The board recognizes the relationship between student well-being and student achievement as well as the importance of a comprehensive district wellness program. Special School District (SSD) will provide developmentally appropriate and sequential nutrition and physical education, as well as opportunities for physical activity. The wellness program will be implemented in a multidisciplinary fashion and will be evidence-based. 

Wellness Committees

Student Wellness
The district will establish a Student Wellness Committee that represents district stakeholders and customers.  Regulation ADF-R lists the specific roles to be included in the committee. The district’s health services EPS and executive director of SSD Schools will serve as the district wellness coordinators. Wellness coordinators, in consultation with the Wellness Committee, will oversee implementing and evaluating this policy. 

Committee meeting dates and agendas will be posted on the district’s website in advance of each meeting and advertised in a manner designed to reach students, staff and members of the community. All wellness committee meeting agendas will include a public comment period in which students, staff and members of the community are encouraged to provide input on the district’s wellness program. Meetings, records and votes of the wellness committee will adhere to the requirements of the Missouri Sunshine Law. 

Wellness program coordinators are responsible for ensuring that each school operated by the district follows this policy.

Staff Wellness
The district will establish a Staff Wellness Committee with membership representing SSD and Partner District Schools and Programs, and district departments.  The committee will work in collaboration with the district insurance/benefits office and with the district safety/security department.  The committee will coordinate wellness events and programs for staff throughout the year in various locations in the district.

Nutrition Guidelines
The nutrition guidelines outlined in this section do not apply to food or beverages brought from home by students for consumption solely by the student or food or beverages created or used by students as part of the district’s instructional program.

All foods and beverages sold or served to students during the school day on any property under the jurisdiction of the district will meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) school meal and Smart Snack s in School (Smart Snacks) nutrition standards. These nutrition standards apply to all food and beverages served or sold to students, including those sold in vending machines, school stores and through district-sponsored fundraisers, unless an exemption applies. In addition, the Smart Snacks standards apply to all food and beverages provided, but not sold, to students outside the reimbursable school meals program during the school day. For the purposes of this policy, the school day is the time from the midnight before to 30 minutes after the official school day.

Nutrition Promotion and Education
The district will provide nutrition education aligned with the Missouri’s Learning Standards and Grade-Level Expectations (GLEs) in health and physical education in all grades. In addition, the district will disseminate nutrition messages and other nutrition-related materials received from the USDA to students, staff and the community through a variety of media and methods. The wellness program coordinators, in consultation with the Wellness Committee, will develop procedures that address nutrition education and promotion.

Physical Activity and Education
The district will provide physical education and opportunities for physical activity aligned with the Missouri Learning Standards and GLEs in health and physical education in all grades. The wellness program coordinators, in consultation with the Wellness Committee, will develop procedures to address physical education and physical activity.

Other School-Based Activities
The wellness program coordinators, in consultation with the Wellness Committee, are charged with developing procedures addressing other school-based activities to promote wellness.

Assessment
The local wellness program will be assessed at least once every three years with the results report to the board and available to the public. 

Records
The wellness program coordinators will maintain records necessary to document compliance with law, including a copy of the policy; documentation of community involvement, including sign-in sheets or other documentation of the names of those who provided input to the committee; documentation of triennial assessments; and other documentation that assessment findings were shared with the public. 

Date Adopted:
June 27, 2006

Date Revised:
January 26, 2010
April 9, 2013
January 13, 2015
September 12, 2017    

Cross Refs.:
DJF - Purchasing
EF - Food Services Management
EFB - Free and Reduced Price Meals
GCL - Professional Learning Opportunities
GDL - Support Staff Development Opportunities
IGAEA - Teaching About Drugs, Alcohol and, Tobacco
IGBC - Parent/Family Involvement in Instructional and Other Programs
IGDF - Student Fundraising
JHCF - Student Allergy Prevention and Response
KI - Public Solicitations/Advertising in District Facilities

Legal Refs.:
§§ 167.720, 610.010 --.030, RSMo.
The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 1751-- 1760
National School Lunch Program, 7 C.F.R. Part 210
http://revisor.mo.gov/main/Home.aspx
https://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/NSLA.pdf
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/ECFR?page=browse