School Wellness Program
Our School Wellness Program is committed to fostering a healthy, active, and supportive environment for all students. Through careful policy implementation, ongoing evaluation, and community engagement, we aim to ensure every student thrives physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Members of the Wellness Committee
The Wellness Committee will be responsible for implementing and upholding the school’s wellness policy.
Meetings: Purpose, Sequence, and Cadence
Purpose: Our meetings serve as crucial platforms for reviewing policy compliance, assessing progress, and identifying areas for enhancement. Integral to this process is the review of our nutrition and physical activity policies, ensuring that our school environment consistently promotes healthy eating habits and physical well-being. As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, we will adjust wellness policies as needed and develop actionable plans to support their implementation effectively.
Cadence: The Wellness Committee will convene 4 times during the academic year, strategically timed to coincide with the conclusion of each academic trimester. The schedule is as follows:
- Meeting #1: Last week of August
- Meeting #2: Second week of December
- Meeting #3: Last week of February
- Meeting #4: First week of June
- Meeting #5: Third week of June
This cadence ensures consistent engagement and allows for timely reviews and adjustments, fostering a culture of proactive wellness management within our school community.
Our students thrive physically, mentally, and emotionally
Nutrition & Promotion
Our school is committed to serving healthy meals to our students and meeting the nutrition needs and calorie requirements while accommodating cultural food preferences and special dietary needs.
- Foods of minimal nutritional value, including brands and illustrations, shall not be advertised or marketed in educational materials.
- Through the weekly parent newsletter, families are encouraged to promote healthy nutrition, starting at home.
- Time provided for lunch is sufficient for eating and socializing, under proper supervision.
- Water fountains are on every floor and hallway of the school building, ensuring students can access clean water during and after the school day.
- The school environment will reinforce the development of healthy eating habits, including offering healthy foods, health-conscious fundraising, and staff wellness support. The Nurse’s Office reinforces healthy eating habits.
Nutrition Education
Administrators, faculty, and staff support the development of healthy lifestyles for students through encouragement and education.
- Menus offer healthy choices that include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and low-fat dairy products.
- School meals meet the standards established by the USDA.
- Water is always available during lunch, and students are encouraged to stay hydrated throughout the day.
- Cafeteria staff will participate in providing nutrition education through new food experiences and exposed to a wide variety of food choices. Consistent encouragement is given to students to try new foods and discourage students from making negative comments about new foods and healthy foods, so they learn to try new flavors.
- Our nursing staff is actively collaborating with students to cultivate essential nutrition-related skills, such as meal planning, interpreting, and utilizing food labels, and critically assessing nutrition information, misinformation, and commercial food advertising.
Foods Available at Schools, Including School Meals, and Competitive Foods
Our school is committed to ensuring that all foods and beverages available to students on the school campus during the school day support healthy eating.
- Food safety is a top priority, the kitchen facility is inspected twice a year. All foods are served and prepared in a health-inspected facility under the guidance of the Health Department.
- All foods are prepared and served in compliance with health regulations, ensuring a safe dining environment for students.
- School meals are priced affordably to ensure accessibility for all students.
- Meals are distributed in a manner that allows anonymity for students receiving free and reduced meals.
Physical Activity
We understand the importance of promoting exercise, which will add to our students’ physical and mental health to improve their health throughout their lives. All students are encouraged and have the option to participate in physical activities throughout the year.
- The gym and outdoor recess area are available before school, during recess, and afternoon activities for student use.
- A variety of interscholastic sports provide diverse opportunities for athletic engagement.
- All students are required to participate in after-school activities, which include some form of physical activity.
After-School Activities
In the fall and spring seasons, after-school activities include outdoor sports and games. Winter activities included basketball and clubs which have an outdoor play time.
Other Issues Relating to Student Health and Wellness
Hand-washing stations have been installed in hallways to promote regular hand hygiene among students.
- Nursing staff collaborate with families to ensure students’ immunizations are up to date, prioritizing their overall health and well-being.
- Students actively participate in maintaining a clean cafeteria, fostering a sense of responsibility and respect for school property.
- The school hosts regular morning coffees for parents and caregivers to provide educational opportunities on health and wellness topics.
Monitoring and Evaluation
The President, along with Business Manager and Wellness Committee members, ensures compliance with the Wellness Policy and oversees implementation procedures. The Wellness Policy undergoes a comprehensive review every three years, with progress reports.
