Impact Christian Academy (hereto referred to as the District) is committed to the optimal development of every student. The District believes that for students to have the opportunity to achieve personal, academic, developmental, and social success, we need to create positive, safe, and health-promoting learning environments at every level, in every setting, throughout the school year. Research shows that two components, good nutrition and physical activity before, during, and after the school day, are strongly correlated with positive student outcomes. This policy outlines the District’s approach to ensuring environments and opportunities for all students to practice healthy eating and physical activity behaviors throughout the school day while minimizing commercial distractions.

School Meals

The District is committed to serving healthy meals to children, with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat milk; moderate in sodium, low in saturated fat, and zero grams trans fat per serving (nutrition label or manufacturer’s specification); and to meet the nutrition needs of school children within their calorie requirements. All schools within the District participate in USDA child nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and the School Breakfast Program (SBP). All schools within the District are committed to offering school meals through the NSLP and SBP programs.

All school meals are accessible to all students.

The District offers reimbursable school meals that meet USDA nutrition standards.

Drinking water will be available to all students throughout the school day and throughout every school campus, including during mealtimes.

Students will be allowed at least 10 minutes to eat breakfast and at least 20 minutes to eat lunch, counting from the time they have received their meal and are seated.

Lunch will follow the recess period to better support learning and healthy eating.

All school nutrition program staff will meet or exceed hiring and annual continuing education requirements in the USDA professional standards for child nutrition professionals.

Other food available at school

The foods and beverages sold outside of the school meal programs (i.e., “competitive” foods and beverages) will meet the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards, at a minimum.

All foods offered on the school campus will meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards. Exemptions may be allowed at the discretion of the school principal, but shall not exceed more than one exemption per class.

• The District will provide a list of healthy party ideas and snacks to parents and teachers, including non-food celebration ideas (Healthy Party Ideas);
• The District will provide to parents a list of foods and beverages that meet Smart Snacks nutrition standards; and
• The District will provide teachers and other relevant school staff a list of alternative ways to reward children. Foods and beverages will not be used as a reward, or withheld as punishment for any reason, such as for performance or behavior.

Only foods and beverages that meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in Schools nutrition standards may be sold through fundraisers on the school campus during the school day.

Nutrition Promotion

Students and staff will receive consistent nutrition messages throughout schools, classrooms, gymnasiums, and cafeterias. The District will promote healthy food and beverage choices for all students throughout the school campus, as well as encourage participation in school meal programs.

Promote healthy food and beverage choices using at least ten Smarter Lunchroom techniques.

Each school will implement at least one of the following four Farm to School activities:

• Local and/or regional products are incorporated into the school meal program;
• School hosts a school garden;
• School hosts field trips to local farms; and
• School utilizes promotions or special events, such as tastings, that highlight the local/ regional products.

Any foods and beverages marketed or promoted to students on the school campus during the school day will meet or exceed the USDA Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards. Food advertising and marketing includes, but is not limited to the following:

• Brand names, trademarks, logos or tags, except when placed on a physically present food or beverage product or its container.
• Displays, such as on vending machine exteriors.
• Corporate brand, logo, name, or trademark on school equipment, such as marquees, message boards, scoreboards, or backboards.
• Corporate brand, logo, name, or trademark on cups used for beverage dispensing, menu boards, coolers, trash cans, and other food service equipment.

Nutrition Education

The District aims to teach, model, encourage, and support healthy eating by students. Nutrition education is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to promote and protect their health.

Nutrition education will include enjoyable, developmentally-appropriate, culturally-relevant, and participatory activities, such as cooking demonstrations or lessons, promotions, taste-testing, farm visits, and school gardens.

Nutrition education will be included in the Health curriculum so that instruction is sequential and follows the Wisconsin Model Academic Standards for Nutrition. Nutrition education will also be integrated into other classroom instruction through subjects such as math, science, language arts, social sciences, and elective subjects.

The District teaches students nutrition education using scientifically-based, up-to-date nutrition information consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The District will include in the health education curriculum the following essential topics on healthy eating:

• Food guidance from MyPlate
• Reading and using USDA’s food labels
• Balancing food intake and physical activity
• Food safety
• Social influences on healthy eating, including media, family, peers, and culture
• How to find valid information or services related to nutrition and dietary behavior
• Resisting peer pressure related to unhealthy dietary behavior
• Influencing, supporting, or advocating for others’ healthy dietary behavior

Physical Education

The District will provide students with physical education, using an age-appropriate, sequential physical education curriculum consistent with national and state standards for physical education. The physical education curriculum will promote the benefits of a physically active lifestyle and will help students develop skills to engage in lifelong healthy habits, as well as incorporate essential health education concepts. All students will be provided equal opportunity to participate in physical education classes.

All district students will participate in physical education that meets or exceeds state standards

All District elementary students in each grade will receive physical education for at least 60 minutes per week throughout the school year.

• All District middle school students are required to take physical education in one grade level.
• All District high school students are required to take the equivalent of one academic year of physical education.

Students will be moderately to vigorously active for at least 50% of class time during most or all physical education class sessions.

All physical education classes in District are taught by licensed teachers who are certified or endorsed to teach physical education.

Waivers, exemptions, or substitutions for physical education classes are not granted.

Physical Activity

Children and adolescents should participate in 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Schools will offer students a variety of physical activity opportunities that are in addition to, and not as a substitute for, physical education.

Physical activity during the school day (including but not limited to recess, physical activity breaks, or physical education) will not be required or withheld as punishment for any reason.

All elementary schools will offer at least 20 minutes of recess on all or most days during the year.

• Outdoor recess will be offered when weather is feasible for outdoor play.

• Active recess programming will be utilized to create universal participation by offering multiple activities at recess; designate different areas of play throughout the playground; provide equipment to decrease congestion on play structures; and provide group games, led by staff.

• In the event that the school or district must conduct indoor recess, teachers and staff promote physical activity for students, to the extent practicable.

The District recommends teachers provide short (3-5 minute) physical activity breaks to students during and between classroom time. Activity break ideas are available through Active Schools WI.

The District offers opportunities (e.g., including activity clubs, open gym, intramurals and varsity sports) for students to participate in physical activity before and/or after the school day.

The District will support active transport to and from school, such as walking or biking.

Other Activities that Promote Student Wellness

The District will integrate wellness activities across the entire school setting, not just in the cafeteria, other food and beverage venues, and physical activity facilities. The District will coordinate and integrate other initiatives related to physical activity, physical education, nutrition, and other wellness components so all efforts are complementary, not duplicative, and work towards the same set of goals and objectives promoting student well-being, optimal development, and strong educational outcomes.

The District will continue relationships with its community partners, including UW-Extension and our local hospital, in support of this wellness policy’s implementation.

The District will promote to parents/caregivers, families, and the community the benefits of and approaches for healthy eating and physical activity throughout the school year. Families will be invited to participate in school-sponsored events and will receive information about health promotion.

The District promotes staff member participation in health promotion programs and will support programs for staff members on healthy eating/weight management.

When feasible, the District will offer annual professional learning opportunities and resources for staff to increase knowledge and skills about promoting healthy behaviors in the classroom and school.

Policy Monitoring/Implementation

The District will convene a district wellness committee that meets at least four times per year to establish goals for and oversee school health and safety policies and programs, including development, implementation, and periodic review and update of wellness

The wellness committee membership will represent all school levels (elementary and secondary schools) and include (to the extent possible), but not be limited to: parents and caregivers; students; representatives of the school nutrition program (e.g., school nutrition director); physical education teachers; health education teachers; school health professionals (e.g., health education teachers, school health services staff, and mental health and social services staff); school administrators (e.g., superintendent, principal, vice principal), school board members; health professionals (e.g., dietitians, doctors, nurses, dentists); and the general public. The District will compile and publish an annual report to share basic information about the wellness policy and report on the progress of the schools within the district in meeting wellness goals.

The District will actively notify households/families of the availability of the annual report through the District newsletter and website.

The wellness committee will update or modify the wellness policy based on the results of the annual progress reports, and/or as District priorities change; community needs change; wellness goals are met; new health science, information, and technology emerges; and new Federal or state guidance or standards are issued. The wellness policy will be assessed and updated as indicated at least every three years.