D51 Wellness Policy Implementation

• Schools shall comply with policy IHAMB, Comprehensive Health Education 
• Schools shall integrate nutrition education into lessons based on the Colorado Academic Standards for Comprehensive Health: Healthy Eating and District approved curriculum.
• Nutrition education may be taught in, but not limited to physical education, science, comprehensive health, family and consumer science.

• Food Safety 
• All food prepared in D51 kitchens shall meet or exceed the expectations set by the local Department of Public Health: Food Safety Guidelines. 
• School kitchen managers shall be Servsafe certified. 
• All other school kitchen staff will have a current Food Handlers card. 
• Nutrition Services Program: Mesa County School District 51 will meet or exceed the USDA’s Nutrition Standards for School Meals 
• Nutrition Services will meet or exceed all requirements of the Colorado Healthy School Meals for All legislation.
• The school breakfast and lunch menus and nutritionals will be available on the District’s website

Did you know?

• All D51 school culinary managers are ServeSafe certified.

• All D51 schools are Mesa County Blue Ribbon awarded schools for the highest in food safety standards.

• All menus/nutritionals are reviewed by the Colorado Department of Education Nutrition unit annually.

• Each school provides scratch based cooking on site with local & state wide sourced salad bars.

• Breakfast: School shall allow a minimum of 10 minutes to eat school meals. 
• Lunch:
  • Elementary schools shall allow a minimum of 20 minutes of seated time to eat school meals.
  • Secondary schools shall allow a minimum of 15 minutes of seated time to eat school meals.

Did you know?

• Nutritionists and health professionals recommend a minimum of 20 minutes to eat once a student receives their food.
• Allowing students 20 minutes to eat lunch:
  • increases consumption of food and key nutrients.
  • Increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, and milk, decreases food waste.
  • allows students brains to recognize that they are full.
• D51 will be working with school building teams to review and implement adequate time to eat.

You can learn more by visiting the CDC Healthy Schools website: Making Time for School Lunch.

• Nutrition education that occurs in the school cafeteria will be in accordance with the Colorado Academic Standards for Comprehensive Health Education. 

• Nutrition signage based on the USDA’s “MyPlate” shall be used in and around school cafeterias and teacher lounges. 

• Advertising foods/beverages that do not comply with the USDA Nutrition Standards for School or the USDA Smart Snack Guide is prohibited on school grounds. 

Did you know?

• All D51 schools meet and exceed all USDA nutrition education nutrition and promotion. 

• When school staff chooses to provide a snack, the snack shall be from the approved smart snack list. Avoid providing snacks one hour prior to students’ lunch period.

• School staff will promote and utilize the healthy school meal program for all student hunger and nutrition needs during the school day to provide proper nutrition, ensure student safety, minimize food waste and increase student achievement.

• Snack guidelines do not apply to individual snacks or meals provided by the parent/guardian for their student. 

• School Wellness Teams shall promote and provide resources for non-food celebrations; birthdays, holidays and rewards.

• School staff shall only provide nutrition service approved smart snacks when parents have not provided their student with a snack. Avoid providing snacks one hour prior to students’ lunch period.

• Celebrations are encouraged to have healthy options from the approved smart snack list and be scheduled after lunch.

• Celebrations foods (i.e. cupcakes, pizza, holiday treats) are allowed taking into consideration student food allergies.

• The District shall promote and provide educational resources for non-food celebrations; birthdays, holidays and rewards.

Resources:

• D51 Are You Hungry? Safe, Nutritious food is available ALL DAY in the cafeteria.
• USDA: A Guide to Smart Snacks in Schools
• Approved Smart Snacks in Schools List

Did you know?

• All D51 schools serve breakfast until 10 am.  Students can eat in the cafeteria 30 minutes before the bell or receive a grab-n-go breakfast until 10 am daily.   Studies show students who eat breakfast do better on academic tests.

• The District shall comply with the state “Healthy Beverages” requirements.

• Competitive foods shall not be sold/provided in competition with the District’s food service program. Such competitive foods cannot be sold/provided 30 minutes before to 30 minutes after each scheduled meal service on any area of the school campus.

Did you know?

• D51 offers expanded meal serve times starting 30 minutes before the first bell to 30 minutes after 2pm to ensure students have healthy options all day.

• You can learn more about the CO Healthy Beverages and Competitive Foods Policy by clicking here. 

• All school fundraisers shall comply with the Competitive Food Policy & USDA Smart Snack guidelines. Does not apply to food fundraisers where food is consumed outside of normal school hours.

• Schools will be allowed three (3) one-time fundraisers, per school, that are exempt from the USDA Smart Snacks in Schools Guidelines, per year.

Resources:

• USDA: Smart Snacks in Schools Fundraisers
• USDA: Fundraisers and Smart Snacks: Foods Not Intended for Consumption at School
• PTA's Guide to Smart Snacks in Schools
• Fundraising Help from Alliance for a Healthier Generation

Did You KNow?

• The USDA has set Fundraising guidelines.  Click here to read them!

• We have a toolkit to help schools and Parent Organizations!  

• All students and staff shall have access to safe water at no cost.

• Hydration stations are encouraged in cafeterias and hallways.

Did you know?

• Drinking water keeps brain cells active and balances the chemical process, helping to regulate stress and anxiety.
• Having a well-hydrated brain benefits you by having improved concentration, balanced moods, better sleep and sustained memory function.
• D51 Wellness Advisory Council has grant funded six schools to have better access to water bottle fill stations and will continue to seek grant opportunities for all other schools. 

• Students will have the opportunity to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer before meals or any food consumption.

Did you know?

• • Students are encouraged to wash their hands before meals or any food consumption.

  • Click here for CDC’s hand washing recommendations. 

A Comprehensive School Physical Activity
Program (CSPAP) is a multi-component approach by which school districts and schools use all opportunities for students to be physically active, meet the nationally-recommended 60 minutes of physical activity each day, and develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to be physically active for a lifetime. A CSPAP reflects strong coordination and synergy across all of the components: quality physical education as the foundation, physical activity before, during, and after school, staff involvement, and family and community engagement. 

The goals of a CSPAP are:

• To provide a variety of school-based physical activities to enable all students to participate in 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity each day.
• To provide coordination among the CSPAP components to maximize understanding, application, and practice of the knowledge and skills learned in physical education so that all students will be fully physically educated and well-equipped for a lifetime of physical activity.

Students can accumulate the recommended amount of physical activity through the provision of the multicomponent CSPAP.

Click here to learn more about Comprehensive Physical Activity Programs from the CDC.

The District will meet or exceed the compliance requirements of Colorado Revised Statute 22.32.136.5 concerning measures to increase physical activity in public schools. 

• For the purposes of the policy, “physical activity” may include but is not limited to: 

  • Exercise programs, Fitness breaks, Recess 

  • Field Trips that include physical activity 

  • Classroom activities that include physical activity 

  • Physical education classes 

• A minimum of 600 minutes of physical activity per month will be incorporated into the school schedule of each student attending an elementary school five days per week and the student attends all day. 

• A minimum of 300 minutes of physical activity per month will be incorporated into the school schedule of each student attending an elementary school five days per week and the student attends half days 

Physical Education Instructors 

• All physical education instructors shall be considered in-field to teach physical education per D51 policy GCE/GCF, Licensed Staff Recruiting/Hiring 

Physical Education Instruction

In general the following instructional practices shall be followed:

• Elementary school students shall have a minimum of 60 minutes of quality physical education instruction per week.

• Secondary students are encouraged to engage in 225 minutes of physical activity per week.

• Middle school students are strongly encouraged to enroll in a quality physical education class for a minimum of one quarter per school year.

• High school students shall complete 1.0 credit of physical education to meet graduation requirements.

• Class size for physical education shall be comparable to class size for other academic subjects.

• Instruction shall include moderate to vigorous physical activity for at least one-half of physical education class time.

• Recess minutes and/or physical activity breaks shall not be substituted for physical education time.

• Physical activity during physical education courses may be included when calculating physical activity in order to meet the requirements of Colorado Revised Statue 22-32-136.5.

• Students shall not be removed from physical education for academic reasons.

Physical Education Curriculum 

• Physical education courses shall use a standard-based curriculum that meets the Colorado Physical Education Academic Standards. 

Resources:

Colorado Academic Standards for Physical Education

According to the CDC: When children and adolescents participate in at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day, multiple health benefits accrue. Regular physical activity builds healthy bones and muscles, improves muscular strength and endurance, reduces the risk for developing chronic disease risk factors, improves self-esteem, and reduces stress and anxiety. Beyond these known health effects, physical activity may also have beneficial influences on academic performance.

• ELEMENTARY students shall be provided with an average of at least 30 minutes/day, for a minimum of 600 per month, of physical activity, not including time spent in Physical Education. This time may be accumulated throughout the school day (i.e. brain breaks/boosts, walk and talk, acting out stories, etc.....)

• SECONDARY: It is highly encouraged that teachers provide at least one physical activity break during academic instruction (i.e. break, breaks/boosts, walk and talk, acting out stories, etc....) Moving between classes shall not be counted as a physical activity break.

• Recess is encouraged to be scheduled before lunch periods.

• Provide active and flexible seating for students that need it (i.e. standing desks, stools, exercise balls, wobble chairs, etc....)

Brain Breaks and Movement in the Classroom

Elementary Brain Breaks Google Folder

Secondary Brain Breaks Google Folder

 

Recess

The CDC defines recess as a regularly scheduled period in the school day for physical activity and play that is monitored by trained staff or volunteers. During recess, students are encouraged to be physically active and engaged with their peers in activities of their choice, at all grade levels, kindergarten through 12th grade.

Recess benefits students by:

• Increasing their level of physical activity.

• Improving their memory, attention, and concentration.

• Helping them stay on-task in the classroom.

• Reducing disruptive behavior in the classroom.

• Improving their social and emotional development (e.g., learning how to share and negotiate).

• Schools are encouraged to offer opportunities for physical activities before and after school through organized physical activities utilizing community organizations (i.e. before school recess, running clubs, jump rope clubs, workouts clubs, etc.....).

• Schools are encouraged to partner with local government and community-based agencies to implement a comprehensive active transport program (i.e. Safe Routes to School Program).

• All schools shall promote student access to school grounds and/or facilities before and/or after school, offering opportunities for unstructured free play and structured physical activities. Any violation of district policy to include vandalism or destruction of property may result in closure of public use of school grounds for a period of time. Outdoor facility use is subject to building administrators.

• Using physical activity as punishment, or withholding physical activity/physical education time for behavior management shall be prohibited. Major incident behaviors are exempt based on building administration discretion.

• Withholding physical activity/physical education time for purposes of making up student work shall be prohibited. Click here to view alternative solutions.

• D51, in conjunction with outside community partners, encourages and promotes physical activity in its buildings and outdoor spaces.

• Schools are encouraged to promote physical activity at school events such as back to school events and parent/teacher conferences.