Wellness Policy

Saint Therese School promotes healthy students by supporting good nutrition and regular physical activity as part of the total learning environment. Our school believes that promoting proper dietary habits will contribute to students’ health status and academic performance. The entire school environment shall be aligned with healthy goals to positively influence a student’s understanding, beliefs and habits as they relate to good nutrition and regular physical activity. Improved health optimizes student performance potential.

This policy has been enacted by the Principal of Saint Therese School following consultation with parents, faculty and other stakeholders.
To ensure the health and well-being of all students, Saint Therese School shall provide to students:

• A comprehensive nutrition program consistent with federal and state requirements.
• Access at reasonable cost to foods and beverages that meet established nutrition guidelines.
• Physical education courses and opportunities for developmentally appropriate physical activity during the schoolday.
• Curriculum and programs for grades K-8 that are designed to educate students about proper nutrition and lifelong physical activity, in accordance with the curriculum guidelines of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh.

Responsibility

The Principal shall be responsible for the implementation and oversight of this policy to ensure that the school is complaint with this policy, related policy and established guidelines.

Annually, the principal shall conduct a review of the school environment regarding school wellness issues and an evaluation of the food services program. In consultation with the Cafeteria Manager, the principal shall conduct a review of all foods and beverages sold in the school for compliance with established nutrition guidelines. In consultation with the faculty, a listing of activities and programs conducted to promote nutrition and physical activity is compiled. Finally, the Principal shall review feedback from all stakeholders regarding recommendations for policy revisions and suggestions for improvement in specific areas.

Wellness Committee

The Principal and the established Wellness Committee shall conduct an assessment at least once every three (3) years on the contents and implementation of this policy as part of a continuous improvement process to strengthen the policy and ensure implementation. This triennial assessment shall be made available to stakeholders in an accessible and easily understood manner that includes:

• The extent to which Saint Therese School is in compliance with law and policies related to school wellness.
• The extent to which this policy compares to model wellnesspolicies.
• A description of the progress made by Saint Therese School in attaining the goals of thispolicy.

At least once every three years, Saint Therese School shall update or modify this policy as needed or as new federal or state guidelines are issued.
Saint Therese School shall annually inform stakeholders about the contents, updates and implementation of this policy via the school website, school handbook and other appropriate methods. This annual notification shall include information on how to access the Saint Therese School wellness policy, information about the recent assessment, information on how to participate in the development, implementation and periodic review of the policy and a means for contacting Wellness Committee leadership.

The Wellness Committee shall be comprised of the Principal, Cafeteria Manager, Physical Education teacher, representative of the faculty, the school guidance counselor as assigned by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, one student, two parent representatives and one member of the parish.

The Wellness Committee shall serve as an advisory committee regarding student health issues and shall be responsible for developing, implementing and periodically reviewing and updating a School Wellness policy that complies with the law to recommend for adoption.

The Wellness Committee shall review and consider evidence-based strategies and techniques in establishing goals for nutrition education and promotion, physical activity and other school based activities that promote student wellness as part of the policy development and revision process.

Recordkeeping

Saint Therese School shall retain records documenting compliance with the requirements of the School Wellness policy, which shall include:

• The written School Wellnesspolicy.
• Documentation demonstrating that the school has informed stakeholders, on an annual basis, about the contents of the School Wellness policy and any updates to the policy.
• Documentation of efforts to review and update the School Wellness policy, including who is involved in the review and methods used by the school to inform stakeholders of their ability to participate in thereview.
• Documentation demonstrating the most recent assessment on the implementation ofthe School Wellness policy and notification of the assessment results to thepublic.

Nutrition Education and Promotion

Saint Therese School will promote nutrition education and engage in nutrition promotion which,

• is offered at each grade level as part of a sequential, comprehensive, standards-based program designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect their health;
• is part of not only health education classes, but also classroom instruction in subjects such as math, science, language arts, social sciences, Religion and elective subjects;
• includes enjoyable, developmentally appropriate, culturally relevant participatory activities, such as contests, promotions, taste-testing, farm visits and school gardens;

• promotes fruit, vegetables, whole-grain products, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, healthy food preparation methods and health-enhancing nutrition practices;
• emphasizes caloric balance between food intake and physical activity;
• links with meal programs, other foods and nutrition-related community services.

Physical Activity

Saint Therese School shall strive to provide opportunities for developmentally appropriate physical activity during the school day for all students. Saint Therese School will promote physical activity that:

• is daily with opportunities to accumulate sixty (60) minutes of age-appropriate physical activity daily, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Opportunities offered at school will augment physical activity outside the school environment, such as outdoor play at home, sports,etc.;
• is for all students in grades K-8 for the entire schoolyear;
• includes students with disabilities, students with special health care needs may be provided in alternative educational settings;and
• engages the students in moderate to vigorous activity during the majority of physical education class time.

Saint Therese School shall provide recess for students that:

• is at least 20 minutes aday;
• is preferably outdoors;
• encourages moderate to vigorous physical activity—verbally and through provision of space and equipment and
• discourages extended period of inactivity.

Physical activity shall not be used or withheld as a form of punishment.

When it is necessary for students to remain indoors for long periods of time, schools should give students periodic breaks during which they are encouraged to stand and be moderately active.

For students to receive the nationally recommended amount of daily physical activity and for students to fully embrace regular physical activity as a personal behavior, students need opportunities for physical activity beyond the physical education class. Toward that end, the schools in the Diocese of Pittsburgh will:

• offer classroom health education that complements physical education by reinforcing the knowledge and self-management skills needed to maintain a physically active lifestyle and to reduce time spent on sedentaryactivities;
• discourage sedentary activities, such as watching television, playing computer games,etc.;
• provide opportunities for physical activity to be incorporated into other subject lessons;and
• encourage classroom teachers to provide short physical activity breaks between lessons or classes, as appropriate.

Many students walk to and from Saint Therese School. The school will support those students walking to and from school in a safe manner and with appropriate parental permission.

School Meals

Meals served through the National School Lunch Program will:

• be appealing and attractive to children;
• be served in clean and pleasant settings;
• meet, at minimum, nutrition requirements established by local, state and federallaw;
• offer a minimum of (3) fruits and (3) vegetable a day; and
• serve milk daily
• share nutrition content of school meals to students, parents/guardians, faculty and other stakeholders.

The school shall engage students and parents, through taste-tests of new entrees and surveys, in selecting foods offered through the meal programs in order to identify new, healthful and appealing food choices.

In order to meet their nutrition needs and enhance their ability to learn, Saint Therese School shall:

• provide students with at least 20 minutes to eatlunch;
• schedule lunch periods at appropriate times and shall not schedule tutoring, club or organizational meetings or activities during mealtimes unless students eat during suchactivities;
• will strive to schedule lunch periods to follow recess periods;
• will provide students access to hand washing or hand sanitizing before the eat meals or snacks;
• should take reasonable steps to accommodate the tooth-brushing regimens of students with special oral health needs (e.g. orthodontia or high tooth decayrisk).

Qualification of Food Service Staff

Qualified nutrition professionals will administer the meal programs. Saint Therese School shall provide appropriate training to all staff on the component of the School Wellness policy. The school shall support all food service staff in continuing professional development of all nutrition professionals and provide staff development programs that include appropriate certification and/or training programs for nutrition managers and cafeteria workers, according to their levels of responsibility.

For the safety and security of the food and facility, access to the food service operations are limited to the nutrition staff and authorized personnel.

Nutrition Guidelines for All Foods/Beverages at School

All food and beverages available at Saint Therese School shall be offered to students with consideration for promoting student health and reducing obesity.

Food and beverages provided through the National School Lunch Program shall comply with established federal nutrition standards.

All foods and beverages sold individually outside the school meal program (including those sold through a la carte (snack) lines, or fundraising activities) during the school day or through programs for students after the school day, will meet the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards, at a minimum.