in an individualized physical activity plan
Dangers of using performance-enhancing drugs, such as steroids
Social influences on physical activity, including media, family, peers and culture
How to find valid information or services related to physical activity and fitness
How to influence, support, or advocate for others to engage in physical activity
How to resist peer pressure that discourages physical activity.
Recess (Elementary)
Each school that includes any of the grades kindergarten through five shall provide at least fifteen (15) minutes of recess, consisting of supervised, unstructured free play, each school day. If recess is offered before lunch, schools will have appropriate hand-washing facilities located just inside/outside the cafeteria to ensure proper hygiene prior to eating and students are required to use these mechanisms before eating.
Outdoor recess will be offered when weather and playground conditions are feasible for outdoor play.
In the event that the school or district must conduct indoor recess, teachers and staff will follow the indoor recess guidelines that promote physical activity for students, to the extent practicable.
Recess will complement, not substitute, physical education class. Recess monitors or teachers will encourage students to be active, and will serve as role models by being physically active alongside the students whenever feasible.
Classroom Physical Activity Breaks (Elementary and Secondary)
The School District recognizes that students are more attentive and ready to learn if provided with periodic breaks when they can be physically active or stretch. The School District recommends teachers provide short (3-5-minute) physical activity breaks to students during and between classroom times at least three days per week. These physical activity breaks will complement, not substitute, for physical education class, and recess.
The School District will provide resources and links to resources, tools, and technology with ideas for classroom physical activity breaks. Resources and ideas are available through USDA and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.
Active Academics
Teachers will incorporate movement and kinesthetic learning approaches into “core” subject instruction when possible (e.g., science, math, language arts, social studies and others) and/or appropriate. They will do their part to limit sedentary behavior during the school day. Teachers will serve as role models by being physically active alongside the students whenever feasible.
Before and After School Activities
The School District offers opportunities for students to participate in physical activity either before and/or after the school day (or both) through a variety of methods. The School District will encourage students to be physically active before and after school by: distributing flyers, posting on school websites, using the School District callout system, and other social media outlets. The School District will choose appropriate and reasonable options such as the YMCA Aftercare Program, Boys’ and Girls’ Club, and intramural sports and activities.
Active Transport
The School District will support active transport to and from school, such as walking or biking, when feasible and safe.
The School District will encourage this behavior by engaging in six or more of the activities below; including but not limited to:
Designate safe or preferred routes to school
Promote activities such as participation in 4-H Bicycle Safety, National Walk and Bike to School Week
Secure bicycle racks
Instruction on walking/bicycling safety provided to students
Promote safe routes program to students, staff, and parents via newsletters, websites, local newspaper
Use crossing guards
Use crosswalks on streets leading to schools
Use walking school buses
Document the number of children walking and or biking to and from school
Create and distribute maps of school environment (e.g., sidewalks, crosswalks, roads, pathways, bike racks, etc.)
Other Activities that Promote Student Wellness
The School District will integrate wellness activities across the entire school setting, not just in the cafeteria, other food and beverage venues and physical activity facilities. The School District will coordinate and integrate other initiatives related to physical activity, physical education, nutrition and other wellness components so all efforts are complementary, not duplicative, and work towards the same set of goals and objectives promoting student well-being, optimal development and strong educational outcomes.
All efforts related to obtaining federal, state or association recognition for efforts, or grants/funding opportunities for healthy school environments will be coordinated with and complementary of the wellness policy, including but not limited to ensuring the involvement of the SHAC and School SHACs.
Community Partnerships
The School District will continue relationships with community partners (e.g., hospitals, universities/colleges, local businesses, SNAP-Ed providers and coordinators, etc.) in support of this wellness policy’s implementation. Existing and new community partnerships and sponsorships will be evaluated to ensure that they are consistent with the wellness policy and its goals.
Community Health Promotion and Family Engagement
The School District will promote to parents/caregivers, families, and the general community the benefits of and approaches for healthy eating and physical activity throughout the school year. Families will be informed and invited to participate in school-sponsored activities and will receive information about health promotion efforts.
As described in the “Community Involvement, Outreach, and Communications” subsection, the School District will use electronic mechanisms (e.g., email or displaying notices on the district’s website), as well as non-electronic mechanisms, (e.g., newsletters, presentations to parents or sending information home to parents), to ensure that all families are actively notified of opportunities to participate in school-sponsored activities and receive information about health promotion efforts.
Staff Wellness and Health Promotion
The SHAC will have a staff wellness subcommittee that focuses on staff wellness issues, identifies and disseminates wellness resources and performs other functions that support staff wellness in coordination with human resources staff. This committee will have a designated leader that will ensure planning, coordination, and implementation of wellness events/promotions. Schools in the School District will implement strategies to support staff in actively promoting and modeling healthy eating and physical activity behaviors. The School District promotes staff member participation in health promotion programs and will support programs for staff members on healthy eating/weight management that are accessible and free or low-cost.
Professional Learning
When feasible, the School District will offer annual professional learning opportunities and resources for staff to increase knowledge and skills about promoting healthy behaviors in the classroom and school (e.g., increasing the use of kinesthetic teaching approaches or incorporating nutrition lessons into math class). Professional learning will help School District staff understand the connections between academics and health and the ways in which health and wellness are integrated into ongoing district reform or academic improvement plans/efforts.
Glossary:
Extended School Day – the time during, before and after-school that includes activities such as clubs, intramural sports, band and choir practice, drama rehearsals and more.
School Campus - areas that are owned or leased by the school and used at any time for school- related activities, 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.
School Day – the time between midnight the night before to 30 minutes after the end of the instructional day.
Triennial – recurring every three years.
Adopted: September 15, 2016
Revised: April 12, 2017
Revised: September 21, 2023
Ref: 42 USC 1751 et seq. (Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act)
42 USC 1771 et seq. (Child Nutrition Act of 1966)
7 CFR 210 (National School Lunch Program)
7 CFR 210.31 (Local school wellness policy)
7 CFR 220 (School Breakfast Program)
La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:17.1, 17:17.7, 17:197.1
Board minutes, 6-8-06, 9-15-16, 4-12-17, 9-21-23
Vermilion Parish School Board