112.1 Guideline: Wellness - Nutrition and Environmental Guidelines

Continue to Guideline 112.2: Wellness - Nutrition Services Operations and Meal Charges

The Administrative Guidelines outlined within this document for Richfield Public Schools are intended to create a school environment that protects and promotes the health of our students. Our commitment is to provide nutrition education and regular physical activity, as well as access to nutritious foods for all students.

I. USDA SCHOOL MEALS AND SNACKS

School meals will include a variety of healthy choices while accommodating special dietary needs and ethnic and cultural food preferences. All schools shall participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) school breakfast and school lunch programs. Schools eligible for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) will apply to implement this program. FFVP provides a variety of free fruit and vegetable snacks at eligible elementary schools to encourage students to try different fruits and vegetables.

Richfield Public Schools participates in the Minnesota Free School Meals Program, and therefore, all enrolled students will be offered one breakfast and one lunch at no charge while at school regardless of their meal balance. Food and nutrition services will utilize electronic identification and payment systems and promote the availability of school meals to all students. The schools will make every effort to eliminate any social stigma attached to negative meal balance. Under no circumstances shall any student be turned away from a USDA meal. Under no circumstances shall any student receive restricted choice related to USDA meal options provided to students (see Administrative Guideline 112.2).

A. USDA Standards for Meals and Food Service Staff

All foods and beverages made available on campus (including concessions, school stores, a la carte cafeteria items, etc.) during the school day shall be consistent with the current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans and applicable federal rules and regulations.

1. All such items shall be appropriate to the school setting.

2. In the event a written complaint is communicated to the nutrition services department regarding the approval or disapproval of any item, the superintendent or designee and the director, after review, shall make the final determination.

The director of food and nutrition services shall be responsible for the District’s food service program. Duties shall include monitoring nutrition guidelines and procedures for the selection of foods and beverages made available on campus to ensure food and beverage choices are consistent with current USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, as well as any additional state nutrition standards that go beyond USDA requirements. The school meal programs will be administered by a dietician or nutritionist with school meal experience. If the District does not employ staff with this expertise, consultants will be used.

The schools shall provide the opportunity for continuing professional development for all food and nutrition service personnel. All food and nutrition service staff will be provided training on USDA meal plans/reimbursable meals so they can properly advise students as to the meal components they may/must take, as well as cooking techniques, recipe implementation, sanitation, and food safety.

All menus will be reviewed by the director of food and nutrition. When this is not feasible, sample USDA menus or USDA software for menu review may be used.

B. Meal Environment

Meals will be served in a clean and pleasant setting and under appropriate supervision. Rules for safe behavior will be consistently enforced.

Schools will make every effort to provide students with sufficient time to eat after sitting down (approximately 20 minutes) for school meals and will schedule meal periods at appropriate times during the school day.

The elementary schools, grades K-5, are encouraged to schedule recess time before lunch when possible.

Tutoring, club, or organizational meetings or activities will not be scheduled during mealtimes, unless students may eat during such activities.

The schools shall work to provide students access to hand washing or hand sanitizing before they eat meals or snacks, and teachers, food and nutrition and school staff will remind students to make use of them.

Information on the nutritional content and ingredients of meals will be found on menus, in school newsletters and/or the District website. Parents/guardians and students will be informed that information is available and information shall be kept up-to-date.

C. Meal Promotion

Participation in school meal programs will be promoted. Parents/guardians will be notified of the availability of the breakfast, lunch and summer food programs. The District will, to the extent possible, arrange bus schedules and utilize methods to serve school breakfasts that encourage participation, including serving breakfast in the cafeteria or “grab-and-go” breakfast in the classroom.

Foods served as part of the before and aftercare (childcare) programs run by the school must meet USDA standards if they are reimbursable under a school meals program. Otherwise, they must meet the nutrition standards for competitive foods outlined below. Foods served as part of the before and aftercare (childcare) programs run by an outside organization (e.g., YMCA) must meet the District’s nutrition standards for competitive foods outlined below.

II. FOOD AND BEVERAGES OUTSIDE REIMBURSABLE MEALS

A. Competitive Foods and Beverages

All foods and beverages sold on school grounds during the school day to students outside of reimbursable school meals are considered “competitive foods.” Competitive foods include items sold a la carte in the cafeteria, from vending machines, school stores and for in-school fundraisers during the school day (school day is defined by the USDA as the period from midnight before, to 30 minutes after the end of the official school day).

All competitive foods must comply with the USDA Smart Snacks in School regulation, as well as all applicable state standards. The USDA website has a resource guide to Smart Snacks in Schools as well as a Smart Snacks Calculator to help schools identify food items that meet Smart Snacks criteria. Foods served as part of the before and aftercare (childcare) programs and clubs must also comply with these nutrition standards unless they are reimbursable under USDA school meals program, in which case they must comply with all applicable USDA standards.

Competition of non-nutritious food sales with the School Lunch Program during the school day is prohibited by the District’s participation in the federal school lunch program. The school principal shall regulate the hours of operation of any vending machine, school store or concession stands. The food and beverage products dispensed by vending machines or concession stands operated on campus outside the regular school day shall strive to provide a variety of nutritious options, and organizers may consult the director of food and nutrition services.

The schools shall encourage all students to make age-appropriate, healthy selections of foods and beverages, including those sold individually outside the reimbursable school meal programs, and after school, such as through vending machines, fundraising events, concession stands, and student stores.

B. Other Foods and Beverages Made Available to Students

1. Food and beverages will not be part of classroom celebrations and parties. The District asks parents/guardians to refrain from bringing items into school to celebrate birthdays.

2. Any classroom snacks will follow USDA Smart Snacks in School guidelines.

C. Rewards and Incentives

The use of food or beverages as a reward must follow USDA Smart Snacks in School standards (unless different snacks are allowed by a student’s individual education plan or behavior intervention plan), and staff will not withhold food or beverages as a punishment.

D. Fundraising

The sale or distribution of food and beverage products by individuals for consumption during the school day, as a fundraising activity, must follow USDA Smart Snacks in School Guidelines and be preapproved by the director of food and nutrition. However, preorders for distribution and consumption after school may be allowed at the discretion of the school principal. Non-food fundraising is promoted and activities that promote physical activity are encouraged. The District will make a list of healthy fundraising ideas available on the Nutrition Services page of the District website.

E. Access to Drinking Water

Students and school staff members will have access to free, safe, fresh drinking water at all times throughout the school day. Water jugs and cups will be available in the cafeteria if water fountains are not present, and supervisory staff will facilitate access to water in the cafeteria. Students will be allowed to bring drinking water from home into the classroom.

Water will be promoted as a substitute for sugar-sweetened beverages. The District prohibits the selling of food and beverages containing caffeine and non-nutritive sweeteners to elementary and middle school students.

Maintenance will be performed on all water fountains regularly to ensure that hygiene standards for drinking fountains, water jugs, hydration stations, water jets, and other methods for delivering drinking water are maintained.

III. NUTRITION EDUCATION AND PROMOTION

The Healthy, Hunger–Free Kids Act (The Act) requires that wellness policies include goals for nutrition education, physical activity, and other school-based activities that are designed to promote student wellness in a manner that the school district determines appropriate.

A. The District will encourage and support healthy eating by students and engage in nutrition education and promotion that is:

1. Offered as part of a sequential and comprehensive K-12 program designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect their health.

2. Part of health education classes as well as classroom instruction in subjects such as math, science, language arts, social science and elective subjects, where appropriate.

B. Students will receive consistent nutrition messages throughout schools, classrooms, cafeterias, and school media. The schools shall model, encourage and support healthy eating by students and engage in nutrition promotion.

1. Nutrition promotion can include participatory activities such as contests, promotions, taste testing, farm visits and other field trips, and experience working in school gardens. Nutrition promotion shall be designed to be enjoyable, developmentally appropriate, and culturally relevant.

2. The nutrition education program may be linked to school meal programs, school gardens, food and nutrition promotion, afterschool programs, and farm-to-school programs.

3. Nutrition education may be offered in the cafeteria as well as the classroom, with coordination between the food and nutrition services staff and teachers.

4. Staff members responsible for nutrition education will participate in relevant professional development (e.g., training on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and how to teach the guidelines).

5. Staff will only use approved nutrition curriculum in the classroom. Curriculum developed by corporate interest is prohibited.

6. Nutrition education will be provided to families via handouts, newsletters, postings on the website, presentations and/or workshops. The school menu will be posted online.

7. Staff is strongly encouraged to model healthy eating habits, and discouraged from eating in front of students/sharing food with students during regular class time, outside of activities related to the nutrition education curriculum.

The nutrition curriculum will specifically encompass:

• Promotion of adequate nutrient intake and healthy eating practices;
• Skill development, such as reading labels to evaluate the nutrient quality of foods, meal planning, and analysis of health information;
• Examination of the problems associated with food marketing to children;
• Nutrition themes including, but not limited to USDA’s MyPlate, Dietary Guidelines for Americans, adequate nutrient intake, positive body image and food safety.

IV. FOOD AND BEVERAGE MARKETING IN SCHOOLS

School–based marketing will be consistent with nutrition education and health promotion. Schools will restrict food and beverages marketing to the promotion of only those foods and beverages that meet the Smart Snacks nutrition standards.

V. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

A. Physical Education

All K-12 students will receive physical education. Physical education will be based on the Minnesota Physical Education Standards and coordinated with the National Health Education Standards (K-12). All K-12 students will receive physical education.

Master scheduling will strive to provide 60 minutes of physical education per week for elementary school students. Middle school student schedules will include one full class period daily for for one grading period per year. High school students are required to complete one semester of physical education with one full class period daily. High school students may elect to take more than one semester of physical education.

All physical education classes (K-12) will be taught by licensed teachers who are certified or endorsed to teach physical education at a teacher-to-student ratio planned to be no greater than 40:1.

Physical education programs will meet the needs of all students, including students with disabilities, special healthcare needs, students from all religious and cultural backgrounds, and students in alternative educational settings, and will actively teach cooperation, fair play, and responsible participation.

Student involvement in other activities, including those involving physical activity (e.g. interscholastic or intramural sports), will not be substituted for physical education.

1. Physical education classes will count toward graduation and GPA.

2. Waivers, exemptions, or substitutions for physical education classes will not be granted.

3. The school prohibits the use of physical activity and withholding of physical education class and other forms of physical activity as punishment.

4. All physical education classes will be taught by a qualified physical education teacher, and at least 80% of time will be spent in moderate to vigorous activity.

5. The school will provide adequate space/equipment and conform to all safety standards.

6. Physical education staff will receive professional development on a yearly basis.

7. Students missing class will be encouraged to make up missed physical activity time by participating in an equivalent physical activity, including at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity (examples include intramural athletics, interscholastic athletics, documented exercise, etc.).

B. Physical Activity

All students will have opportunities for physical activity beyond physical education class. Classroom health education will reinforce the knowledge and skills needed to maintain a physically active lifestyle.

Opportunities for physical activity shall be incorporated into other subject lessons, where appropriate. Classroom teachers shall provide short physical activity breaks between lessons or classes, as appropriate. The District encourages teachers to serve as role models by being physically active alongside the students.

Through formal shared-use agreements, indoor and outdoor physical activity facilities are spaces that will be open to students, families, and the community outside of school hours. These agreements are governed by Policy 412: Staff Use of School Facilities and Policy 979: Community Use of School Facilities and Grounds.

C. Recess

All elementary school students will have at least 20 minutes of supervised recess time per day, during which moderate to vigorous physical activity will be encouraged. Outdoor recess will only be withheld in the event of extreme weather, as defined by the District. In the event that recess must be held indoors, teachers and staff will follow indoor recess guidelines to ensure adequate physical activity for students.

D. Physical Activity Programs

Elementary, middle, and high school will strive to offer extracurricular physical activity programs, such as physical activity clubs and intramural programs. High school and middle school will offer interscholastic sports programs to all students.

E. Safe Routes to School

The District will assess and, to the extent possible, make needed improvements to make it safer and easier for students to walk and bike to school. For example, crossing guards may be stationed around the school to facilitate safe walking and biking school commutes, and bike racks will be available at each building. The District will work together with local public works, public safety, and other community partners on Safe Routes to School efforts.

Schools are encouraged to promote and support active transport to schools, including participating in Safe Routes to Schools programming and activities. Schools are to provide active transportation safety education as required by state law, and bicycle safety education for students grades 4-12.

VI. WELLNESS LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

This wellness policy was developed by the District Health, Safety and Wellness Committee, a group comprised of individuals from the following groups: parents/guardians, principals, teachers, food and nutrition service personnel, health service personnel, school board members, school administrators, and other interested persons (such as local public health). Policy revisions will take into account new research and evidence on health trends, new national and state standards and guidelines, new state and federal initiatives, local evaluation data, changing district priorities, and other related issues. Meetings are held 4 times during the school year. All meeting dates are posted on the District website and are open to the public.

The superintendent or designee is charged with operational responsibility for ensuring that the District meets the requirements of the wellness policy.

The principal of each school, or a designated school official, will ensure compliance within the school and will report to the superintendent or designee regarding compliance matters upon request.

VII. POLICY IMPLEMENTATION AND PUBLICATION

After approval by the school board, the wellness policy will be implemented throughout the District and an ongoing District Health, Safety and Wellness Committee with community-wide representation will be maintained.

The District will post the wellness policy on its website. Information, including the following annual reporting information, shall be posted on the District website before the start of the following school year.

VIII. ANNUAL REPORTING

The superintendent or designee will annually inform the public about the content and implementation of the wellness policy and make the policy and any updates to the policy available to the public. The report shall be posted on the District website and provide the following information:

A. Triennial assessment findings

B. Web link to the wellness policy

C. Contact details for committee leadership and information

IX. TRIENNIAL ASSESSMENT

At least once every three years, the District will evaluate compliance with the wellness policy to assess the implementation of the policy and create a report that includes the following information:

A. The extent to which schools under the jurisdiction of the District are in compliance with the wellness policy

B. The extent to which the District’s wellness policy compares to model local wellness policies; and

C. A description of the progress made in attaining the goals of the District’s wellness policy

The superintendent or designee will be responsible for conducting the triennial assessment. The triennial assessment report shall be posted on the District website and made available to the public.

X. RECORDKEEPING

The District will retain records to document compliance with the requirements of the wellness policy. The records to be retained include, but are not limited to:

A. The District’s written wellness policy

B. Documentation demonstrating compliance with community involvement requirements, including requirements to make the local school wellness policy and triennial assessment available to the public

C. Documentation of the triennial assessment of the local school wellness policy for each school under the District’s jurisdiction

D. Efforts to review and update the 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 Health, Safety & Wellness Committee)

 

Legal References:

29 U.S.C. § 794 (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973)

42 U.S.C. § 1751 et seq. (Healthy and Hunger-Free Kids Act)

42 U.S.C. § 1771 et seq (Child Nutrition Act)

42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq. (Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended)

42 U.S.C. § 1758b (Local School Wellness Policy)

7 U.S.C. § 5341 (Establishment of Dietary Guidelines)

7 C.F.R. § 210.10 (School Lunch Program Regulations)

7 C.F. R. § 220.8 (School Breakfast Program Regulations

 

Cross References: 

Policy 521: Graduation Requirements

Policy 707: Commission Sales - Vending Machines and School Pictures

 

Dated: May 18, 2015

Revised: June 12, 2017; June 29, 2020; June 2, 2025