JGCA: Local Health and Wellness

The board is committed to providing a school environment that promotes student health and wellness as part of the total learning experience for its students. To this end, the board shall promote and monitor a local health and wellness plan that includes methods to promote student health and wellness, prevent and reduce childhood obesity, and provide assurance that school meals and other food and beverages sold and otherwise made available on the school campus during the school day are consistent with applicable minimum federal standards. The plan shall:

• Include goals for providing proper student nutrition promotion and education, physical activity, and other school-based activities designed to promote student wellness which are based on evidence-based strategies and techniques;
• Meet federal nutrition standards and guidelines for all foods and beverages provided to students in each school during the school day;
• Ensure standards and nutrition guidelines for all foods and beverages sold to students during the school day at each district school are consistent with the requirements of the School Breakfast Program, the National School Lunch Program, and the competitive food standards established pursuant to the National School Lunch Program;
• Provide students with opportunities to improve personal health and disease prevention;
• Develop essential health skills necessary to maintain and enhance personal and community health behaviors;
• Include goals for addressing student social and mental health needs;
• Develop skills to prevent injury; and
• Understand the effects and consequences of nicotine, alcohol, and drug use.

The Superintendent or designee shall be responsible for the implementation and oversight of this policy and plan to ensure each of the district's schools, programs, and curriculum is compliant with this policy, the plan, and existing law and regulations.

Each building principal or designee shall annually report to the superintendent or designee regarding compliance in his/her school. Staff members responsible for programs related to school health and wellness shall also report to the superintendent or designee regarding the status of such programs. The superintendent or designee shall then annually report to the board on the district's compliance with law, policy, and the district's plan related to school wellness.

Health and Wellness Committee

The board shall establish a health and wellness committee comprised of, but not necessarily limited to, at least one of each of the following: school board member, district administrator, district food service representative, student, parent/guardian, school health professional, physical education teacher, and member of the public.

The health and wellness committee shall serve as an advisory committee regarding student health issues and shall be responsible for developing, implementing, and periodically reviewing and updating a school health and wellness policy and plan that complies with law to recommend to the board for adoption.

The health and wellness committee shall review and consider evidence-based strategies and techniques in establishing goals for nutrition education and promotion, physical activity, and other school-based activities that promote student health and wellness as part of the policy and plan development and revision process.

The superintendent or designee and the health and wellness committee shall conduct an assessment at least once every three (3) years on the contents and implementation of this policy and plan as part of a continuous improvement process to strengthen them and ensure proper implementation. This triennial assessment shall be made available to the public in an accessible and easily understood manner and include: The extent to which district schools are in compliance with law, policy, and its plan related to school health and wellness;

• The extent to which this policy and plan compare to model local health and wellness policies; and
• A description of the progress made by the district in attaining the goals of this policy.

At least once every three (3) years, the district shall update or modify this policy and health and wellness plan based on the results of the most recent triennial assessment and/or as district and community needs and priorities change; health and wellness goals are met; new health science, information, and technologies emerge; or new federal or state guidance or standards are issued.

The district shall annually inform and update the public, including parents/guardians, students, and others in the community, about the contents, updates and implementation of this policy and plan via the district website, student handbooks, newsletters, or other efficient communication methods. This annual notification shall include information on how to access the school health and wellness policy and plan; information about the most recent triennial assessment; information on how to participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the school health and wellness policy and plan; and a means of contacting health and wellness committee leadership.

Recordkeeping

The district shall retain records documenting compliance with the requirements of the school health and wellness policy, which shall include:

• The written school health and wellness policy and plan;
• Documentation demonstrating that the district has informed the public, on an annual basis, about the contents of the school health and wellness policy and plan and any updates to these documents;
• Documentation of efforts to review and update the school health and wellness policy and plan, including who was involved in the review and methods used by the district to inform the public of their ability to participate in the review; and
• Documentation demonstrating the most recent assessment on the implementation of the school health and wellness policy and plan and notification of the assessment results to the public.