Nutrition

Request for Proposal

Local School Wellness Policy

Nutrition Education

The primary goal of nutrition education is to increase students’ knowledge regarding healthy eating choices to enable them to adopt healthy eating behaviors. Nutrition education will be aligned with the California Health Education Content Standards and current legislation. Nutrition topics shall be integrated within the comprehensive health education curriculum and taught at every grade level. Instruction shall be culturally-responsive, based on accurate and current information, and provide the skills and motivation to focus on behavior change.

Students shall receive consistent nutrition messages throughout the school campus. Education materials shall be free of brands and illustrations of unhealthful foods and will include information about the nutritional content of meals. To encourage consistent nutrition messages between the home and school environment, we shall disseminate nutrition information to students, parents, guardians, staff, and community. Nutrition education shall be provided in the form of handouts, the school website, articles and information provided in school newsletters, presentations that focus on nutrition and healthy lifestyles, and through any other appropriate means available to reach parents. Outreach shall emphasize the relationship between student health and academic performance. CWC LA encourages the promotion of nutritious foods and beverages through signage, e-mails, newsletters, incentive programs, or other means.

Nutrition Standards and Guidelines

Foods and beverages provided through federally reimbursable school meal programs shall meet or exceed federal regulations. Foods and beverages available to students at CWC LA’s schools should support the health curriculum and promote optimal health. Nutrition standards adopted by CWC LA’s schools for all foods and beverages sold to students on campus during the school day, including foods and beverages provided through the school’s food service program and other venues, shall meet or exceed State and Federal nutrition standards. Milk sold as part of the school meals program will be limited to 1% and skim, with no chocolate milk being served. Students are prohibited from leaving campus for lunch, therefore, students will be provided a pleasant environment and adequate time (minimum of 20 minutes) in which to eat lunch.

All food and beverages served or sold outside the federal meal program will also meet the following guidelines. Food and beverages will:

• • Have no more than 45% of its calories from fat

• • Have no more than 10% of its calories from saturated fat

• • Have no more than 200 mg of sodium per serving

• • Not exceed 200 calories per individual package

• • • Be no more than 35% sugar by weight
  • • Be milk, water, or juice that is at least 50% fruit juice with no added sweeteners
  • Follow the Institute of Medicine’s recommendations for beverage serving sizes

Vending machines are prohibited on school grounds. Furthermore, CWC LA does not allow food/beverages to be sold at school stores.

Healthy Food

At CWC LA, we hope to have a healthy school environment. When making nutritional decisions, CWC LA encourages all families to provide students with a healthy snack every day. All children need to bring a healthy snack to school each day, such as proteins, fruits and vegetables. CWC LA encourages parents to send snacks that are low in sugar and other additives. Carbonated beverages, sports drinks, gum and candy are prohibited. Furthermore, school staff, student groups, and parent groups will be encouraged to refrain from using candy and snacks of minimal nutritional value as rewards to students or during school-sponsored events. We will also ensure students have access to free, fresh drinking water. Students have the option of bringing their own lunch to school or participating in our school lunch program. Our school lunch will be prepared by an external food vendor, for a reasonably low cost. At least half of the grains served will be whole grains.

Physical Education and Physical Activity Opportunities

The primary goal for the promotion of physical activity is to increase students’ knowledge and skills to enable them to adopt a physically active and healthful lifestyle. All students shall be provided opportunities to be physically active on a regular basis. Opportunities for moderate to vigorous physical activity shall be provided through physical education, extracurricular programs, after-school programs, and other activities at the school site and its facilities or partnering with community-based organizations.

Our standards and goals for physical activities shall be based on current research, consisted with the expectations established in California’s curriculum framework. Staff members/teachers will have appropriate skills and training to support curriculum aligned with the local school wellness policy. In turn, we steadfastly adhere to the research-supported idea that consistent, quality physical activity and health nutritional choices enhance student health, behavior, attendance, and academic performance.

All students shall be provided opportunities to be physically active on a regular basis. Opportunities for moderate to vigorous physical activity shall be provided through physical and/or fitness education, daily recess, school athletic programs, before- and after-school programs, and other appropriate structured and unstructured activities such as yoga and stretching. Students will also receive information about sports and exercise opportunities in the community.

All students will be scheduled for physical education instruction in accordance with state law. All students shall receive the appropriate number of minutes per week of physical education instruction based on requirement of California law and LAUSD policy. Physical education classes will have adequate student/teacher ratios and shall be provided adequate space and equipment and conform to all applicable safety standards. CWC LA shall not give physical education credit to students involved in extracurricular sports. Sports and academic activities may not take the place of physical education.

Other School-Based Activities Designed to Promote Student Wellness

CWC LA’s schools shall create a healthy school environment that promotes healthy eating and physical activity. In order to create this environment, CWC LA’s schools shall:

• • Provide a clean, safe, enjoyable meal environment for students

• • Ensure that students can get water and encourage students to bring water bottles

• • Discourage the use of food as a reward or punishment

• • Not use physical activity as a punishment

• • Provide opportunities for ongoing professional training and development for teachers in the areas of nutrition and physical education

• • Make efforts to keep school facilities open for use by students outside school hours

• • Encourage parents/guardians, teachers, school administrators, students and community members to serve as role models in practicing healthy eating and being physically active, both in school and at home

• • Encourage all students to participate in school meal programs, (i.e., the National School Lunch)

• • Work with the school meal program to develop school gardens when feasible and as facility space and conditions allow

• • Incorporate nutrition education lessons that cover topics such as reading a Nutrition facts label

• • Link nutrition education activities with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Coordinated School Health Program model

• • • Utilize signage to promote healthy food items available so students know which are healthy items
  • • Provide professional development in the area of food and nutrition for food service managers and staff
  • Encourage classroom celebrations to focus on activities, rather than food

Program Involvement, Implementation and Measurement

To determine whether this policy is being effectively implemented, CWC LA will convene a Nutrition Council including parents, students, representative of CWC LA, teachers of physical education and youth fitness, school health professionals, the CWC LA board, school administrators, and the general public to participate in the development, implementation, review, and update of the local wellness policy. CWC LA will make efforts to recruit members via e-mail and notifications will be posted in a central area in all school buildings inviting members of the community to join. The following indicators to monitor policy compliance shall be used:

• • Descriptions of the school’s nutrition education, physical education, and health education curricula

• • Number of minutes of physical education offered at each grade level

• • Results of the State’s physical fitness test

• • Student participation rates in school meal programs

• • Any sales of non-nutritious foods and beverages at other venues outside of the school’s meal programs

• • Annual feedback from the Nutrition Council, which will be shared with the CWC LA board, to evaluate the wellness policy, progress made in attaining the goals, and measurable outcomes

• • • The Local School Wellness Policy will be revised as necessary and changes will be implemented the following trimester (if not sooner) of the school year after the CWC LA board has approved the policy
  • • Every three years, CWC LA and the Nutrition Council will review the latest national recommendations pertaining to school health and update the wellness policy
  • Any school stakeholder wishing to express a viewpoint, opinion, or complaint regarding these rules is encouraged to contact the school principal.

The Local School Wellness Policy and annual progress reports will be posted on the school websites as the board approves revisions of the policy and the approved policy is assessed. A progress report for each CWC LA school will include a summary of the areas assessed: nutrition education, standards for USDA child nutrition programs and school meals, nutrition standards for competitive and other food beverages, physical education and physical activity, wellness promotion and marketing, and implementation, evaluation, and communication. You may visit the following CWC LA websites for more information:

www.cwchollywood.org

www.cwcsilverlake.org

www.cwcmarvista.org

www.cwclosangeles.org

The Regional Support Office Executive Director or designee, in collaboration with the school principal, will have the authority and responsibility to ensure each school complies with the policy.