SUBJECT:  SUMMARY OF WELLNESS PLAN (#7561)

The Malone Central School District Board of Education adopted a wellness plan as policy on July 11, 2006.  The Malone Central School District’s mission incorporates a focus on the whole child.  Instruction and practices supporting lifelong wellness are an important aspect of the development of our students.  With rising rates of food allergies and obesity the implementation of a Wellness Plan is an important part of our program.  Key provisions in the policy include:

• A daily minimum of 20 minutes of supervised recess at the elementary level
• A recommendation that students not be withheld from recess more than one day per week
• All schools will offer extracurricular physical activity programs such as physical activity clubs or intramural programs
• After-school child care and enrichment programs will provide and encourage daily periods of moderate to vigorous physical activity for all participants
• Classroom health education will complement physical education by reinforcing the knowledge and self-management skills needed to maintain a physically active lifestyle and to reduce time spent on sedentary activities, such as watching television
• Meals served through the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs will meet nutrition requirements established by local, state, and federal regulations
• Lunch will follow recess in the elementary schools
• School staff will discourage students from sharing or trading foods and beverages given concerns about allergies and other restrictions on some children’s diets.
• The school food service program will approve and provide all food and beverage sales to students in elementary schools.
• Beverage vending machines will be permitted in elementary schools.  Water and beverages with a minimum of 25% fruit juice will be sold.
• Implementation of nutrition and portion size standards

            -- Beverages:

                water, fruit and vegetable juices and fruit-based drinks that contain at least 25% fruit juice and that do not contain additional caloric sweeteners; unflavored or flavored low-fat or fat-free fluid milk and nutritionally-equivalent nondairy beverages (to be defined by USDA);

            -- Foods:

               A choice of at least two fruits and/or non-fried vegetables will be offered for sale at any location on the school site where foods are sold.

            -- Portion Sizes:

         Limit portion sizes of food and beverages sold individually to those listed below:

Ø  One and one-quarter ounces for chips, crackers, popcorn, cereal, trail mix, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, or jerky;

Ø  One ounce for cookies;

Ø  Two ounces for cereal bars, granola bars, pastries, muffins, doughnuts; bagels, and other bakery items;

Ø  Four fluid ounces for frozen desserts;

Ø  Eight ounces for non-frozen yogurt;

Ø  Twelve fluid ounces for beverages, excluding water, low fat milk, juice with 25% or more real fruit juice; and

Ø  The portion size of a la carte entrees and side dishes, including potatoes, will not be greater than the size of comparable portions offered as part of school meals.  Fruits and non-fried vegetables are exempt from portion-size limits.

• Foods not meeting nutrition and portion size standards will not be sold during school hours.  Schools will encourage fundraising activities that promote physical activity.
• Snacks served during the school day or in after-school care or enrichment programs will make a positive contribution to children’s diets and health, with an emphasis on serving fruits and vegetables as the primary snacks and water as the primary beverage.
• The school district will make available a list of creative non-food rewards.  If schools use foods or beverages as rewards for academic performance or good behavior, those foods will meet the above nutrition and portion size standards for foods and beverages sold individually.
• Schools should limit parties that involve food during the school day to no more than one party per class per month.  Each party should include no more than a total of two foods and/or beverages that do not meet nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold individually (above).  The district will disseminate a list of healthy party ideas to parents and teachers.
• At least 75% of foods and beverages offered or sold at school-sponsored events outside the school day will meet the nutrition standards for meals or for foods and beverages sold individually.
• It is recommended that when working or interacting with students, faculty and staff will follow the same regulations in the Wellness Policy (coffee, soda etc…)

You may obtain the full text of the policy by contacting Penny Gardner at 483-7800 ext. 1 or Cindy Johnston at 483-7800 ext. 3.