I. Purpose
Per NWCS Resolution of Purpose, this policy assures a school environment that promotes and protects students’ health, well-being, and ability to learn by supporting healthy eating and physical activity.
II. General Statement of Policy
A. NWCS recognizes that parents and guardians have a primary and fundamental role in promoting and protecting their children’s health and well-being.
B. NWCS recognizes the importance of making a commitment to motivating students, parents, staff, administrators, and communities to take action in making healthy choices. Evidence strongly suggests that collaborative efforts among family, schools, and community are the most effective approach for the promotion of good health.
C. NWCS leadership makes a significant difference in the success of nutrition and healthy eating efforts. Results can be compromised if not supported by the entire school environment that includes both inside and outside the Agency.
D. NWCS recognizes that nutrition education and physical education are essential components of the educational process and that good health fosters student attendance and education.
E. The school environment should promote and protect students’ health, well being, and ability to learn by encouraging healthy eating and physical activity.
F. NWCS encourages the involvement of students, parents, teachers, food service staff, and other interested persons in implementing, monitoring, and reviewing NWCS nutrition and physical activity policies.
G. Children need access to healthy foods and opportunities to be physically active in order to grow, learn, and thrive.
H. All students in grades K-12 will have opportunities, support, and an environment that encourages physical activity on a regular basis.
I. Qualified food service personnel will provide students with access to a variety of affordable, nutritious, and appealing foods that meet the health and nutrition needs of a culturally diverse student body. NWCS will provide clean, safe, and pleasant facilities and adequate time for students to eat.
III. Guidelines
A. Physical Education and Physical Activity:
Physical education is the time during the day when physical education curriculum is delivered by a certified physical education teacher.
Physical activity is movement with students supported by anyone other than a certified physical education teacher.
1. Opportunities During the School Day
a. Continue to work toward providing all students in grades K-12, including students with disabilities, special health-care needs, and students within alternative educational settings, to receive physical education.
b. Continue to work toward meeting the Physical Education requirements of the CDC, MDE, NASPE recommendations of 150 minutes/week for elementary students and 225 minutes/week for secondary students for the entire school year. *
c. Expand lifetime activities offered in secondary Physical Education curriculum.
d. All physical education will be taught by a certified physical education teacher.
e. Strive toward daily recess prior to lunch.
f. Strive toward all elementary students having at least 20 minutes a day of supervised recess, preferably outdoors, during which schools and playground monitors encourage moderate to vigorous physical activity.
2. Opportunities in the Learning Environment
a. Extended periods (i.e., periods of two or more hours) of inactivity are discouraged. When activities, such as mandatory school-wide testing, make it necessary for students to remain indoors for long periods of time, students will be given periodic breaks during which they are encouraged to stand and be moderately active.
b. Encourage and train classroom teachers to implement current strategies that link physical activity with learning.
3. Opportunities Outside the School Day
a. The school is encouraged to offer a variety of physical activities including extracurricular and intramural. Possible resources may include outside agencies and community education.
b. To promote safe routes to school, the school district will assess its own facilities and, if necessary and to the extent possible, make needed improvements to make it safer and easier for students to walk and bike to school.
c. Expand and utilize the use of fitness centers and other existing facilities before and after school for all NWCS staff and students to promote healthy lifestyles.
d. Encourage activities that promote physical activity such as jump-a-thons, rake-a-thons, etc.
B. Nutrition:
1. Food and Beverages
a. Work toward providing all students with at least 20 minutes per day to eat lunch.
b. Continue to offer a variety of healthy choices in school breakfast and lunch that are tasty, attractive, and of excellent quality that meet or exceed the nutrition standards established by USDA**.
c. Ensure the availability of healthy, appealing, and affordable food options whenever food is served outside of the school breakfast and lunch program.
d. Offer healthy food and beverage options in vending machines, school stores, concession stands, staff areas, and ala carte lines.***
e. Transition to fundraising efforts that are supportive of healthy eating, by selling non-food items or healthy food items like fruits, veggies, and whole grain breads.***
f. Transition to healthy choices (food and non-food) for reward programs.***
g. School regularly promotes healthy food options for students (pricing, marketing, posting nutrition information, taste testing, etc.)
2. Nutrition Education
a. Encourage district staff and school volunteers to model healthy nutritional choices
b. Continue to provide nutrition education in health classroom curriculum.
c. Teachers are encouraged to integrate nutrition education into core curriculum areas such as math, science, social studies, and language arts as applicable.
3. Community Communication and Education
a. Provide staff, parents, and community with education on physical activities in school newsletters and district website.
b . Encourage NWCS staff, students, and families (newsletters etc) to make healthy food choices at home, when eating away from home, and when sending food and beverages to school.
IV. Implementation, Monitoring, and Review
A. After approval by the Board of Directors, the wellness policy will be implemented throughout NWCS..
B. The food service staff will ensure compliance within the school’s food service area and will report to the CEO or designee, as appropriate.
C. The CEO or designee will ensure compliance and effectiveness of the wellness policy and will provide an annual report of NWCS compliance with the policy to the Board of Directors.
D. An assessment of the school’s existing nutrition and physical activity environment and policy will be completed annually to help review policy compliance, assess progress, and determine areas in need of improvement. As part of that review, NWCS will review nutrition and physical activity policies; provision of an environment that supports healthy eating and physical activity; and nutrition and physical education policies and program elements. The school will, as necessary, review the wellness policies and develop work plans to facilitate their implementation.
* Reference – (CDC) – Centers for Disease Control, (MDE) – Minnesota Department of Education and (NASPE) – National Association of Sport and Physical Education
** School lunches are to provide 1/3 of the Recommended Daily Allowances for children with no more than 30% of the total calories coming from fat. References: Minnesota Department of Education Food and Nutrition Services Mde.fns@state.mn.us, Updated 4/1/12
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Transparency in Coverage
Health plan price transparency helps consumers know the cost of a covered item or service before receiving care. Beginning July 1, 2022, most group health plans and issuers of group or individual health insurance will begin posting pricing information for covered items and services.
Here are the links for the Northwood Medical plans.
Medica Essentia Choice
Medica Passport
medica.com/price-transparency
