The primary goal of nutrition education is to influence students’ eating behaviors. Building nutrition knowledge and skills helps children make healthy eating and physical activity choices. To accomplish this goal, Our Redeemer Lutheran School has developed this policy to encourage and educate students on the benefits of maintaining healthy choices throughout life.
The principal shall implement and ensure compliance with the policy by leading the review, update, and evaluation of the policy.
The district will invite a diverse group of stakeholders from the list below to participate in the development, implementation, and periodic review and update of the policy.
Principal
Classroom teacher
Physical education teacher
SFA (School Food Authority) representative
School(designated) nurse
School parent parent
All meals meet or exceed current nutrition requirements established under the Healthy Hunger-free Kids Act of 2010 (www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/dietaryspecs.pdf).
Our Redeemer Lutheran School encourages foods offered on the school campus meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards including those provided at celebrations and parties and classroom snacks brought by staff or family members. Non-food celebrations will be promoted and a list of ideas is available to staff and family members.
Our Redeemer Lutheran School will restrict food and beverage marketing to only those foods and beverages that meet the nutrition standards set forth by USDA’s Nutrition Standards for All Foods Sold in Schools (Smart Snacks) rule.
Teachers shall integrate nutrition education into other classroom subjects, such as math, science, language arts, social sciences, and elective subjects.
NUTRITION EDUCATION GOALS
Students in all grades, pre-K through 8th, will receive nutrition education that is interactive and teaches the skills they need to adopt healthy eating behaviors.
The message of making healthy choices will be consistent throughout the school, classrooms, lunch room, and other appropriate areas.
The curriculum for health education will include both nutrition and physical education.
Health education and making healthy decisions will be infused appropriately throughout the other curricular areas.
The school will seek out additional ways to present the message of healthy choices during other events sponsored by the school.
Staff who provide nutrition education will be offered appropriate training opportunities.
The school will seek ways to involve the parents, students, and the community in nutrition education activities.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GOALS
Students will be given opportunities for physical activity during the school day through physical education classes, recess periods, and the integration of physical activity into the academic curriculum.
Students will be given opportunities for physical activity through before and/or after school activities such as an athletic program.
The school will work with the community to help provide safety for students walking, riding bikes, or using other physical activities to get to school.
The school will encourage parents and guardians to support their child’s participation in physical activities and will work to offer physical activities in family events.
The school will provide training for the staff to promote physical activity in enjoyable, lifelong activities.
GOALS FOR OTHER SCHOOL-BASED ACTIVITIES
The school will maintain the lunch area to insure that it is a clean, safe, and enjoyable meal environment.
The school will arrange a lunch schedule that provides adequate time for serving meals, for students to eat, and for clean-up following the meal.
Drinking fountains will be available in the school buildings, and students will be given opportunity to have water throughout the day.
Students will be encouraged to participate in the meal program. The staff will monitor lunches brought from home and encourage families to provide nutritious meals.
The identity of students who receive free or reduced lunches will be protected.
Lunch periods will be scheduled near the middle of the school day with adequate time for students to eat before needing to leave the lunch area.
Food will not be used as a reward or punishment in the school. Children who have been removed from the classroom for disciplinary reasons will be provided with lunch.
Teachers will be encouraged to provide all students with physical activities at recess and other times when physical education or a similar activity is scheduled.
Foodservice staff and teachers will receive proper training in nutrition and physical education.
The school will make efforts to provide students and families with the opportunity to participate in physical activities in after-school programs.
The staff will strive to be role models in practicing healthy eating habits.
The school will provide information and outreach materials to families about other FNS programs such as Food Stamps, and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
NUTRITION GUIDELINES FOR ALL FOODS AND BEVERAGES AVAILABLE AT SCHOOL
Food and beverages in the food service program will represent good choices for a balanced and nutritional diet. No energy drinks containing caffeine at an elevated level.
The school does not allow student vending machines, snack bars, and school stores. During school sponsored activities, healthy alternatives will be offered in the concession stand, so that parents and students can make healthy choices.
Healthy choices and nutritional food value will be a consideration in selecting school-sponsored fundraising activities. Physical activity alternatives will be considered when planning the yearly fundraising events.
When school parties and classroom activities include food, efforts will be made to limit the number of high calorie, low-nutrition snacks. Instead, the children will be provided with nutritional alternatives.
IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION
The wellness policy will be implemented at Our Redeemer Lutheran School by the school staff. Teachers will be responsible for operating the policy and reporting any problems to the principal.
The principal will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the wellness policy.
Through observation and reports from the teachers, the principal will report any difficulties with the implementation of the Wellness Policy to the Board of Education.
Our Redeemer Lutheran School will evaluate compliance with the Wellness Policy no less than once every three years. The assessment will include the extent to which each school is in compliance with the policy and how the policy compares to a model policy, as established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The district will actively inform families and the public about the content of and any updates to the policy through the school website and Board of Education meetings.
HEALTHY SNACK IDEAS
Anytime Snacks - *always a good choice...
Fruits
Fruit Cups (in 100% juice)
100% fruit juices
Bananas
Grapes (really good frozen J)
Apples
Oranges
Strawberries
Kiwi
Raspberries
Blueberries
Veggies
Baby carrots
Celery
Broccoli
Pea Pods
Cauliflower
Salad greens
100% vegetable juices
Grains
Whole grain crackers
Granola bars
Cereals (no more than 35% added sugar)
Air-popped popcorn
Proteins
Dry-roasted peanuts
Mixed nuts
Beef sticks
Peanut butter
Soy nuts
Trail mix (No Candy)
Sometimes Snacks - *not bad, but not always…
Pretzels
Animal crackers
Graham crackers
Cheese-flavored crackers
Dairy
Yogurt
Go-gurt
String cheese
Sliced cheese
Milk
Treat my sweet tooth! - *if you really have to…
Modify sweets recipes with low-fat ingredient alternatives (example: applesauce to replace vegetable oil in muffin recipe)
Low-fat ice cream or frozen yogurt
Beverages
WATER, WATER, WATER!!!
NO ENERGY DRINKS CONTAINING
CAFFEINE AT AN ELEVATED LEVEL!
PLEASE–NO BIG BOXES OF SNACKS IN THE LOCKERS.
Everything should be “single serving” size.